1. Urban Sprawl

2. Urban Sprawl Warm Up (TPS)
Answer the question, “What is urban sprawl and what are the problems associated with urban sprawl?” in your notebooks. (2 or 3 sentences)
Turn to a neighbor and discuss your answers
Be willing to share your answers with the class

3. Urban Sprawl Definition
Urban sprawl, also known as suburban sprawl, is the spreading of a city and its suburbs over rural land at the fringe of an urban area
An unplanned, disorganized growth of housing etc on the edge of a city

4. Urban vs Rural Population

5. Urban Sprawl Statistics
Between 1982 and 1997 America converted approximately 25 million acres (39,000 square miles) of rural land — forests, rangeland, pastures, cropland, and wetlands — to developed land: that is, sub-divisions, freeways, factories, strip malls, airports, and the like.

6. Articles about sprawl and waistlines

7. Urban Sprawl Problems
Change in land with the development of roads, homes, and businesses can fragment or eliminate animal habitats, block feeding areas, and alter migration patterns
Increase in pavement prevents rain and runoff to be absorbed by the ground which ends up in lakes, rivers, and streams
Emissions from cars increases air pollution and can cause health issues

8. Urban Sprawl Economic Issues
Sprawl can saddle governments with the cost of building new streets and schools, while expanding utilities and other services, to connect and serve a widely dispersed, low-density population.
Puts stress and strain on the city’s infrastructure
25% higher costs to maintain infrastructure in suburbs than city

10. Urban Sprawl Causes
Cheaper land and housing costs in the suburbs as compared to urban centers has lured many to settle in these areas.
There has been an increase in public spending for the development of infrastructure like roads, water and electricity in the suburbs than in existing urban centers, thus adding benefits to life in sprawls.
There has been an increase in commercial lending practices that favor suburban development

11. Urban Sprawl Causes (Cont)
Increase in family income of an average American has raised his living standard. Owning a car and paying for gas to transit from suburb to the city is affordable for many Americans.
Sprawls are characterized by low density populations and less traffic congestion. Therefore, even in the absence of any federal policies that would encourage growth of sprawls, these centers have proliferated due to the willingness of a growing number of people to live in sprawls, where they find life more calm and peaceful than in the cities.
Higher property and business taxes in the cities have pushed businesses to the suburbs where taxes are generally low.

12. Shenzhen, China 1988 to 1996 True Color Landsat Image

13. Shenzhen, China 1988 to 1996 False Color Landsat Image

14. Urban Sprawl Map: Las Vegas 1964

15. Las Vegas 1972

16. Las Vegas 1986

17. Las Vegas 1992

19. Las Vegas pictures

23. Urban Sprawl Video

24. Urban Sprawl Solutions
Cities are implementing changes that would stem the sprawl (smart growth)
Tax incentives to build or restore downtown areas
Restrictive development and new zoning policies
Greenbelts
Better planning and higher taxes in suburban communities

25. Urban Sprawl Activity (TPS)
Read page 178 and describe in your own words the three solutions to urban sprawl
Discuss with your neighbor which solution you would think would be the most effective in the Twin Cities or Cottage Grove
Share your thoughts with the class after you have discussed them with your partner

26. Cottage Grove, MN