Unit 6, Module 50, Urban Sustainability, Vocab - Human Geography AP

Built environment

The human-made space in which people live, work, and engage in leisure activities on a daily basis

Smart growth

Policies that combat regional sprawl by addressing issues of population density and transportation

Smart growth policies

mixed land use, compact design, infill development, variety of transportation choices, diverse housing options, preservation of natural environment

Compact design

Development that grows up (in the form of taller buildings) rather than out (in the form of urban sprawl)

Diverse housing options

Policy that encourages building quality housing for people and families of all stages and income levels in a range of prices within a neighborhood

New Urbanism

An approach to city planning that focuses on fostering European-style cities of dense settlements, attractive architecture, and housing of different types and prices within walking distance to shopping, restaurants, jobs, and public transportation

New Urbanism principles

Walkability, connectivity, mixed use and diversity, diverse housing options, quality architecture and urban design, traditional neighborhood structure, increased density, smart transportation, sustainability, quality of life

Greenbelt

A zone of grassy, forested, or agricultural land seperating urban areas

Zoning

the classfication of land according to restrictions on its use and development

Slow-growth city

A city that changes its zoning laws to decrease the rate at which the city spreads horizontally, with the goal of avoiding the negative effects of sprawl

Negative responses to Urban Design Initiatives

Property value will decrease, amount of affordable housing will decrease, property owners will face restrictions on the use of their land, existing communities will be disrupted, new development will cause segragation, structures and places of historical importance will be destroyed or severely impacted, sprawl will increase rather than decrease

Anti-displacement tenant activists

Advocates for poor and working-class residents who are at risk of losing their affordable housing to new development

De facto segregation

Racial segregation that is not supported by law but is still apparent