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 the nth largest city in a country is 1/n the population of the largest city.

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.