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A city is a highly populated area that contains the necessary components to make it an attractive destination for workers, families and investors. Cities provide opportunities for residents and it is the main reason why people from the rural areas migrated to these urban centers. Residents believe that they can achieve greater success and happiness if they live in cities as opposed to small towns and rural areas. It is therefore important for the local officials to continually shape cities as attractive destinations for investors and productive members of society. The presence of investors as well as the timely infusion of government funding can enhance the economic and social development of the city. However, a rapid urbanization of cities may create a negative effect and forces residents to relocate.
It must be made clear that the combined factors of high population growth, industrialization, breakthroughs in healthcare, and technological developments enable mankind to dominate this planet. The capabilities of men to manipulate natural resources and develop practical solutions to a particular need have made human beings the undisputed ruler of the Earth. Unfortunately, humans find it difficult to reverse the impact of their actions. In the meantime mankind continues to build cities. Centers of commerce act as powerful magnet to draw more inhabitants in an already densely populated area. Rapid urbanization is a sure sign of progress but the degradation of the environment has forced many to flee to suburbs and rural areas to achieve a better quality of life. It is time to reconsider the long term effects of these trends.
An Attractive City
There are different types of policies that city officials can use to manage their respective cities. One of the most important is developmental policies. According to one commentary “Developmental policies are those local programs which enhance the economic position of a community in its competition with others” (Peterson 41). Developmental policies is a type of policy that can be enacted by city officials in order to strengthen the local economy, improve on the revenue generating base of the city as well as enhance the community’s welfare. This is the popular type of policy that can be ratified by the local law-making body. At first glance it is highly favored by the local residents because it seems that the cost to the community is minimal as compared to the benefits that such type of policies can bring to the city.
The first thing to consider is the cost that is brought about by the increase in taxes in order to finance a project. But in other application of developmental policies the cost is linked to the environment. However, in most cases, residents of the city weigh the pros and cons of such projects that come with developmental policies and they find that the short-term as well as long-term impact of the said policies are in their favor (Peterson 41). Consider for a fact the following benefits: new employment for community members; increase demand for locally provided services; increase in land values; and higher revenues (Peterson 41). These are signs of progress and development.
It is of critical importance to have employment opportunities. A city without employment opportunities can easily become a ghost town because residents will transfer to another city with more employment opportunities. It is not only employment opportunities that residents are interested to find in a city. They are also looking for better employment benefits. Thus, it is of great value to attract certain kinds of investors. Imagine the economic benefits of attracting companies like Microsoft, Google, and General Electric on the local economy.
Aside from attracting investors that can provide high-quality employment for the residents it is also crucial to catch the attention of different types of investors. The employment market within a city must be seen as competitive. A competitive employment market is beneficial for the residents because potential employers will be forced to give them better employment packages to entice the best workers to work for them.
The increase in demand for locally provided services is an important aspect to the sustainable economic development of the city. The bulk of the residents of the city are composed of employees and owners of small to medium-scale businesses. Many employees rely on the success of local entrepreneurs. These are the people that work in restaurants, gasoline stations, amusement parks, department stores, and various shops selling different types of products. A well conceived plan does not only attract investors but also visitors to the city. These are the thousands of tourists and businessmen that visit the city on a yearly basis. They spend money while they are in the city and this enhances the economic development of the area.
The increase in land values benefits the entrepreneurs and local residents. The higher the land values the better is the market price for commercial land as well as houses in the area. The entrepreneurs can sell real estate and make profit out of the deal. Furthermore, local businessmen can have a higher appraisal for their properties and they can use it to leverage for a more substantial loan. The money that they can get from commercial loans can be used to improve their respective businesses. The same thing can be said of the local residents who may decide to sell their homes for a profit. The rising land values make it easier for them to sell in order to improve their economic well-being.
The local government on the other hand benefits from all these because of the significant increase in the revenue generating capability of the city. Increase in revenues makes it easier to funnel in more funds for government services such as healthcare and infrastructure. It is therefore important to continuously support developmental policies. However, the positive outcome of high investment opportunities, employment opportunities, and improved services can also have an undesirable effect.
Air, water, and noise pollution are just some of the negative effects of development (Peterson 42). Environmental degradation is always the result of the increased presence of business and industry in a particular community. As mentioned earlier business and industry are the lifeblood of the city and therefore city officials cannot afford to block the entry of businessmen because they bring economic prosperity that are needed by the residents of the city. Nevertheless, city officials have to find a way to balance urbanization and the goal of creating a livable city that offers a less stressful environment for its residents.
The Unattractive City
It is important to maintain the attractiveness of the city. Although, it is advisable to reduce the number of residents in a given area, it is also detrimental to lose the best and the brightest residents because of rapid urbanization. It is therefore important to figure out the reason why city residents are no longer happy with their living conditions. At the same time it is important to find out the long-term impact if these residents continue to move towards the rural areas.
At this point it can be argued that a massive exodus of city residents to the rural areas is not a major concern because it is impossible for cities to be depopulated at a rapid rate. Many residents are dependent on jobs that can only be found in cities. Thus, the best alternative for them is to relocate in the suburbs. As a consequence, cities are undergoing transformation as the boundaries that separate city and rural areas are being reinterpreted. This phenomenon is called “sprawling” (Gillham 4). It is described as the stretching the boundaries of cities and suburbs to create more space for workers and employees (Gillham 4). It requires the construction of more highways. The purpose is to provide a better way for workers to commute from home to work and vise versa.
Sprawling is the answer to the need for more space to raise a family and to enjoy the weekends. But sprawling is now seen as another form of urbanization that continues to degrade the environment. There will come a time when people living in the suburbs will also find the living conditions unbearable. The Natural Resources Defense Council explains the new mode of environmental degradation: “Sprawling development eats up farms, meadows, and forests, turning them into strip malls and subdivisions that serve cars better than people” (Gillham 4). Thus, sprawling does not only destroy the environment it also destroys farmlands. In the long run the twin effects can make life more difficult for city dwellers.
In the Age of Information more and more people have access to ideas that shape their decisions. They are now aware of the fact that living in cities can cause health injuries due to exposure to pollution and the lack of exercise. The inability to excercise can have negative effects on the human body. They are now aware that if they relocate to rural areas or small towns, then, they can have the opportunity to exercise and live in a pollution free zone. They are also aware that the need to maintain a healthier lifestyle has become a very important part of modern living and “exercisers report more frequent and intense positive feelings and tend to have better functioning immune systems […] have higher life expectancy and are less likely to suffer from heart disease, stroke, diabetes, hypertension, and a variety of other ailments” (Porta 76). For those who have the means to leave the city, there is little need for a second opinion.
In the book “Small Town Bound” the environment played a central role in many of the reasons why many opted to move out and settle away from the bustling cityscape (Clayton 7). The city has become unattractive but the rural areas continue to be an enticing place for families to live and grow old together, “It might be the scenery that draws you – mountains, rivers, farmlands, or forests. It might be images of a rural lifestyle or the accessibility of recreational opportunities such as kayaking, hiking, and others” (Clayton 7). It is therefore important to reconsider the application of developmental policies to reverse the trend.
There are many people who are now looking into a much more sustainable practice. Consider this statement: “Developmental policies need not always entail the attraction of business and industry to a community … it may be the creation of a wildlife preserve that will so enhance the attractiveness of surrounding residential property that any opportunity costs involved in allocating land for such a purpose will be more than offset by the increasing market value of the adjacent areas” (Peterson 42). Richard Bilsborrow said that there are now significant changes when it comes to the restructuring of private enterprises. He said that industrialized nations are aware of the need to relocate manufacturing facilities away from major industrial centers. These changes are enhanced by the development of economic activity in rural areas, particularly those that are associated with agriculture, forestry, and energy resource development (Bilsborrow 63). An example of such changes can be seen in Britain and in other parts of central Europe where small and medium sized firms are now situated far from highly industrialized zones (Daniels 111). Nevertheless, these firms are able to produce specialized products of higher quality (Daniels, 111).
It is important to reduce the impact of urbanization in the cities because of the decreasing quality of life. City officials may be complacent because they believe that most of the people living in cities do not have the means to relocate to rural areas. But changes in technology can make it easier to move from urban centers to small towns far from the hustle and bustle of a fast-paced city life. It does not require a scientist to determine the ill-effects of a depopulated city. A mere overview of cities like Detroit is a stark reminder that a highly progressive city can easily succumb to urban decay.
If a city loses its residents then there are no longer enough works and businessmen that can sustain its growth. An abandoned city is very unattractive to investors and other residents. Thus, in the long-term, a depopulated city is not a good idea as far as residents and city officials are concern. It is time to reconsider the use of developmental policies. There is a need to balance the use of resources to enhance the economic base of the city by bringing in business and industry. On the other hand it must be pointed out that developmental policies can be used not only to bring in business industry but also in the establishment of environmentally-friendly projects that can enhance the beauty of the city.
Conclusion
It is important to build a livable city. A sustainable city environment will ensure that residents, businessmen, and city officials can enjoy the fruits of their labor. It is foolish to pour in investor money and build industries that can choke the life out of a city. It is of critical importance to balance economic gain with healthy living. A healthy resident requires space to exercise and a less polluted environment. City officials must be more prudent when it comes to creating developmental policies. Long-term effects of rapid urbanization can easily backfire. City politics must be used to protect the environment and the people that live there.
Works Cited
Bilsborrow, Richard. Migration, Urbanization, and Development: New Directions and Issues. MA: Kluwer Academic Publishers, 1998. Print.
Clayton, John. Small Town Bound. New York: Xlibris Corporation, 2000. Print.
Daniels, Peter. Services and Metropolitan Development: International Perspectives. New York: Routledge, 2002. Print.
Gillham, Oliver. The Limitless City: A Primer on the Urban Sprawl Debate. Washington, D.C.: Island Press, 2002. Print.
Peterson, Paul. City Limits. IL: Chicago University Press, 1981. Print.
Porta, Luigi. Economics of Happinesss: Framing the Analysis. New York: Oxford University Press, 2005. Print.
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