AP HUG Vocab

Bid-rent theory

A theory that explains how land value and rent decrease as the distance from the Central Business District (CBD) increases.

Boomburb

A rapidly growing suburban city with a population over 100,000 that maintains a suburban feel but functions like a city.

Brownfields

Abandoned or underused industrial and commercial sites that may be contaminated by pollutants.

CBD (Central Business District)

The commercial and business center of a city, often characterized by high-rise buildings and high land values.

Concentric Zone Model

A city model where urban land use is arranged in rings, with the CBD in the center, surrounded by zones of transition, working-class housing, and suburbs.

CPT (Central Place Theory)

A theory that explains the spatial distribution of cities and services based on their size and function.

Decentralization

The movement of people, businesses, and government functions from the urban core to suburban and outlying areas.

Disamenity Zone

An area of a city lacking basic services, often with high poverty and informal housing.

Edge City

A large, suburban business and commercial district that has developed outside of a traditional downtown.

Exurb

A semi-rural area beyond the suburbs where high-income residents live but commute to the city for work.

Food Desert

An urban or rural area with limited access to affordable and nutritious food.

Galactic City Model

A city model describing post-industrial urban areas with multiple centers and a strong reliance on highways.

Gentrification

The process of wealthier individuals moving into urban neighborhoods, leading to rising property values and displacement of lower-income residents.

Gravity Model

A model predicting interaction between places based on their population size and distance from each other.

Greenbelts

Areas of undeveloped or agricultural land surrounding urban areas to prevent sprawl.

Hoyt Sector Model

A city model where urban land use develops in wedge-shaped sectors radiating out from the CBD along transportation routes.

Inclusionary Zoning

Policies that require new housing developments to include a certain percentage of affordable units.

Infrastructure

The basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a city, such as roads, bridges, water supply, and power grids.

Latin American City Model

A model that describes Latin American cities with a spine of commercial development extending from the CBD and large areas of informal housing on the outskirts.

Local Food Movement

A trend that promotes consuming food grown and produced locally to support the local economy and reduce environmental impact.

Mixed-Use Development

Urban planning that combines residential, commercial, and recreational spaces in the same area.

Multiple Nuclei Model

A city model that suggests urban areas develop around multiple centers, not just a single CBD.

New Urbanism

A planning movement promoting walkable, mixed-use communities that reduce reliance on cars.

Primate City

A city that is more than twice as large as the second-largest city in a country and dominates its cultural, economic, and political life.

Rank-Size Rule

a pattern where a country's cities are ranked by population size, and the population of each city is roughly inversely proportional to its rank, meaning the second-largest city is about half the size of the largest, the third-largest

Slow Growth Policy

Urban planning strategies aimed at controlling and limiting rapid population growth to prevent sprawl.

Smart Growth Policy

A planning approach that focuses on sustainable and environmentally friendly urban development.

Suburbanization

The process of people moving from urban centers to surrounding residential communities.

Urban Renewal

Government-led redevelopment of deteriorated urban areas to improve infrastructure, housing, and public spaces.

Urban Sprawl

The uncontrolled expansion of urban areas into surrounding rural land.

Urban Sustainability

Development practices that ensure cities grow while minimizing environmental impact and resource depletion.

Urbanization

The increase in population and expansion of cities due to migration and economic growth.

World City

A globally influential city that serves as a center for finance, culture, and international business.

Zoning

Government regulations that determine how land in an area can be used, such as residential, commercial, or industrial purposes.