Urban Sprawl

PHS Geography Department – Enhanced Canadian

when a city’s population grows there are two ways that it can “expand”1. with an increase in density, usually with taller buildings or by filling in vacant land2. outwards into the fringe area around the outside of the city, with lower densities

The rural-urban fringe.

since density is lower in the areas of urban sprawl, services are farther apart

increases the use of the car increases the impact on the environment leads to a loss of farmland taxes are high because it is expensive to

provide services (schools, water, sewers, etc.)

http://ase.tufts.edu/biology/envbio/humans/sprawl/chang/img/sprawl1.jpg

developers is the term we apply to people who build new residential, industrial, or commercial areas

often land developers buy the land many years in advance and let it sit idle

these people are called speculators buying and selling the land pushes up the

value of the land and encourages more farmers to sell their land

http://www.stockrealtyandauction.com/images/Dicke%20for%20sale%20sign.jpg

recently many new developments in suburban areas are being built like downtown neighbourhoods with higher densities

reduces sprawl and keeps taxes lower often called the new urbanism or smart

growth

http://www.cyburbia.org/gallery/data/506/medium/Picture_005.jpg

http://www.tndpartners.com/newurbanism/archetype.jpg

http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/ped_bike/univcourse/images/06_02_0001.jpg

Rural Areas: What smells? A rural area describes land used chiefly

for agriculture. The word “rural” may be used to describe the life-styles and economic activity of the people living in rural area

Characteristics of typical rural areas People in rural areas have job related to

agriculture Rural jobs include: supplying goods

(feed and seed) and services (tractor repair) crop farming and raising livestock

hamlets, villages etc are considered rural places

Houses: single family dwellings

Continued Space between buildings – homes far

apart Style of construction: brick or stone or

wood Settlement pattern – scattered or linear Development pattern – declining as

people are moving to larger cities looking for job