Urban Growth Patterns and Planning Fundamentals

Marchetti's Constant: A theory stating that most daily commutes average about one hour, with people typically prepared to travel $30$ to $40$ minutes each way to work. This influences urban form and house-buying decisions.
Cities as Economic Engines: Urban environments act as hubs for concentration of resources, economies of scale, innovation, and global connectivity.
Technological Shifts: Rapid changes in transportation technology, such as the transition from horse-drawn carriages to automobiles in New York between $1902$ and $1913$ , significantly reconfigure cities.

Burgess Model: A theory based on Chicago’s growth, focusing on concentric spatial arrangements and settlement patterns.
Hoyt’s Sector Model: Suggests cities develop in sectors rather than rings, heavily influenced by residential rent patterns and transport linkages.
Harris-Ullman (Multiple Nuclei) Model: Assumes Central Business Districts (CBDs) are losing dominance. It considers uneven topology and the high mobility provided by car ownership.

Planning Definition: The process of balancing individual interests with societal common interests regarding land use and environmental impacts.
Strategic Planning: Involves preparing long-term plans (e.g., Plan Melbourne 2017-2050) and policies at regional and metropolitan scales. A current goal is the " $20$ -minute neighborhood."
Statutory Planning: The regulatory regime involving Zones and Overlays that provide formal status to policies through the Planning Scheme.
Victorian Planning System: Governed by the Planning and Environment Act 1987, which aims for the fair, orderly, and sustainable use of land.
Permit Differences:
- Planning Permit: Relates to the USE of the land.
- Building Permit: Relates to the CONSTRUCTION aspects (Building Regulations).

Melbourne, Australia: Built-up area of approximately $2,453\,km^2$ for a population of $5,151,000$ .
Cape Town, South Africa: Built-up area of approximately $400\,km^2$ for a population of $4,800,000$ .
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia: Built-up area of approximately $1,600\,km^2$ for a population of $4,697,000$ .

Transition Observation: Looking at the shift from horses to cars, what potential issues can be identified (e.g., infrastructure lag, safety)?
Gentrification: What are the positive and negative effects of higher-income residents moving into lower-income neighborhoods?
Historical Context: What was located at the Southbank site prior to its development in the $1990$ s, and why did the government choose to develop it?
Future Cities: Brainstorm how cities will look in $45$ years regarding technology, energy, social equity, and the survival of "work from home" patterns.
Bad Planning Outcomes: Identify characteristics of poor planning, such as urban sprawl, congestion, and lack of affordable housing.
VicPlan Activity: Use the VicPlan tool to search a property address, identify its zoning/overlays, and measure its boundaries.