The Walkable City

Sustainable Urban Planning: Sustainable Urban Planning:

A More Energy Efficient Lifestyle A More Energy Efficient Lifestyle

with a Return to the Walkable Citywith a Return to the Walkable City

Elizabeth MonterrosaElizabeth Monterrosa

Energy LawEnergy Law

Spring 2009Spring 2009

[email protected]@kentlaw.edu

Walkable City v. Urban SprawlWalkable City v. Urban Sprawl

�� European cities, the epitome of European cities, the epitome of

walkable cities, where residents may walkable cities, where residents may

transport by public transit and on foot transport by public transit and on foot

to navigate the to navigate the

city to get to city to get to

destinations, destinations,

shop, socialize, shop, socialize,

etc.etc.

Walkable City v. Urban SprawlWalkable City v. Urban Sprawl

�� American American

suburbs and suburbs and

sunsun--belt cities belt cities

are the are the

epitome of epitome of

urban sprawl, urban sprawl,

which creates a which creates a

lifestyle dependent lifestyle dependent

on the automobile.on the automobile.

What is Urban Sprawl?What is Urban Sprawl?

�� Components:Components:–– Low density of land usesLow density of land uses

–– Land uses expand in an unlimited & Land uses expand in an unlimited & noncontiguous way outward from the urban corenoncontiguous way outward from the urban core

–– Lack of integrated & comprehensive land use Lack of integrated & comprehensive land use planning at the regional or community levelplanning at the regional or community level

–– Spatially segregated land usesSpatially segregated land uses

–– Consumption of exurban agricultural and other Consumption of exurban agricultural and other lands in abundancelands in abundance

–– Reliance upon the automobile to access individual Reliance upon the automobile to access individual land usesland uses

Energy Costs Energy Costs

of Urban Sprawlof Urban Sprawl�� By worldwide standards, the type of sprawl By worldwide standards, the type of sprawl

that plagues the U.S. is more accurately that plagues the U.S. is more accurately deemed deemed ““hypersprawl.hypersprawl.”” Densities in Densities in European development are about 10 times European development are about 10 times greater and Asian cities can be 15 to 20 greater and Asian cities can be 15 to 20 times greater than density in the U.S.times greater than density in the U.S.

�� This hypersprawl requires expensive This hypersprawl requires expensive infrastructure and large amounts of energy, infrastructure and large amounts of energy, increasing the urban footprint.increasing the urban footprint.

�� The U.S. comprises 5% of the worldThe U.S. comprises 5% of the world’’s s population yet consumes 25% of the global population yet consumes 25% of the global oil production, most of which is used in oil production, most of which is used in transportation. transportation.

How Did We Get Here? How Did We Get Here?

EuclidEuclid

�� In 1926 in the In 1926 in the Village of Euclid, Ohio v. Village of Euclid, Ohio v. Ambler Realty Co., Ambler Realty Co., the Supreme Court the Supreme Court upheld Euclidupheld Euclid’’s zoning ordinance as a s zoning ordinance as a reasonable extension of the village's police reasonable extension of the village's police power. power.

�� This decision provided the legal basis for This decision provided the legal basis for urban sprawl as sprawl generally occurs urban sprawl as sprawl generally occurs because local governments encourage because local governments encourage development through zoning ordinances development through zoning ordinances that reflect the desires of their respective that reflect the desires of their respective citizens. citizens.

EuclidEuclid--Style ZoningStyle Zoning

�� Therefore, the traditional zoning utilized Therefore, the traditional zoning utilized since since Euclid Euclid has created the segregated land has created the segregated land uses and urban sprawl that contribute to uses and urban sprawl that contribute to energy inefficiency in the U.S. energy inefficiency in the U.S.

�� EuclidEuclid--style zoning divides land uses into style zoning divides land uses into residential, commercial, and industrial residential, commercial, and industrial zones, with the primary purpose of zones, with the primary purpose of protecting property values and human protecting property values and human health by segregating these health by segregating these ““incompatibleincompatible””land uses from one another. land uses from one another.

How Did We Get Here? How Did We Get Here?

PostPost--WWII Land Use WWII Land Use

DevelopmentDevelopment�� In addition to the new zoning scheme that In addition to the new zoning scheme that

allowed for segregated land uses, the allowed for segregated land uses, the

following factors helped create the American following factors helped create the American

hypersprawlhypersprawl: :

–– Widespread use of private autos;Widespread use of private autos;

–– Inexpensive energy;Inexpensive energy;

–– Federally subsidized Interstate Highway System;Federally subsidized Interstate Highway System;

–– Federal home ownership programs; andFederal home ownership programs; and

–– Federal encouragement of new land Federal encouragement of new land

development via friendly federal tax policies. development via friendly federal tax policies.

PostPost--WWII Land Use WWII Land Use

DevelopmentDevelopment

�� With local zoning ordinances that With local zoning ordinances that separated commercial and residential separated commercial and residential uses and federal incentives to develop uses and federal incentives to develop new commercial space, developers new commercial space, developers created the shopping created the shopping ““stripstrip”” on on cheaper, primarily autocheaper, primarily auto--accessible accessible suburban land. Taking sales away suburban land. Taking sales away from urban downtowns, businesses from urban downtowns, businesses increasingly moved to the suburbs, increasingly moved to the suburbs, feeding this feeding this hypersprawlhypersprawl pattern. pattern.

““Leave It to BeaverLeave It to Beaver””

Lifestyle Spells A Lifestyle Spells A

Development DisasterDevelopment Disaster�� After WWII, local After WWII, local

citizens became citizens became especially concerned especially concerned with distancing new with distancing new development from development from economic and social economic and social problems of older city problems of older city cores, protecting the cores, protecting the property values of property values of suburban singlesuburban single--family homes, and family homes, and accommodating accommodating the automobile the automobile needed for the needed for the suburban lifestyle.suburban lifestyle.

How Did We Get Here?How Did We Get Here?

PostPost--WWII WWII

American LifestyleAmerican Lifestyle

�� A new American lifestyle emerged in the PostA new American lifestyle emerged in the Post--WWII WWII era that continues to pervade our society today. In era that continues to pervade our society today. In this lifestyle, convenience is king as resources this lifestyle, convenience is king as resources seemedseemed to be limitless, leading to culture plagued to be limitless, leading to culture plagued by an unsustainable level of consumption. by an unsustainable level of consumption.

–– In just one generation the new home size has In just one generation the new home size has doubled. Until very recently, trucks and SUVs doubled. Until very recently, trucks and SUVs comprised 50% of all automobile sales. With comprised 50% of all automobile sales. With larger, usually suburban, homes and energy larger, usually suburban, homes and energy inefficient automobiles, we consume more inefficient automobiles, we consume more energy, especially oil, and emit more greenhouse energy, especially oil, and emit more greenhouse gases. More disturbingly, all this occurs with gases. More disturbingly, all this occurs with largely complete disregard for the unsustainable largely complete disregard for the unsustainable nature of this lifestyle driven by our insatiable nature of this lifestyle driven by our insatiable taste for convenience. taste for convenience.

Moving Away from Energy Moving Away from Energy

Inefficient Hypersrpawl?Inefficient Hypersrpawl?

�� The value of singleThe value of single--family households, family households, segregated from the hustle and bustle of segregated from the hustle and bustle of urban life, has waned in recent years. urban life, has waned in recent years.

�� Evidence of a rising demand for a walkable Evidence of a rising demand for a walkable lifestyle: lifestyle: –– Price premium the consumer is willing to pay to Price premium the consumer is willing to pay to

live in a walkablelive in a walkable urban place, which is now urban place, which is now from a 40% tofrom a 40% to 200% price premium on the price 200% price premium on the price per square foot basis for a walkable urban per square foot basis for a walkable urban residence as opposed to a competitive nearby residence as opposed to a competitive nearby drivable suburban residence. drivable suburban residence. �� In 2003, for the first time in U.S. history, condos, both In 2003, for the first time in U.S. history, condos, both

old and new, cost more on the price per square foot old and new, cost more on the price per square foot basis than single family housing. basis than single family housing.

Using Sustainable Using Sustainable

Development to Fuel the Development to Fuel the

Move Away from SprawlMove Away from Sprawl�� According to the President's Council on According to the President's Council on

Sustainable Development, Sustainable Development, ““[[E]conomicE]conomic

growth, environmental protection and growth, environmental protection and

social equity should be social equity should be

interdependent, interdependent,

mutually mutually

reinforcing reinforcing

goals."goals."

Using Sustainable Using Sustainable

Development to Fuel the Development to Fuel the

Move Away from SprawlMove Away from Sprawl�� The Three Es of Sustainable Development:The Three Es of Sustainable Development:

–– Economy Economy

–– EcologyEcology

–– Equity Equity

�� Sustainable development seeks to balance Sustainable development seeks to balance and integrate the need for economic growth and integrate the need for economic growth with the need for environmental with the need for environmental preservation and conservation, and preservation and conservation, and intergenerational and intergenerational and intragenerationalintragenerationalequity in decision making, therefore, equity in decision making, therefore, cautioning for moderation in the pace and cautioning for moderation in the pace and scale of redevelopment efforts.scale of redevelopment efforts.

Zoning to Recentralize Zoning to Recentralize

the Walkable Citythe Walkable City

�� Sustainable development initiatives can be Sustainable development initiatives can be applied to the conventional zoning applied to the conventional zoning framework. framework.

�� Conventional zoning promotes sprawl by Conventional zoning promotes sprawl by prohibiting mixedprohibiting mixed--use and high density use and high density development, requiring minimum setbacks, development, requiring minimum setbacks, etc.etc.

�� Under the police power, state and local Under the police power, state and local governments can rewrite comprehensive governments can rewrite comprehensive plans and conventional zoning ordinances to plans and conventional zoning ordinances to mandate sustainable development mandate sustainable development principles, such as mixed use and highprinciples, such as mixed use and high--density development. density development.

Modern Approaches of Modern Approaches of

Sustainable DevelopmentSustainable Development

�� New UrbanismNew Urbanism: focuses on generating : focuses on generating

denser development via citizen participation denser development via citizen participation

in planning. It emphasizes architecture and in planning. It emphasizes architecture and

community design to create more community design to create more

pedestrianpedestrian--friendly streets. It advocates for friendly streets. It advocates for

mixed commercial and residential mixed commercial and residential

development to create a denser, less development to create a denser, less

automobileautomobile--dependent walkable community.dependent walkable community.

�� New UrbanismNew Urbanism: Criticized from the Left as : Criticized from the Left as

not going far enough. not going far enough.



�� Smart Growth:Smart Growth:

–– Encourages a unique sense of community Encourages a unique sense of community

and place;and place;

–– Preserves and enhances valuable natural Preserves and enhances valuable natural

and cultural resources;and cultural resources;

–– Equitably distributes the costs and Equitably distributes the costs and

benefits of development;benefits of development;

–– Expands the range of transportation, Expands the range of transportation,

employment and housing choices in a employment and housing choices in a

fiscally responsible manner;fiscally responsible manner;



�� Smart Growth:Smart Growth:

–– Values longValues long--range, regional range, regional

considerations for sustainability over considerations for sustainability over

shortshort--term, incremental, geographically term, incremental, geographically

isolated actions; andisolated actions; and

–– Promotes public health and healthy Promotes public health and healthy

communities. communities.



�� Smart Growth: Smart Growth: ““Such goals are achieved Such goals are achieved

through measures including through measures including ‘‘[[t]axt]ax

incentives, incentives, brownfieldbrownfield redevelopment, redevelopment,

elimination of sprawlelimination of sprawl--enhancing subsidies, enhancing subsidies,

[the development of] urban growth [the development of] urban growth

boundaries, and transferable development boundaries, and transferable development

rights.rights.’”’”

�� Smart Growth:Smart Growth: Criticized by the Right as Criticized by the Right as

going too far. going too far.

Specific Strategies to Specific Strategies to

Recreate the Walkable CityRecreate the Walkable City

�� Redevelopment Agency: Redevelopment Agency: Establishing a redevelopment Establishing a redevelopment agency to oversee the agency to oversee the implementation of reimplementation of re--zoning and zoning and urban redevelopment enacted urban redevelopment enacted by a city council can create a by a city council can create a more accountable, centralized, more accountable, centralized, and efficient redevelopment and efficient redevelopment process. Redevelopment should process. Redevelopment should create a multifunctional create a multifunctional downtown. Today, most cities downtown. Today, most cities have a redevelopment agency. have a redevelopment agency.



�� A Multifunctional Downtown: A Multifunctional Downtown: A A

wide variety of functions and activities wide variety of functions and activities

should occupy downtown, including should occupy downtown, including

housing, work, shopping, government, housing, work, shopping, government,

tourist attractions, and culture. tourist attractions, and culture.



�� PedestrianPedestrian--Friendly Downtown: Friendly Downtown: By providing sufficiently wide By providing sufficiently wide sidewalks and/or pedestrian zones sidewalks and/or pedestrian zones and markets closed off from and markets closed off from automobiles, a city can create a automobiles, a city can create a pedestrianpedestrian--friendly downtown. friendly downtown. Additional aesthetics include:Additional aesthetics include:

–– public art, active storefronts, public art, active storefronts, attractive landscaping, attractive landscaping, decorative benches, cafes decorative benches, cafes and outdoor tables, sidewalk and outdoor tables, sidewalk merchandise displays and merchandise displays and vendors, and signs. vendors, and signs.



�� Historical Structures or Historical Structures or

Memorials that Mark the Memorials that Mark the

Unique Culture of the Unique Culture of the

Urban Area: Urban Area: Preservation Preservation

of historical structures and of historical structures and

the erection of historical the erection of historical

memorials help establish the memorials help establish the

citycity’’s unique identity, luring s unique identity, luring

tourists and locals tourists and locals

downtown for its unique downtown for its unique

assets. assets.



�� Waterfront Development: Waterfront Development: provides provides

a visual and physical attraction to the a visual and physical attraction to the

waterfront, generally located adjacent waterfront, generally located adjacent

to urban downtowns. For example, to urban downtowns. For example,

Navy Pier, Chicago.Navy Pier, Chicago.



�� Office Development: Office Development: attracts attracts

economic development, which feeds economic development, which feeds

the recreation of the walkable city as the recreation of the walkable city as

office personnel and traveling business office personnel and traveling business

persons become patrons of downtown persons become patrons of downtown

businesses, including hotels, businesses, including hotels,

restaurants, shops, and stores. This restaurants, shops, and stores. This

fuels mixed uses of the walkable city. fuels mixed uses of the walkable city.



�� Mass Transportation Mass Transportation

Enhancement: Enhancement: Offering Offering

rapid mass transit, including rapid mass transit, including

subways, trams, shuttles, and subways, trams, shuttles, and

buses, creates a less buses, creates a less

automobileautomobile--dependent urban dependent urban

core, decreasing energy core, decreasing energy

consumption and attracting consumption and attracting

patrons who can rely of patrons who can rely of

dependable mass transit dependable mass transit

systems for transportation. systems for transportation.



�� Mass Transportation Enhancement Mass Transportation Enhancement alsoalso

includes incentives such as parkincludes incentives such as park--andand--ride ride

lots. Legislatures are increasingly utilizing lots. Legislatures are increasingly utilizing

incentiveincentive--based regulations to make based regulations to make

transportation more sustainable by transportation more sustainable by

decreasing automobile use, rewarding those decreasing automobile use, rewarding those

who reduce their driving and penalizing who reduce their driving and penalizing

those who do not. Incentivethose who do not. Incentive--based based

regulations include gasoline taxes and toll regulations include gasoline taxes and toll

collection.collection.



�� Alternative Human Powered Alternative Human Powered

Transit: Transit: Foot and bicycle Foot and bicycle

transportation transportation

are increasingly are increasingly

encouraged by encouraged by

creating wider creating wider

sidewalks and sidewalks and

bike lanes in bike lanes in

urban cores. urban cores.

Sustainable Development: Sustainable Development:

From From HypersprawlHypersprawl to to

Walkable CityWalkable City�� In conclusion, sustainable In conclusion, sustainable

development can accomplish fardevelopment can accomplish far--reaching changes in our built reaching changes in our built environment. By encouraging public environment. By encouraging public participation in the formulation of participation in the formulation of more equitable planning and zoning more equitable planning and zoning ordinances, sustainable development ordinances, sustainable development can foster the movement to American can foster the movement to American walkable cities. walkable cities.

A New Conception of A New Conception of

Land Use PlanningLand Use Planning

A new conception of land use planning A new conception of land use planning must be utilized in local communities must be utilized in local communities or on even larger regional or state or on even larger regional or state levels to address urban sprawl, moving levels to address urban sprawl, moving into a new era of integrated land uses into a new era of integrated land uses that demand less energy and facilitate that demand less energy and facilitate a lifestyle in which familial, economic, a lifestyle in which familial, economic, and social interests may intersect in a and social interests may intersect in a single built community. single built community.

What More?What More?

�� While sustainable development will likely While sustainable development will likely

prove key to transitioning from a prove key to transitioning from a

hypersprawlhypersprawl society to a walkable society, a society to a walkable society, a

cultural revolution is the root of the problem cultural revolution is the root of the problem

and, therefore, the ultimate solution. and, therefore, the ultimate solution.

�� With WWII came a transition to an With WWII came a transition to an

unsustainable lifestyle based on unsustainable lifestyle based on

individualism and the insatiable desire for individualism and the insatiable desire for

ultimate convenience of the automobile. ultimate convenience of the automobile.

Downsizing Our LifestyleDownsizing Our Lifestyle

�� We shouldnWe shouldn’’t stop at t stop at ““sustainable sustainable

development.development.”” Rather we are in need of a Rather we are in need of a

““sustainable lifestyle.sustainable lifestyle.”” A true transition to a A true transition to a

sustainable society will only occur by sustainable society will only occur by

downsizing to a sustainable national downsizing to a sustainable national

lifestyle, embracing mutual responsibility for lifestyle, embracing mutual responsibility for

our environments and neighbors, and our environments and neighbors, and

participating in our communities to create a participating in our communities to create a

cohesive culture of sustainability.cohesive culture of sustainability.

Documents

The Walkable City