Urban Planning Basics

Study Notes

Definition: The process of designing and managing the physical structure of cities and towns to ensure efficient use of resources and improvement of quality of life.
Key concepts:
- Zoning regulations: Laws that dictate how land can be used in different areas of a city.
- Mixed-use development: Combining residential, commercial, and recreational spaces in a single area.
- Smart growth: Focusing on compact, walkable, and bikeable communities to reduce sprawl.

Definition: An approach to building design that minimizes environmental impact while maximizing social and economic benefits.
Key concepts:
- Green buildings: Structures that use sustainable materials, minimize energy consumption, and reduce waste.
- LEED certification: A rating system that evaluates a building's environmental performance.
- Biophilic design: Incorporating natural elements into buildings to improve occupant health and well-being.

Definition: The network of institutions, organizations, and individuals that create and distribute goods and services.
Key concepts:
- Market economy: A system in which resources are allocated based on market forces of supply and demand.
- Command economy: A system in which a central authority makes decisions on resource allocation.
- Mixed economy: A combination of market and command economies.

Definition: The process of building and maintaining the physical systems necessary for a functioning economy, such as transportation, energy, and communication networks.
Key concepts:
- Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs): Collaborations between government and private entities to finance and deliver infrastructure projects.
- Infrastructure financing: Methods of securing funding for infrastructure projects, including government funding, private investment, and public-private partnerships.

Definition: The study of the economic processes that occur within urban areas, including the allocation of resources and the distribution of goods and services.
Key concepts:
- Urban agglomeration: The benefits that come from the concentration of people and businesses in urban areas, such as increased productivity and innovation.
- Land-use patterns: The way in which land is used in urban areas, including residential, commercial, and industrial uses.
- Urban sprawl: The spreading of urban development into surrounding rural areas, often resulting in inefficient use of resources.

Urban planning involves designing and managing cities and towns to optimize resource use and improve quality of life.
Zoning regulations dictate land use in different city areas.
Mixed-use development combines residential, commercial, and recreational spaces in a single area.
Smart growth focuses on compact, walkable, and bikeable communities to reduce sprawl.

Sustainable design minimizes environmental impact while maximizing social and economic benefits.
Green buildings use sustainable materials, minimize energy consumption, and reduce waste.
LEED certification rates a building's environmental performance.
Biophilic design incorporates natural elements to improve occupant health and well-being.

Economic systems consist of institutions, organizations, and individuals creating and distributing goods and services.
Market economies allocate resources based on market forces of supply and demand.
Command economies allocate resources through central authority decisions.
Mixed economies combine market and command economies.

Infrastructure development involves building and maintaining physical systems for a functioning economy, including transportation, energy, and communication networks.
Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) collaborate between government and private entities to finance and deliver infrastructure projects.
Infrastructure financing methods include government funding, private investment, and public-private partnerships.

Urban economics studies economic processes within urban areas, including resource allocation and goods and services distribution.
Urban agglomeration benefits from concentrated people and businesses, leading to increased productivity and innovation.
Land-use patterns define urban land use, including residential, commercial, and industrial uses.
Urban sprawl spreads development into rural areas, often resulting in inefficient resource use.