Describe Your Own Definition Of Urban Sprawls

Urban Sprawls
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URBAN SPRAWLS
Urban sprawl refers to the uncontrolled expansion within the urban centers. As Ewing puts it, this is the kind of urban development that is characterized by several forms such as leapfrog or scattered development, large expanses that come with low density and/or single use development and in some of the cases the commercial strips of development that come up across the urban areas (Ewing, 1997). This is a definition that can be traced back to the Florida anti-sprawl rule and takes on a more inclusive approach. Sprawl as Ewing complements, has some element of degree to it and requires a keen approach to determine how much development and in what parts are considered sprawling (Ewing, 1997).
There are number of aspects that have to be considered when it comes to the planning of the urban centers relative reducing the element of sprawling. One of the aspects that has to be considered is the density preferences (Handy et al., 2002). Planning requires that, there is a good mix of facilities that are incorporated in any given area. A centralized approach is one that could easily build on the element of fluidity in the urban areas.
‘Of course, in a world of heterogeneous tastes, there are people who prefer alternatives to the dominant decentralized lifestyle. As an example, Handy (1994) laments the consequences of moving from Berkeley, California, to Austin, Texas. In her words: “I miss having my favorite restaurants, a copy shop, a bike shop, a pet store, a bookstore, and a supermarket, all within a short and pleasant walk from home” (Handy 1994,3).She longs for the application of principles of what she calls “coordinated transportation and land use planning” of the kind adopted in Portland, Oregon, “where state-level mandates have pushed coordination: an urban-growth boundary was adopted at the same time that policies shifted away from freeway expansion, and land use plans are now being created for development of areas around current and future light-rail stations” (6). The interesting point about this statement is that what is happening in Portland (which is highly controversial, by the way) is as a result of top-down command-and-control planning rather than the expression of individual preferences ’ (Ewing, 1997)
As pointed out by Peter Gordon and Harry W. Richardson there is an advantage that is associated with this kind of approach (Gordon & Richardson, 1997). This is relative to the fact that, with a centralized setup, all of the main amenities are clustered in a given area. This offers the customers all the possible amenities that they can find. This would be a crucial consideration, where panning is concerned and it would also work towards reducing the element of sprawling. There is the argument that most of the investors are quite conscious of the needs of the customers. In which a good majority of the people that are looking to own a home, would want one that is separate from the rest of the homes (Gordon & Richardson, 1997). This is the approach used in the suburbia, where families have gated communities approach. This is also a consideration, however, within the urban areas it may not be p...