Unit 6 Chapters 6-7

6.6 – Density and Land Use

Key Concepts

• Land Use refers to how land is utilized (residential, commercial, industrial, etc.)

• Density refers to the number of people or buildings in a given area.

Types of Density

Relationship Between Density and Land Use

• High Density → More vertical land use (e.g., skyscrapers, high-rises), less green space, public transportation is more viable.

• Low Density → More horizontal land use (e.g., suburbs), more reliance on cars, more private space (yards, parking lots).

Urban Land Use Patterns

• Zoning laws determine what type of building can be placed in an area (residential, commercial, etc.).

• Mixed-Use Development combines residential, commercial, and recreational uses.

Effects of Density on Cities

• High-density areas:

  • Efficient for public services (transit, utilities)

  • May cause overcrowding, congestion, pollution

• Low-density areas:

  • More privacy, space

  • Costlier infrastructure, urban sprawl

6.7 – Infrastructure

Key Concepts

• Infrastructure: The basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society (e.g., transportation, communication, sewage, water, and electric systems).

Types of Infrastructure

Urban Infrastructure Importance

• Supports economic activity (efficient movement of goods and labor)

• Enables urban growth and development

• Improves quality of life for residents

• Poor infrastructure can limit development and hurt public health

Transportation and Urban Form

• Public Transit supports compact, high-density development.

• Car-Oriented Infrastructure (highways, parking lots) supports low-density, sprawled urban form.

• Edge Cities & Exurbs: Depend on highway systems.

Smart Growth & Sustainability

• Smart Growth principles aim to develop walkable, compact, transit-oriented urban areas.

• Investment in sustainable infrastructure reduces carbon footprint and urban heat islands.

Study Tips

• Know the relationship between density and land use—it often comes up in FRQs.

• Be able to give real-world examples (e.g., New York = high-density vs. Phoenix = low-density).

• Use diagrams or mental maps of city models to visualize how infrastructure and density affect land use.

• Understand how urban planning (e.g., zoning, infrastructure investment) shapes cities.