Cities and Urban Land-Use Patterns & Processes

Key Terms to Know

  • African Cities Model
      A model that illustrates the structure of cities in Africa, emphasizing the central business district (CBD), traditional centers, and informal settlements.

  • Annex
      The process of legally adding land area to a city. Example: A city expanding its municipal boundaries to incorporate surrounding suburbs.

  • Bid-Rent Theory
      Theory that explains how land values change with distance from the city center, with urban land being more expensive near the CBD. Example: Businesses willing to pay more for land close to the CBD compared to residential areas farther away.

  • Blockbusting
      Practice where real estate agents provoke panic selling in neighborhoods to exploit price drops and resell to minorities at inflated prices. Example: An agent persuades homeowners to sell due to perceived threats of neighborhood change.

  • Government Housing
      Housing provided or facilitated by government agencies, often aimed at low-income families. Example: Public housing projects like those in Chicago.

  • Rural
      Areas characterized by low population density, typically involving agriculture or natural landscapes.

  • Gravity Model
      A model used to predict the flow of people, goods, and services between two locations, based on their population sizes and distance between them. Example: Larger cities attract more people and trade despite being farther apart.

  • Sector Model
      Urban land use model developed by Homer Hoyt, describing cities as series of sectors radiating from the CBD. Example: Transportation corridors influencing commercial and residential zoning.

  • Greenbelt
      A policy aiming to limit urban sprawl by maintaining natural spaces around cities. Example: London’s greenbelt prevents urban development in surrounding areas.

  • Hexagonal Hinterland
      A geographical term referring to the area served by a central place, modeled as hexagons to eliminate overlapping service areas.

  • Homelessness
      The condition where individuals lack stable, safe housing, which is often compounded by economic and social issues.

  • Segregation
      The enforced separation of different racial or cultural groups within a community. Example: Racially segregated neighborhoods due to discriminatory policies.

  • Settlement
      A community or group of dwellings in a specified area, which can vary from a small hamlet to a large city.

  • Slum
      Heavily populated urban areas characterized by substandard housing, lack of sanitation, and poor living conditions.

  • Boomburb
      Rapidly growing suburbs that experience explosive population and economic growth. Example: Areas like Frisco, Texas.

  • Borchert's Epochs
      A model of urban growth which divides periods of American urban development into eras based on transportation technology: 1. Sail-Wagon Era, 2. Iron Horse Era, 3. Steel Rail Era, 4. Auto-Air Amenity Era, 5. Satellite-Electronic Jet Propulsion Era.

  • Brownfield
      Previously developed land that is not currently in use and may be contaminated. Example: Old factories repurposed for commercial use.

  • Central Business District (CBD)
      The commercial and business center of a city where business activity is concentrated. Example: Wall Street, New York City.

  • Central Place
      A market center for the exchange of goods and services by people attracted from the surrounding area.

  • Central Place Theory
      A spatial theory in urban economics that explains the size and distribution of human settlements across a landscape. Example: Larger cities provide more specialized services than smaller ones.

  • City
      A large and significant settlement usually characterized by a high population density and vast human-built features.

  • Concentric Zone Model
      A model of urban land use developed by Ernest Burgess, depicting concentric circles of social groups, each one representing different functions of a city. Example: Zone 1 is the CBD, surrounded by successive residential zones.

  • Counter-urbanization
      The process by which people move from urban areas to rural areas, often seeking a higher quality of life. Example: Families leaving cities to live in smaller towns.

  • Culture of Poverty
      A social theory that argues that those who are poor develop a specific set of values and behaviors. Example: Generational poverty leads to persistent community social issues.

  • De Facto Segregation
      Racial separation that occurs without laws explicitly enforcing it, often resulting from social practices and economic status.

  • Disamenity Zone
      Areas characterized by extreme poverty and lack of services, often adjacent to affluent neighborhoods. Example: Areas in urban centers often seen in Los Angeles.

  • Ecumene
      The inhabited or settled areas of the world. Example: Regions where populations are concentrated such as urban centers.

  • Edge City
      A significant suburban area that features retail and business centers and is often a focal point of employment. Example: Tysons Corner in Virginia.

  • Eminent Domain
      The power of the government to take private property for public use, with compensation to the owner. Example: Land taken for highway construction.

  • Exurb
      An area outside of suburbia that is typically rural but has a population that is relatively affluent, often commuting to cities for work.

  • Infill
      The process of developing vacant or under-used land in urban areas for the purpose of higher density. Example: Building apartments on vacant lots in a neighborhood.

  • Informal Economy
      Economic activities that are neither taxed nor monitored by any form of government. Example: Street vending or unregistered businesses.

  • Infrastructure
      The underlying framework or foundation necessary for the operation of a society, including transportation, utilities, and waste management. Example: Public transport systems and water supply networks.

  • Latin American Cities Model
      A model depicting the layout and structure of urban areas in Latin America, emphasizing the colonial legacy and sector development patterns.

  • Megacity
      A very large city, typically with a population of over 10 million people. Example: Tokyo, Japan.

  • Megalopolis
      A chain of roughly adjacent metropolitan areas, forming a continuous urban complex. Example: The Northeast Corridor in the United States.

  • Metacity
      A theoretical metropolitan area with a high population density exceeding 20 million people.

  • Metropolitan Area
      A geographical region that includes a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories. Example: The Greater Los Angeles Area.

  • Mixed-use Neighborhood
      An urban area that blends residential, commercial, and sometimes industrial spaces for ease of access. Example: A neighborhood with shops, apartments, and offices.

  • Multiple Nuclei Model
      An urban land-use model that suggests cities develop in multiple centers rather than a single core, each functioning differently. Example: A city with various business districts emerging outside the CBD.

  • New Urbanism
      An urban design movement that promotes walkable neighborhoods, mixed-use environments, and sustainable communities. Example: Seaside, Florida.

  • Percent Urban
      A demographic measurement defining the ratio of urban population to total population.

  • Periphery
      Areas on the outer edges of urban environments, often experiencing less development and lower economic activity.

  • Pollution
      Contamination of air, water, or land due to human activities. Example: Smog in major cities due to vehicular emissions.

  • Smart Growth
      Urban planning theory that aims to develop urban areas more sustainably by limiting sprawl and promoting efficient land use.

  • Southeast Asian Cities Model
      A model representing the urban structure and form of major cities in Southeast Asia. Example: City centers often include a mixture of colonial architecture and modern development.

  • Squatter Settlement
      Unplanned areas of housing for low-income people which often develop on land that they do not legally own. Example: Urban shantytowns in Mumbai, India.

  • Suburbanization
      The population shift from central urban areas to outer suburban areas, often leading to the growth of suburban communities.

  • Sustainability
      Development that meets current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs. Example: Development that incorporates green spaces and renewable energy.

  • Terrorism
      The unlawful use of violence and intimidation, particularly against civilians, for political aims. Example: Bombing in urban centers to instill fear.

  • Threshold
      The minimum market size required to support a particular service or business. Example: A coffee shop needs a certain number of customers daily to remain profitable.

  • Transportation-oriented Development
      Urban design focusing on high-density development centered around public transport systems. Example: Building residential units near subway stations.

  • Urban Canyon
      The street-level effect of buildings creating a canyon-like environment within cities, affecting light and airflow. Example: Skyscrapers lining a downtown area.

  • Urban Decay
      The deterioration of inner-city neighborhoods, often due to a combination of economic decline and neglect. Example: Abandoned buildings and infrastructure in previously thriving areas.

  • Urban Hearths
      Regions where urbanization first began, historically significant for the development of cities. Example: Mesopotamia and the Nile River region.

  • Urban Heat Island
      Urban areas that experience higher temperatures than their rural surroundings due to human activities and infrastructure. Example: Concrete and asphalt absorbing heat in cities like Phoenix, Arizona.

  • Urbanization
      The process of population movement from rural areas to city centers, leading to increased urban populations. Example: People moving to cities for job opportunities.

  • Urban Planning
      The process of designing the layout of urban spaces to effectively manage land use, transportation, and services. Example: City planners deciding on zoning laws for new development.

  • Urban Redevelopment
      The process of revitalizing and redeveloping urban areas that are in decline due to economic and social changes. Example: Transforming industrial areas into residential and commercial zones.

Unit 6: Cities and Urban Land-Use Patterns & Processes

I Can Statements

  • Explain the forces that drive urbanization and suburbanization
      Factors include transportation (as described by Borchert's Model of Urban Growth), population growth, migration, economic development, government policies, etc.

  • Describe cities and urban systems
      Concepts include:
      - City
      - Metropolitan area
      - Megalopolis
      - Megacities
      - Metacities
      - World cities
      - Suburbs
      - Boomburbs
      - Exurbs
      - Edge cities

  • Explain how cities are reflections of globalization
      Urban areas showcasing global culture, economy, and connection due to transnational influences and interactions.

  • Explain the distribution, size, and interaction of cities
      Important theories include rank-size rule, primate cities, gravity model, and Central Place Theory.

  • Identify and analyze different North American and world regional urban models
      Models include:
      - Concentric Zone Model
      - Sector Model
      - Multiple Nuclei Model
      - Galactic City Model
      - Latin American Cities Model
      - African Cities Model
      - Southeast Asian Cities Model

  • Explain economic, social, and political urban challenges
      Challenges include lack of affordable housing, redlining, filtering, urban decay, zones of abandonment, squatter settlements, slums, homelessness, gentrification, segregation, blockbusting, food deserts, informal economy, crime, and terrorism.

  • Explain how urbanization and suburbanization impact the environment
      Effects include sprawl, urban canyons, heat islands, pollution, urban wildlife, etc.

  • Identify and analyze the impact of sustainable urban design initiatives and practices
      Such as infill, urban redevelopment, smart growth policies, farm protection policies, greenbelts, New Urbanism, mixed-use neighborhoods, and transportation-oriented development.

  • Explain the positive and negative effects of different urban design initiatives and practices
      Evaluating impacts on community, environment, and economy.