Thunderheart is a fiction-based movie about the Wounded Knee incident directed by Michael Apted. The Native Americans protested against the discriminatory policy by the federal government. Apted used Val Kilmer to act as an FBI agent (Marubbio 102). His role was to investigate the circumstances that led to the murder of a Native American who was a follower of the American Indian Movement. Other actors in the film are Shepard, Greene Tousey, and Ward (Marubbio 102).
Main body
Various themes are found in the movie, in particular; favoritism, political activism, and public issues. Thunderheart is a movie that gives the base through which urban planning can be structured by the engineers. According to the movie, urban planning should be determined by several factors before the actual planning. These factors include culture, politics, political corruption, social awareness, and education (Marubbio 102).
Judgment on other peoples culture should be consistent with urban planning. In the Thunderheart movie, the American Indian movement members who were Native Americans were judged by the local government based on their culture. The local government decided to strip a piece of land inhabited by the Native Americans to strip Uranium mining (Boyer 145). This was a planned move by the local government to discriminate against them. The federal government judged them based on their own culture and felt they were less superior which was wrong. Other peoples culture should be treated as ones own culture because they are part of one society inhabiting a certain urban area.
Politics and political corruption need to be addressed before urban planning. In the movie, urban planning can lead to political murder. Leo Fast Elk, a Native American politician in South Dakota was killed because of his protest concerning urban planning (Boyer 145). Politics in urban planning is important because it involves social power. In the case of the federal government, it was crucial to have Leo killed so that they would advance discrimination against the Natives. During the investigation, Val Kilmer who was a Native FBI suspected of a scheme involving a small town. This did not go on well with Coutelle who became angry because of Vals suspicion. Later on, Val and his colleague discovered that the local governments move to strip a Uranium mine was the actual cause for the murder of Leo. The mining caused side effects to the residents through water pollution. As a result, conflicts between the anti-government reservation council and the pro-government natives headed by Jack Milton arose. However, Milton and Coutelle used the mine land to get kickbacks. Therefore, political corruption is at the center stage of urban planning.
Lack of understanding of the Native Americans culture was at the center stage of Leos murder. The federal government viewed the American Indian Movement as another culture different from the Americans. The movement was made up of Native Americans and the protest against the federal government was driven by their culture. It is important that urban planning and road construction consider the Native Americans cultural peculiarities because understanding would have helped to plan the small town. If their culture had been considered, the Natives would not have felt discriminated in the town.
Cultural awakening is an important consideration in urban planning to reduce the lack of understanding of other peoples cultures. In the case of Thunderheart, the federal government was not aware of the Natives culture. Undoubtedly, common knowledge of all peoples cultures will reduce acts of discrimination during urban planning. Thus, leaders of every cultural movement or organization should take the responsibility to inform every member of that society about their respective culture. The government needs to learn about the Native American culture before any urban planning or road construction. Knowledge of culture enables engineers to make an urban plan that respects every persons cultural adherence. As a result, urban plan design will not lead to protests by members of the discriminated culture. Cultural awakening should be a campaign for everybody in the urban town. The engineers should be allowed to design the urban plan after they have satisfactorily been awakened about culture (Creese 117).
A social network is significant in the process of urban plan design. Every social network has a kinship that is the leader. In the movie, Thunderheart, the Native Americans had a social network that was led by Leo. The pro-government natives were led by Jack Milton. The anti-government reservations council members went on to protest because their kinship had been murdered. Consequently, the urban plan should identify the social network and the kinship so that information can be transferred properly. The natives felt that they were being discriminated against as their leader had told them. His murder confirmed that he was a hero who risked his life fighting for their rights.
Thunderheart shows how important other peoples culture is to urban planning. The urban plan by the local government at the Wounded Knee did not consider the culture of the Native Americans. As a result, there was political corruption within its branches. The protest against the federal government was caused by the fact that the Natives felt discriminated in the urban plan for the Uranium mine. Although cultures are different, the urban plan should assimilate all cultures during the plan design. When different cultures are assimilated, a new culture is evolved which serves the interests of all members of the plan. Therefore, all cultures should be identified and assimilated by engineers which will result in discrimination being avoided.
Education about urban planning and culture is needed to reduce conflicts among individuals. A proper urban plan should address the side effects of the plan on the people. In the case of Thunderheart, the urban plan failed to address the problems. The Uranium mine led to the pollution of water that was being used by the Natives (Calthorpe 87). Lack of knowledge about the natives life also caused the protest against the federal government. Proper studies should be done to determine the consequences of a plan before it is implemented. Also, educating people about a proposed plan allows the residents to live according to the plan. As one may see, education in Thunderheart is poorly managed.
Conclusion
Modern urban design is a result of several factors. A proper urban plan will help to increase efficiency between the streets in an urban setup. Safety, privacy, and health are improved through proper planning. However, a failure to consider these factors can result in various acts of urban unrest. These can be political killings, corruption, health hazards, and insecurity. Therefore, it is important for all engineering works to consider other factors other than the design to determine an urban plan.
Works Cited
Boyer, Christine. Dreaming the Rational City: The myth of American City Planning, Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 2003. Print.
Calthorpe, Peter. The Next American Metropolis: Ecology, Community And The American Dream, New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2003. Print.
Creese, Walter. The Search For New Environment: The Garden City Before and After, New Haven: Yale University Press, 2005. Print.
Marubbio, Elise. Killing the Indian Maiden: Images of Native American Women in Film. Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 2006. Print.
Alongside a broad range of related concepts, sustainability has been one of the most commonly discussed topics in the contemporary fields of science, economics, business, and politics. As the number of environmental effects resulting from the anthropogenic activities is growing, and the list of challenges the humanity is expected to face in the future is expanding, sustainability in the present days is becoming a very important and pressing issue.
Due to the global and ubiquitous nature of environmental challenges and the adverse effects of the pollution of the atmosphere and oceans, deforestation, and the destruction of sea beds and ecosystems, the need for sustainable development and practices begins to occur almost in every sphere of peoples daily activities. Moreover, the expanding and irreversible quality of the environmental effects, as well as their wide variety, dictate the complexity of sustainability as a concept, its flexibility, and applicability to many different spheres of life. As one of the most important domains of human activity and social organization, cities require special attention in terms of sustainable planning and development.
In this paper, the concept of the sustainable city will be discussed and explored using an existing urban area (West Loop Area in Chicago) as an example of sustainability or its absence in general terms, regarding the use of land, transportation solutions, possible reconfigurations, street management, and potentially use policies that could help improve the levels of sustainability in the city under analysis.
Sustainable City as a Concept
As specified by Beatley and Manning, there is a certain degree of ambiguity that is typical to the concept of sustainability; differently put, the authors specify that it is not always obvious when present (3). However, the authors add that sustainability is easier to grasp when viewed in application to renewable resources such as freshwater, soils, and forests (Beatley and Manning 5). In addition to being quite difficult to comprehend and describe, the concept of sustainability is also new.
It is especially new when applied to city planning and development; it was powered by the rapid growth of the urban population triggered by the process of globalization and that increased communication and transportation activities. As the density of the population residing in large cities of our planet began to maximize driving the need for more and more resources, city planners started to consider the sustainability of the latter that would help support the expanding numbers of residents without damaging the areas or destroying the environment (Beatley and Manning 6).
When it comes to city planning and development, the society in the United States, as well as its preferences in terms of living conditions are usually characterized with what is known as a sprawl a set of typical residential behaviors creating dangerous and unsustainable systems (Freilich et al. 23). In particular, some of the most common signs of the sprawl are the large mansions, huge territories, and privately owned lands with communities demanding the same services and conveniences as the urban multistoried buildings, numerous cars often exceeding the number of families living in an area, urban decay, and abandoned sites.
In that way, a sustainable city can be characterized as an urban area recognized for its smart planning helping to minimize the waste of consumed resources such as drinking water, electricity, and event space, minimized rates of pollution of soil, water, and air, with effectively planned and managed streets and roads allowing the free and efficient movement of vehicles.
Sustainability in West Loop Area in Chicago: General Overview
The urban area selected for the analysis and discussion in this paper is the West Loop area in Chicago. This is a territory with a dense population, busy roads, and multiple landmarks and places of attraction.
One of the most noticeable features of the selected area is its busy traffic and a large number of cars on the streets. However, the look at the map of this area helps notice that the roads and well-planned and the districts do not have any isolated parts or the regions reaching which could be a challenge. Large roads are located parallel to one another and allow even traffic movement throughout the entire territory of the area.
Also, as one of the most populated and busy areas of Chicago, West Loop is known for its multiple green initiatives such as green roofs, farmers markets, and parks. The areas along the roads are often surrounded by trees; other green oases can be found almost in every block or two. As reported by DNA Info, the West Loop area is known to be at the top of the list of the greenest areas in Chicago (Cox).
Land Use and Transportation
The land of the West Loop area is used very effectively, driving around its blocks and studying its maps, I could not locate any buildings that were inefficiently used or the large private houses that were likely to consume a lot of resources and complicate the way they are delivered and allocated around the districts.
Moreover, as noted by Condon, the effectiveness of the land use in an urban area can be evaluated based on what is referred to as a 5-minute walk rule, according to which the convenient and frequently visited locations such as schools, supermarkets, markets, and other community services could be reached within a five-minute walk (68). This is the case because humans, as practical thinkers are sensitive to minor conveniences and would prefer a brief walk to a series of tasks related to driving and finding parking spots.
In the area selected for this analysis, I could locate a school, a church, several stores and supermarkets, a dental clinic, several parks, and recreation areas, as well as a hotel within a five-minute walk. The only essential facility that I could not seem to locate during my exploration of the area was a hospital.
Regarding the transportation, it is important to mention that a large and very busy multilevel road junction is located in this area; it adds to the amount of traffic as several highways and main roads cross it. In that way, it is possible to conclude that the air in this area suffers from extra pollution brought about by the active traffic. Additionally, it is quite possible that during the busiest days and hours, the blocks with apartment buildings situated near the road also suffer from increased noise pollution. Also, many pedestrians and bicycle riders could be seen around the area; this could be the result of the convenient location of most essential facilities in the areas allowing residents to reach them without having to drive.
Possible Reconfigurations
Land use and transportation management are the two aspects that should go hand-in-hand when it comes to finding solutions to the lack of sustainability in any area (Wier). Discussing the sustainability and city planning challenges specific to West Loop area in Chicago, it is important to point out that the issues related to the closeness of the multilevel junction, as well as the passages of many main road and highways are impossible to address by moving these objects or removing them whatsoever. However, the adverse effects of the roads and active traffic could be minimized via a couple of changes.
First of all, since a great deal of air pollution results from the emissions of CO2 produced by the passing vehicles, the initiative aimed at the improvement of the quality of air in the area could design more parks and green areas around the roads. As for the noise pollution, the potential reconfiguration could aim at the relocation of the urban dwellers to the areas situated further away from the highways, which is a very complicated mission to accomplish.
Also, a general policy or a promotion program aiming at the reduction of the number of vehicles in the area (using carpooling, for instance) could be beneficial in terms of traffic.
Streets Evaluation
As specified by Seskin et al., inclusive, sustainable, and safe road use is the primary aspect of the Complete Streets Initiative. As mentioned in one of the previous sections, the five-minute walk rule outlined by Condon applies to the area under discussion. In addition to the well-planned stress, the resources and facilities placed in the area are managed in a smart manner making the most essential locations easy to access without having to start a car.
This aspect of the areas planning approach is designed for the purpose to encourage walking on the use of green means of transportation such as bicycles as alternatives to driving. In this manner, the planners of the area created the conditions favorable for the reduced use of vehicles, which is especially important for West Loop as its territory is crossed by several highways and the main road, this adding to the amount of traffic passing through.
Based on my evaluation of the area during a personal visit, I was able to locate a wide range of essential facilities such as markets, supermarkets, shopping malls, a dental clinic, a church, a hotel, several parks, and recreation sites, and a school placed within a relatively short distance from one another and several apartment blocks. In that way, I was able to conclude that the streets of West Loop match the main requirements of the Complete Streets Initiative.
Prospects and Policies
Currently, the area under discussion is the carrier of one of the highest scores in the region of Chicago in terms of green initiatives; the score is based on the presence of green roofs, parks, and other green facilities and sites throughout the entire territory, thus improving the quality of air (Cox). This initiative should be taken further in the future and some more green areas should be added around the main roads and especially around the multilevel road junction located in the area that serves as a massive source of air and noise pollution.
The policies recommended for the area could aim at the addition of more green sites, the potential relocation of the dwellers of multistoried apartment buildings from the junction the initiative that could cause a significant public dissatisfaction if done wrong. Also, another policy for the area could aim at the further minimization of the number of vehicles used in its streets using the promotion of green transportation modes and carpooling.
Works Cited
Beatley, Timothy and Kristy Manning. The Ecology of Place. Island Press, 1992.
Freilich, Robert H. et al. From Sprawl to Sustainability. American Bar Association, n.d.
Condon, Patrick M. Seven Rules for Sustainable Communities. Island Press, n.d.
Urban planning in Canada is taking a completely new twist that many had not anticipated. Scholars and a section of the political class have named the new approach to urban planning gentrification. Maschaykh (2015) defines gentrification as the process of renovating and improving a house or district so that it conforms to middle-class taste (p. 78). In this new approach, old buildings that were designed and built several years ago are destroyed or remodeled into new structures.
Toronto is one of the areas that are affected most by this approach to urban planning and development. According to Hays (2016), the Toronto Strong Neighborhoods Strategy 2020 was meant to increase the number of housing units in the region but in a way that promotes integration and positive engagement. However, many scholars and the political class argue that the new approach is only focused on one area of the vision, which is increasing the number of condos in major urban centers.
When these developers come with their plan, they promise the local community that their focus is to improve the housing sector in line with the emerging standards. After houses are refurbished, the amount needed for rent will be high, and the previous tenants are forced to look for alternatives. A section of the community is also opposed to the new system saying that it is desecrating Canadian culture capital. It is important to find a way of addressing the concerns that stakeholders have to eliminate the current controversies in the new approach to urban planning.
The Pros and Cons of Gentrification
According to Paton (2014), gentrification is not unique to Canadian cities. The approach of uplifting cities and improving the residential space started in most European cities such as London and Paris. As the global population increases, the number of people living in urban centers is also on the rise. Some of these cities have buildings constructed over 100 years ago when vertical space was not a major issue. However, that has changed, and the new demand for housing units has forced urban planners to rethink strategies that can help meet the local demand. Gentrification is coming out as one of the ways of addressing this problem. It is important to discuss the pros and cons of this approach to urban development.
One of the biggest benefits of gentrification is the modernization of housing units in the major cities. It eliminates designs that were constructed dozens of years ago with beautiful, modern ones, which are space conscious. According to Maschaykh (2015), most of the old condos lack sprinkler systems that can enhance fighting the fire, effective exit routes in cases of emergencies, and many other modern housing systems meant to improve the safety, security, and functionality of the houses. Figure 1 below shows a clear contrast in terms of the beauty of an old housing structure and a new one after gentrification.
Fig. 1. Comparing an old-model house and a gentrified structure (Maschaykh, 2015).
Paton (2014) says that gentrification is the only way of utilizing the land space effectively. Some of the current buildings in cities such as Toronto and Vancouver were constructed when the population was less than half of the current one. As the number of residents continues to increase, the land space is not increasing. Sticking to the old modeled structured cannot provide a proper solution to the emerging housing problem. It is necessary to have new structures that are sensitive to the problem of scarcity of land. Gentrification offers the best solution to this problem.
It is important to note that gentrification has disadvantages that need to be addressed to ensure that concerns of a section of the community have been addressed. One of the biggest issues with gentrification is its destruction of most of the cultural buildings in major cities around the world. Montreals Saint-Henri area has popularly been considered a cultural capital in Canada. The new approach to urban planning and development threatens to wipe that out completely. The cultural buildings that defined the city are being replaced by new buildings, erasing any cultural connotations in the region.
If the trend is not regulated, then this cultural city will be transformed into a modern urban center. Another major issue that has been raised is the displacement of the lower-middle-class members of the society in these cities. Once these houses are renovated to modern standards, the rental cost is hiked, making them unaffordable to the previous owners. Some are forced into the cheaper ghettos that are yet to be affected by gentrification. Others have complained that the new urbanization approach is ignoring the need to preserve cultural buildings, including churches. Figure 2 below shows a church that is earmarked for demolition to give way for the construction of a new condo.
Figure 2. Gentrification process (Maschaykh, 2015).
Examples of Areas That Have Gone Through the Process
Montreal is one of the areas which are most affected by the gentrification process. However, Hays (2016) observes that many other cities in other provinces in Canada are also going through the same process. One of the cities significantly affected by the new urbanization plan in Winnipeg in Manitoba, with a population of 641,483. According to Paton (2014), Quebec City in Quebec has also been facing gentrification in the recent past. Old structures in these cities are disappearing at alarming rates. The increasing population is always cited as the main reason why it is necessary to replace the old buildings with new housing units that maximize the use of space.
How These Areas Were Affected
Gentrification in the urban centers discussed above has had a significant impact on the local population and the landscape of the area. According to Hays (2016), most of the gentrified cities have changed from what they were several decades ago. New skyscrapers are emerging to replace the old houses. The infrastructural development is impressive. The cities are now sustaining the increasing number of residents because of the structures that take advantage of the vertical space.
However, Maschaykh (2015) notes that as the strategy addresses the problem for a section of the society, especially the rich and the working middle-class, another section is negatively affected. The lower-middle-class people who were previously living in these cities are being displaced. Some of the cultural buildings and restaurants are phased out as the new buildings emerge. Those who are replaced are forced to live in the city suburbs or ghettos where they can afford to pay rent.
The Inevitability of Gentrification in Saint-Henri
Saint-Henri is one of the major urban centers in Canada that have experienced massive modernization in the housing sector. Most of the traditional old-model houses are modernized to meet the emerging needs. Hays (2016) notes that gentrification in Saint-Henri has elicited major public debate, especially among the local population. A section of the local community feels that the process is inevitable as a form of urban renewal. On the other hand, the opponents feel that this approach to urban renewal is threatening the very culture that the city has held dear for decades. These conflicting views have affected the ability to achieve the urbanization programs in line with the expectations of the local community.
The people opposed to gentrification have a genuine argument when they say that cultural values associated with specific buildings will be lost. They are also right when they against the new phenomenon where the local residents are displaced once these buildings are modernized. However, the truth is that gentrification being experienced in Saint-Henri is inevitable because of the need to have new structures that make proper use of the available land space. The citys population is growing so rapidly that lack of housing is becoming a major problem. According to Paton (2014), globalization has had a serious impact on the population of Canada.
Many people from around the world are immigrating to Canada as one of the most preferred destinations in North America. Some of them are students, while others are economic immigrants. Paton (2014) argues that cases where people are forced to share rooms are common. Students may not have a problem sharing rooms with their colleagues. However, adults seeking to relocate to these cities may not find comfortable sharing rooms. Statistics show that the population is likely to increase further, which is an indication that the demand for housing units is expected to be higher than it is currently. Gentrification is considered the only way of addressing this problem.
The 1 in 6 Rule
A perfect example of a deliberate attempt to fight gentrification in the city of Saint-Henri taken by the local authorities is the 1 in 6 rule. The new rule restricts businessmen from opening new classy restaurants 25 miles from an existing one. According to Maschaykh (2015), many people have complained that the new facilities are too expensive for them to afford. As such, the move made by the local authorities is not only meant to protect the heritage of the city but also to ensure that the lower-middle-class members of the society are protected from aggressive businessmen who are increasingly targeting the rich and the upper-middle-class members of the society.
The rule is noble, and its intentions are meant to protect a section of society that is not financially empowered. However, one of the main questions that it raises is how long such laws will remain relevant in this city. According to Paton (2014), change is a strong force that one can manage to resist just for a short while. At the moment, it may be possible to come up with such laws as the 1 in 6 rule when the demand for these services is still bearable. However, soon it will be clear to the local authorities that change is a force that cannot be stopped for long.
The demand for new restaurants, new condos, and other new products in the real estate market that is associated with gentrification is on the rise. Maschaykh (2015) explains that forces in the market often define the supply. When the demand for these products is high, the suppliers will attempt to increase the supply. The market forces define changes that are currently witnessed in urban planning and development.
The 1 in 6 rule may be popular to a section of the society at the moment, but its relevance may not last long. Saint-Henry, just like many other cities in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and many other developed nations, is faced with the problem of the ever-increasing demand for housing units, more restaurants, and more entertainment joints than ever before, but space is limited. The living standards of the majority of residents in these cities are also increasing. It means that the residents desire to have modern housing facilities built as per the latest designs. Their emerging needs in the real estate sector are redefining strategies used by developers to ensure that they meet the demand.
Any law that seeks to fight against these changes can be viewed as retrogressive. They may not stand the test of time because the population of the city is consistently increasing (Paton, 2014). The local authorities and members of the society should understand and appreciate the fact that gentrification is inevitable and should be embraced as a form of urban renewal.
Gentrification in the Greater Toronto Area
Gentrification is increasingly becoming one of the most popular forms of urban renewal in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). According to Hays (2016), the local developers have been keen on taking advantage of the open spaces that have not been utilized. However, after many years of rapid development and limited land space, it is now clear that a new approach to urban renewal is inevitable. New houses are being refurbished or demolished to give way to modern housing complexes.
The old restaurants along the city streets are also getting facelifts to modernize them so that they can be aligned with the emerging demand. In the GTA, this approach has been witnessed in various towns, especially those that have experienced a rapid increase in their population. Figure 3 below is a map of GTA identifying specific areas that have witnessed cases of rapid gentrification.
Fig. 3. Gentrification in GTA (Toronto Social Development, Finance, and Administration, 2017).
As shown in the map, the GTA is significantly affected by the increasing cases of gentrification. As shown in figure 3 above, some sections of the area are more affected than others. Some of these areas include Oakville, Union, South Parkdale, Downtown Brampton, and Toronto-Danforth, Port Credit. In this section, the focus will be to analyze gentrification in Downtown Brampton as one of the areas that are experiencing modernization at rapid rates in GTA.
Using the demographic links in this analysis is crucial. According to Paton (2014), gentrification is propelled by the force of the growing population in specific cities within the country. Downtown Brampton is one of the regions in GTA that has experienced a rapid increase in its population. It is currently one of the most densely populated areas in the region. Figure 4 below shows the population density in various parts of GTA. The city is identified as one of the most densely populated areas in Ontario.
Fig. 4. The population density in GTA (Toronto Social Development, Finance, and Administration, 2017).
The map above shows that Downtown Brampton is one of the areas in GTA that experienced a population growth of over 10% from the year 2011 to 2016. The city has been attracting local and international tourists for various reasons. The business community in the region has also registered impressive growth. These factors have led to the rapidly changing face of the town. Like Saint-Henri, Downtown Brampton is a cultural center with some buildings considered a true depiction of the towns heritage, having been constructed over 70 years ago. Some of the restaurants in the city were designed and constructed using Victorian architectural designs (Paton, 2014).
Figure 5 below shows one of the oldest yet very popular hotels in Downtown Brampton, known as Aria Bistro & Lounge. Constructed using a beautiful pattern of red and black bricks, this is one of the few restaurants city still housed in the old buildings constructed over 50 years ago. The interior design of the restaurant has been remodeled to reflect the emerging needs, but the structure has not been brought down, as has been the case in various parts of the town.
Fig. 5. Aria Bistro & Lounge (Maschaykh, 2015).
According to Paton (2014), gentrification in the Greater Toronto Area is threatening to wipe out cultural structures that have for a long time been considered heritage centers. Libraries are getting refurbished, churches are giving way to new skyscrapers, and old apartments are getting replaced by new condos. The modernization is giving Downtown Brampton a new face that reflects a modern city. However, some people are not comfortable with the rapid change. They feel that real estate developers are only focused on making extraordinary profits at the expense of the local population.
They feel that buildings and sites that have for a long time reflected the heritage of the city are being wiped out without any considerations (Paton, 2014). Others also feel that the middle-lower class and the poor are getting pushed out of the city. Houses are becoming more expensive to buy or rent, restaurants are becoming unaffordable, and life is now unbearable to a significant population of the city residents who are not financially empowered.
According to Maschaykh (2015), the current trends in urbanization show that old structures designed several decades ago when real estate developers had enough land space may not be sustainable in the future. It means that beautiful hotels in Downtown Brampton such as Aria Bistro & Lounge may not be around for long. Soon, the city will rid itself of all the old buildings despite the resistance that has been witnessed in the recent past.
Conclusion
The paper shows that gentrification is one of the emerging urban renewal approaches gaining popularity around the world. The increasing population in major cities has forced developers to find alternative ways of meeting the high demand for housing units. The limited land space makes it impossible to build new houses in the affected areas. The study shows that gentrification cannot be avoided and should be embraced. However, the emerging wave of gentrification is threatening to replace traditional buildings in some of these cities. The limited land space and increasing population mean that this approach to urban renewal is unavoidable.
What needs to be done is to ensure that modernization does not leave some people homeless, and neither should it make life so expensive that the lower-middle class is forced out of the cities. The stakeholders should find a balance between meeting emerging needs for more housing units and the needs and concerns of the local population.
Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) aims to stimulate the free movement of urban community members across distinct residential, commercial, business, and leisure spaces. Therefore, efficiency may be viewed as one of the major criteria for its assessment. Lynch defines efficiency in terms of cost: the less costly the creation and the maintenance of a system is, the more efficient it can be considered (118). However, the efficiency of a transit-oriented community (TOC) can also be measured by how easy its various elements can be used by individuals who live there and if their use allows community members to achieve their transit objectives well. It means that efficiency refers to the overall functionality of systems and their usability.
Accessibility
The dimension of accessibility is pivotal to take into account since it is much harder to use different functions and elements of a system if they are scarce. Noteworthily, opportunities to perform certain transit-oriented tasks (for instance, travel through public transport hubs and road infrastructures) constitute merely one aspect of accessibility.
Lynch indicates that access to various services, information, and places is also important in TOCs as these resources allow meeting the diverse needs of their inhabitants more feasibly (118). As such, the availability of necessary intangible and tangible resources, including infrastructures and facilities, largely defines whether a TOC is usable or not.
Diversity
The availability of different types of resources is linked to the criterion of diversity. However, in the context of TOD, the diversity of activities is particularly important. For instance, Jabareen notes that lack of concentrated diversity can put people into automobiles for almost all their needs (5). In contrast, the presence of diverse transit modes, including public transport, paths for walking, and cycle tracks means that people can utilize a greater variety of means to reach their goals. The same applies to types of residential areas, services, opportunities for leisure, and so forth. The more diverse these resources and possibilities are in one area, the higher quality of life and the greater community sustainability may be achieved.
Coherence
Diversity is always associated with complexity, yet it does not mean that a community must be developed in a disorganized manner. It makes coherence, which refers to an orderly manner of arrangement, an essential dimension for the assessment of TOCs as well. From the perspective of Ewing et al., coherence, as an evaluation criterion, must mainly be used to analyze the visual character of an urban area and, in particular, consistency and complementarity in the way different buildings and landscape elements are placed in a community (S226). However, the same criterion may be utilized to assess the social environment of a TOC by focusing on the consistency of available services and activities with various residents interests and needs.
Compactness
Compactness is another dimension of a special arrangement of buildings and landscape elements in a community. The term compactness implies that an urban area has reasonable limits and is well-bounded. The latter characteristic implies that in a compact TOC different transit points and can be reached within a justified distance that can be measured, for example, in terms of time required to travel from one place to another. Thus, compactness not only maximizes the positive experiences of transit system users but also contributes to the greater sustainability of TOCs (Jabareen 46). The fewer time residents need to invest in transit, the better the ecological effects can be.
Greening
Considering the rising trend for environmental sustainability, the degree of urban areas greening is important to measure. Greening is proven to induce favorable outcomes in terms of the pollution rate decrease, public health, and overall quality of life (Jabareen 46). This dimension can be measured by the extent and number of green community areas (parks, conservation zones, forests, and so forth), as well as the level of various green technologies integration into TOCs.
Tidiness
Tidiness may be viewed as a crucial aspect of order in a community. Ewing et al. refer to this concept as the condition and cleanliness of a place (S226). It is valid to say that similarly to greening, tidiness improves the attractiveness of a TOC, residents perceptions of their community, and the overall quality of life. This dimension can be measured by analyzing the visual appearance of a TOC and identifying spaces requiring repair and maintenance.
Justice
It is also essential to plan TOCs taking into account how different social and physical elements of the environment affect people. Thus, justice or, in other words, the distribution of environmental costs and benefits among all residents and urban areas must be assessed (Lynch 118). Besides, justice can be measured in terms of equality of access to various resources. If it is easier for some populations of a TOC to certain resources and if it is easier for them to use those resources than for others then TOC is not developed justly.
Vitality
The criterion of vitality incorporates many of the abovementioned dimensions, including efficiency, accessibility, compactness, and diversity. The term refers to the degree to which the form of the settlement supports the vital functions (Lynch 118). It means that to be able to sustain itself, a TOC must have all the necessary and diverse resources and arrange them in a way that supports various activities of individuals and the community as a whole. Thus, it is valid to say that the assessment of this dimension must start with the understanding of overall community needs and then proceed towards the analysis of its capacities to meet those needs.
Sense of Place
Like vitality, the criterion of the sense of place comprises multiple previously discussed dimensions. The concept refers to a degree to which residents can mentally differentiate and comprehend their community in terms of time, space, and suitability of various urban elements of a TOC with their values and views (Lynch 118). Thus, a sense of place is simultaneously a physical, social, psychological, and cultural measure. As such, it can be measured by identifying the subjective perceptions of residents and by looking at whether various TOC elements fit well in the cultural background of the community.
Sense of History
This criterion is interrelated with the abovementioned as it refers to the historically determined identity of a settlement. However, while the sense of space emphasizes the importance of congruity between psychological and environmental dynamics, the sense of history is even more specific (Lynch 134). It points to the significance of old cultural artifacts in endowing physical urban spaces with meaning. However, the dimension refers not to the presence of museums and galleries in a TOC but the integration of culturally and environmentally significant objects and elements into the urban space (Hough 186). The more such elements are present in the environment, the greater the sense of cultural and historical identity it has.
Livability
The dimension of livability encompasses all the previously discussed criteria. At the same time, it focuses exclusively on residents subjective perceptions of community qualities, meanings, functions, and usability (Bosselmann 155). Thus, to understand if a TOC is livable, it is essential to evaluate it based on such criteria as efficiency, accessibility, tidiness, justice, and so forth. However, what is more important, to measure the livability of urban space, it is pivotal to ask what people think about it and compare the actual situation in a community with their needs, preferences, and interests.
Works Cited
Bosselmann, Peter. Urban Transformation: Understanding City Design and Form. Island Press, 2008.
Ewing, Reid, et al. Identifying and Measuring Urban Design Qualities Related to Walkability. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, vol. 3, no. 1, 2006, pp. S223-S240.
Hough, Michael. Principles for Regional Design. The Urban Design Reader, edited by Michael Larice and Elizabeth Macdonald, Taylor & Francis Group, 2013, pp. 179-225.
Jabareen, Yosef Rafeq. Sustainable Urban Forms Their Typologies, Models, and Concepts. Journal of Planning Education and Research, vol. 26, 2006, pp. 38-52.
Lynch, Kevin. A Theory of Good City Form. MIT Press, 1984.
Urban planning is a discipline that explores aspects of the built and environment of communities and municipalities. It is also a discipline that deals with development on small scale i.e. landscape architecture and urban design. Urban planning is concerned with the designing and ranking of settlements from the worlds smallest to the largest cities.
History and chronology
Urban planning and redevelopment have existed for not more than a century. However, cities and settlements have displayed degrees of forethought and design in their functioning layout. With the growth of agriculture, nomadic existence was replaced. This resulted in the emergence of human settlements. Larger settlements began to appear and became centers for defense, trade, politics, and distributing agricultural produce.
The Harrapan civilizations, the Mesopotamia, Ur, and cities of the Indus valley in India are among the earliest cities where planning and management of cities begun. They portrayed some form of planning because they were often paved and laid out in a grid pattern. There was also a hierarchy of streets with small residential alleyways and commercial boulevards. The ancient cities from archaeological evidence had houses that were laid out to protect them from odors, noise, and thieves.
They also had their own drainage, wells, large granaries, and sanitation. In 407 BC Alexandria city was laid out by Hippodamus. It was the best example of an ideal form of urban planning in early times which has been used or improved on to this day. (Garvin, 2002)
Ancient Romans used urban planning schemes for civil convenience and military defense. The basic feature was a central plaza with all services centralized and it was surrounded by a rectilinear grid of streets that were built for defense purposes. The city was built near a river, to carry away sewage and provide water and transport for the residents. Two diagonal streets crossed the square grid from one corner to the other in order to reduce travel times. Roads were made of stones that were carefully fitted together. An ideal city emerged in Florence. In this city, a star-shaped plan was adopted. Radial streets extended outwards from a center of military, spiritual or communal powers, for example, the Vigevano city (1493-1495)
In the 20th century a movement begun for providing people especially factory workers with a healthier working environment. The garden cities concept and models were adopted, the first being in the UK where Welwyn and Letchworth garden cities were built. However, in the post-modern era planning has eliminated disorders and concentrated on diversity in the economy as well as society.
Key issues
Sustainable urban development
Sustainable urban development is defined as the development that improves the short and long-term ecological health and social health of cities.
Associated issues with sustainable urban development
Some of the associated issues are efficient land use directed to prevent any land wastage, less automobile use in the urban but with better access, efficient use of resources, less waste and pollution, good housing and conducive environment for living, a healthy ecology, community participation and involvement, sustainable economics and preservation of the local culture. The problem of urban planning and redevelopment poses a challenge to the planners especially the implementation of sustainability visions, programmer, and policies, and the need to modify institutions of planning to achieve these goals. (Garvin, 2002)
Aspects of planning
These are simply the things that must be kept in mind when planning is being done. Aesthetics
Successful urban planning is supposed to consider the character of local identity, respect for natural, historic and artistic heritage, an understanding of townscape or urban grain pedestrians, and other modes of traffic natural regards and utilities such as flood zones in the city. Planners apply tools like zoning to manage and use growth management in order to manage the pace at which development takes place. Many beautiful cities today are a result of dense, long-term systems of prohibitions and guidance about building uses, sizes, and features smart growth is a contemporary term being used in more repackaged conventional planning techniques. (Garvin, 2002)
Safety
This is another issue that arises under the aspects of planning. History holds that most cities were located on higher grounds for defense purposes and also near freshwater sources as escape routes. Security is one issue that is sought after by every individual and therefore urban planners spend most of their time ensuring that safety is incorporated in their planning techniques. In modern times cities have grown in coastal as well as flood areas making them more prone to storm and flood surges.
These emergencies are mitigated with secure emergency evacuation routes and emergency operations points. Urban planning has gone the extra mile into designing out crime and considering traffic calming and pedestrianization as better ways of making life in urban areas more pleasant. Criminality has been controlled through structures designed from different theories such as environmental determinism and social- architecture. (Garvin, 2002)
The theories assert that an urban environment can affect an individuals level of obedience to social rules. Psychological pressure is said to develop in densely developed and unpardoned areas. The stress brings about crime and the use of illegal drugs. The remedy is more space for individuals and a better and more beautiful designed living environment.
The eyes on the street concept maintain that improving surveillance of land (which is shared and facilities of nearby residents), through increasing the number of persons who can see it will help residents easily detect undesirable behavior, hence helping curb criminal activities and make urban centers safer. The broken windows theory states that some small things which act as indicators of neglect can also promote crime, for example, broken windows and unkempt lawns. This is taken to mean a state of decay and people likewise fail to maintain their properties. The theory suggests that it is abandonment that causes crime and not vice-versa.
Slums
This is another issue associated with aspects of planning, a significant need for planning strategies and resources is required to address slum development.
Urban decay
This is a process where a city or part of it falls into a state where it can not be repaired, it is characterized by property abandonment, depopulation, fragmented families, crime, high unemployment, political disenfranchisement, and an unfriendly and desolate urban landscape. Urban decay is caused by poor urban planning decisions, suburbanization, development of freeways, redlining, racial discrimination, and immigration restrictions. (Hoch, 2000)
Transport
A good transportation network brings about development but any development beyond a certain density quickly overcrowds transportation. For many years transportation in urban areas has been a major problem characterized by long hours that are spent on roads due to traffic jams. Good planning policies positions higher densities of residents and jobs near places with high-volume transport network, for example, commerce and multi-story apartments are permitted in one block of train stations. Single-family homes and parks are placed further away. A common method used to measure densities is the floor area ratio. The floor area of buildings is computed and divided by the area of the land. Most city centers have a density of five and above while sky scrappers easily hold a density of more than thirty.
The impact of poor and good urban planning is always felt by all the people inside and outside the urban environment. Those inside are however the most affected because they spend more hours in the urban environment, effects of bad drainage systems on urban dwellers may be a bad odor, diseases, and traffic jams which cause a lot of time wastage. If the urban centers are well planned, the above-mentioned problems cease to exist and dwellers enjoy a more pleasant life. Those outside the urban cities are affected because most industries are located in these centers. A good or bad transport network in these centers determines the duration the manufactured goods and services take to reach them.
The urban planning problems in the past were addressed through limiting traveling which was aimed at reducing crowds in the cities, use of levees, and retaining walls that were used as shelter from floods. These measures bore fruits because there were reduced jams on the urban roads and lives were saved from the effect of floods and other emergencies. (Camillo, 1999)
Alternative solutions to urban problems do exist, urban planners must consider the threat brought about by floods by localizing the affected regions and convert them into greenbelts. This would add the benefit of open space. Urban areas in extreme weather or other emergencies can be surrounded by emergency evacuation routes and emergency operations centers.
Creative solutions like Nairobis camp of fire program should be adopted to reduce the problem of the slum in urban places. Slum-dwellers construct proper houses, community centers, and schools without the support of the government in return for the land they have illegally occupied for 30 years. This program has also been initiated in Asia and South America in order to deal with the slum problem.
Racial discrimination should also Hoch, C.(2000), be avoided. Races considered inferior are segregated and they retreat back into their own ways of life thus culminating in the growth of slums.
Areas that are densely built should have a high capacity of urban transit to make transportation easier. Single-family dwellings should be located further away from cities and average roads provided to them while multi-story apartments should be located near a high-volume transport network.
Commercial areas and industrial regions should also have high-capacity transit routes.
House numbering, streets labeling, and naming are also other major solutions to urban planning problems which minimize the time taken by pedestrians, motorists in the streets trying to locate places they have never been before the results being the increased movement of traffic and reduced jams along the roads. (Camillo, 1999)
Theories proved to have worked should also be adopted in urban planning and redevelopment, for example, the roadway air dispersion model that helps to predict the impact of air on urban highways should be employed. Roadways noise model should be used to predict the effects of noise pollution on urban highways. Environmental site assessment is also another important tool that can be used by urban planners in the early stages to identify toxic constraints in any parcels or geographical areas.
The cost to be incurred in implementing the above viable solutions is high with huge amounts from the government budget directed towards urban planning. In the initial stages implementing these solutions may call for patience from the public because of the delayed duration of time in reaching their destinations.
Conversely, the benefits are numerous, for example, de-congestion of cities, reduced crimes, comfortable and pleasant lives without much stress.
My recommendation is that the planning process should integrate public opinion through social workers and community organizers so as to ensure that planning is done in a manner acceptable to all. The public administration will therefore have an easy time due to public involvement in the planning process and therefore any failure cannot be directed to the administration.
References
Camillo, S. (1999), City planning according to artistic principle, New York, Prentice Hall, pg. 121-158.
Ebenezer, H. (1998), Tomorrow, a peaceful path to real reforms. London; penguin, pg. 55 -78.
Garvin, A. (2002), The American city, New York: McGraw-Hill, pg. 78- 145.
Hoch, C. (2000), The practice of local government planning, New York: McGraw-Hill, pg. 23 58.
Wheeler, S, (1998), Planning sustainable and livable cities, London: Cambridge University Press, pg. 134 215.
In recent years due to an increased level of environmental contamination, the problem of environmental protection is very important. More and more people begin to realize the necessity of harmonious coexistence with nature. Under such circumstances, much attention is paid to green communities as the most appropriate form of living in balance with nature — one of the examples of such a green community in Copenhagen.
Together with such cities as Hamburg, Nantes, Bristol, and Stockholm, Copenhagen is the project participant of the program, which is called European Green Capital. Twenty years ago, it was impossible to imagine the possibility of swimming in Copenhagens harbor because of its acute pollution. Nowadays, due to a special cleaning program implemented by local authorities, the harbor bath of Copenhagen is a favorite place of citizens.
Copenhagen has made considerable achievements in the development of its green economy. There have been implemented many programs of eco-innovation, aiming cooperation with companies, working with students, and the creation of forums of any kind in the sphere of green growth.
Due to the implementation of these programs and prudent municipal planning, Copenhagen is known as an environmentally friendly and green city (“Copenhagen. European Green Capital 2014” 7).
The model of the green development of the city suggests various environmental initiatives and economic progress and an increase in living standards. In accordance with this program, the main aim of the local authorities is to make Copenhagen a carbon-neutral city by 2025.
Nowadays, there is a tendency for the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions year after year. It has been achieved due to a wide range of initiatives, which implied a re-equipment of old buildings, conversions of power stations of the city to biomass, and construction of new wind turbines (“Copenhagen. European Green Capital 2014” 23).
Now more than 31% of all electricity needed for Denmark is produced by means of wind turbines. It is the highest figure of wind energy usage in the world. The aim of the Dutch government is to increase this proportion by up to 50% by 2020.
The local authorities pay much attention to the development of wind farms. At the present moment, one wind farm is situated on the coast of Copenhagen, but in accordance with the governments green policy in the coming years, there will be built additional wind turbines. With this purpose, many investors are enticed.
The most common definition of the notion of environmental injustice is a disproportionate exposure of some human groups to a higher levels of environmental risks than other segments of society (Kibert 172).
The problem of environmental justice is intimately connected with the inverse notion, such as environmental injustice, which is sometimes called ecological racism. As a rule, it deals with the ecological discrimination of different social, racial groups, or even states and nations.
The discussion of this phenomenon took place in 1970th, mainly in the USA. The benchmark for the investigation of this issue was researches of the American sociologist Robert Bullard who was considered as the originator of the environment injustice theory. He studied a struggle of an Afro-American community against the government, which had made a decision to organize a waste deposit in the place of their living.
In his work, he states that the population with a low socioeconomic status undergoes a serious environmental impact. The trouble is that houses in environmentally unfriendly districts are rather cheap because of low living conditions.
At the same time, large corporations and companies prefer to organize illegal waste deposits in these places where disadvantaged groups live. Such a practice is caused by the fact that as a rule, the level of education of these people is rather low, and in such a way, a chance to win a lawsuit against this company is reduced to minimum.
One of the most common examples of environmental injustice is a solution of ecological problems of developed states at the expense of poor countries. It is also possible to mention noncompliance with ecological standards during the extraction of raw materials.
Ecological injustice is largely predetermined by economic reasons. For instance, transportation of toxic wastes to the Third World countries permits to whittle down expenses connected with waste disposal. At the same time, political and social aspects are also very important. In spite of the fact that in contemporary society, the equality of human rights has been proclaimed, the problem of environmental injustice is still rather pressing.
Different researchers propose various ways of this problem solution. For instance, Kibert distinguishes between several aspects of achieving environmental justice. Speaking about legal solution Barry E. Hill states (as cited in Kibert) that the problem is that “environmental lawyers are not conversant in civil rights approaches to litigation…
On the other hand, civil rights lawyers are not very familiar with environmental law (176). In such a way, in order to increase chances to win a suit against an enterprise, which violates ecological laws, it is necessary to combine civil law and environmental law into one coherent area (Kibert 176).
As a variant of a practical solution to this problem, Kibert proposes to increase the general level of education of people from disadvantaged groups and to improve their living conditions (Kibert 181). In general, the majority of researches on this problem agrees that it is necessary to adhere to the general principle of environmental justice, which states that “public policy should be based on mutual respect and justice for all people” (“The Principles of Environmental Justice” par.2).
Works Cited
Copenhagen. European Green Capital 2014. 2013. Web.
Kibert, Nicole. Green Justice: a Holistic Approach to Environmental Injustice. 2003. Web.
Thunderheart is a fiction-based movie about the Wounded Knee incident directed by Michael Apted. The Native Americans protested against the discriminatory policy by the federal government. Apted used Val Kilmer to act as an FBI agent (Marubbio 102). His role was to investigate the circumstances that led to the murder of a Native American who was a follower of the American Indian Movement. Other actors in the film are Shepard, Greene Tousey, and Ward (Marubbio 102).
Main body
Various themes are found in the movie, in particular; favoritism, political activism, and public issues. Thunderheart is a movie that gives the base through which urban planning can be structured by the engineers. According to the movie, urban planning should be determined by several factors before the actual planning. These factors include culture, politics, political corruption, social awareness, and education (Marubbio 102).
Judgment on other people’s culture should be consistent with urban planning. In the Thunderheart movie, the American Indian movement members who were Native Americans were judged by the local government based on their culture. The local government decided to strip a piece of land inhabited by the Native Americans to strip Uranium mining (Boyer 145). This was a planned move by the local government to discriminate against them. The federal government judged them based on their own culture and felt they were less superior which was wrong. Other people’s culture should be treated as one’s own culture because they are part of one society inhabiting a certain urban area.
Politics and political corruption need to be addressed before urban planning. In the movie, urban planning can lead to political murder. Leo Fast Elk, a Native American politician in South Dakota was killed because of his protest concerning urban planning (Boyer 145). Politics in urban planning is important because it involves social power. In the case of the federal government, it was crucial to have Leo killed so that they would advance discrimination against the Natives. During the investigation, Val Kilmer who was a Native FBI suspected of a scheme involving a small town. This did not go on well with Coutelle who became angry because of Val’s suspicion. Later on, Val and his colleague discovered that the local government’s move to strip a Uranium mine was the actual cause for the murder of Leo. The mining caused side effects to the residents through water pollution. As a result, conflicts between the anti-government reservation council and the pro-government natives headed by Jack Milton arose. However, Milton and Coutelle used the mine land to get kickbacks. Therefore, political corruption is at the center stage of urban planning.
Lack of understanding of the Native Americans’ culture was at the center stage of Leo’s murder. The federal government viewed the American Indian Movement as another culture different from the Americans. The movement was made up of Native Americans and the protest against the federal government was driven by their culture. It is important that urban planning and road construction consider the Native Americans’ cultural peculiarities because understanding would have helped to plan the small town. If their culture had been considered, the Natives would not have felt discriminated in the town.
Cultural awakening is an important consideration in urban planning to reduce the lack of understanding of other people’s cultures. In the case of Thunderheart, the federal government was not aware of the Natives’ culture. Undoubtedly, common knowledge of all people’s cultures will reduce acts of discrimination during urban planning. Thus, leaders of every cultural movement or organization should take the responsibility to inform every member of that society about their respective culture. The government needs to learn about the Native American culture before any urban planning or road construction. Knowledge of culture enables engineers to make an urban plan that respects every person’s cultural adherence. As a result, urban plan design will not lead to protests by members of the discriminated culture. Cultural awakening should be a campaign for everybody in the urban town. The engineers should be allowed to design the urban plan after they have satisfactorily been awakened about culture (Creese 117).
A social network is significant in the process of urban plan design. Every social network has a kinship that is the leader. In the movie, Thunderheart, the Native Americans had a social network that was led by Leo. The pro-government natives were led by Jack Milton. The anti-government reservations council members went on to protest because their kinship had been murdered. Consequently, the urban plan should identify the social network and the kinship so that information can be transferred properly. The natives felt that they were being discriminated against as their leader had told them. His murder confirmed that he was a hero who risked his life fighting for their rights.
Thunderheart shows how important other people’s culture is to urban planning. The urban plan by the local government at the Wounded Knee did not consider the culture of the Native Americans. As a result, there was political corruption within its branches. The protest against the federal government was caused by the fact that the Natives felt discriminated in the urban plan for the Uranium mine. Although cultures are different, the urban plan should assimilate all cultures during the plan design. When different cultures are assimilated, a new culture is evolved which serves the interests of all members of the plan. Therefore, all cultures should be identified and assimilated by engineers which will result in discrimination being avoided.
Education about urban planning and culture is needed to reduce conflicts among individuals. A proper urban plan should address the side effects of the plan on the people. In the case of Thunderheart, the urban plan failed to address the problems. The Uranium mine led to the pollution of water that was being used by the Natives (Calthorpe 87). Lack of knowledge about the natives’ life also caused the protest against the federal government. Proper studies should be done to determine the consequences of a plan before it is implemented. Also, educating people about a proposed plan allows the residents to live according to the plan. As one may see, education in Thunderheart is poorly managed.
Conclusion
Modern urban design is a result of several factors. A proper urban plan will help to increase efficiency between the streets in an urban setup. Safety, privacy, and health are improved through proper planning. However, a failure to consider these factors can result in various acts of urban unrest. These can be political killings, corruption, health hazards, and insecurity. Therefore, it is important for all engineering works to consider other factors other than the design to determine an urban plan.
Works Cited
Boyer, Christine. Dreaming the Rational City: The myth of American City Planning, Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 2003. Print.
Calthorpe, Peter. The Next American Metropolis: Ecology, Community And The American Dream, New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2003. Print.
Creese, Walter. The Search For New Environment: The Garden City Before and After, New Haven: Yale University Press, 2005. Print.
Marubbio, Elise. Killing the Indian Maiden: Images of Native American Women in Film. Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 2006. Print.
Grayslake is located in the larger lake county of the U.S state of Illinois. The village lies within Chicago’s metropolitan area. It is located to the north of Chicago’s downtown approximately 64km away, and the west of Lake Michigan approximately 23km away, and to the south of Wisconsin border approximately 24km away. Major landmarks within the village include the Lake County College, the University center, Lake County, and the famous lake county fairgrounds (Village of Grayslake Official Website). Additionally, the village has a large lake, Grays Lake located at the village’s center. Harvey Avenue, Alleghany, Lake Street, and Route 120 bind the lake. Another lake, Manor Lake is found in the Manor sub-division. Libertyville, Round Lake Park, Haynesville, Lindenhurst, Gurnee, Lake Villa, and Wildwood are the communities neighboring Grayslake (Village of Grayslake Official Website). It is however, predominantly located within Avon township’s boundaries with a little part in Fremont township.
The United States Census Bureau estimates the village’s total area as 24.7km2 with 24.3 km2 on land and 0.4km2 covered with water. The village has a population of 20,330(United States Census Bureau). The total number of households and families in the area are 6503 and4948 respectively. This translates to a population density of 760.1/km2 (United States Census Bureau). The average housing density is 272.8/km2. Though largely white, the village is inhabited by various races including African Americans, Asians, Native Americans, and Pacific Islanders among others (United States Census Bureau). Like most urban centers, the village has been subjected to continuous population growth. In response to this population increase, the management of resources is concentrated to a higher degree on matters affecting the village’s population and that of its environs. These include transportation, economic growth, community facilities, and natural resource protection among others. Like any other urban center, incremental emphasis is placed on improvement f the area’s life quality. While a number of issues affect the quality of life of the village’s inhabitants, this paper focuses on transportation.
Despite land-use patterns establishing overall community character, the system of transport dictates the efficiency of the patterns of development (Kostof 61). The region’s transportations network describes all circulation aspects within the village and its links to the surrounding areas. Increased pressure on land likewise increases pressure on transportation. Grayslake’s transportation is made of highways and streets, bicycle and pedestrian pathways, and commuter rail facilities (Planning and Zoning Office, Illinois 67). The village’s transportation planning is influenced by both regional and local patterns. In the 1990s, vast resources were utilized in a project aimed at adding capacity to the overall Central Lake County transportation network. Additional commuter rail facilities were constructed and the bike system continuously developed. In 1993, for instance, $15.5 million was invested in Grayslake’s system of transport (Planning and Zoning Office, Illinois 69). Additionally, the federal government, state agencies and the regional county have continuously invested funds towards development of the village’s transport. The efforts resulted in an increased road and commuter rail systems capacity. Likewise, these initiatives led to construction of one of the metropolitan’s wholesome community-wide bike paths. The local and countrywide growths are cited as the major factors that have led to substantial growth in the transportation network. However, despite these efforts, rush-hour traffic congestion remains at high levels and commuter parking facilities exceed their capacity soon after their construction (Planning and Zoning Office, Illinois 73). These two aspects continuously threaten the village’s transportation design capacity.
Grayslake is expected to have significant rise in both employment and residential population within the next 20 years. The North Eastern Illinois plan Commission has projected an additional 60,000 community residents to the north and west of Grayslake. Employment is expected to rise from 14,000 in 1990 to 31,000 in 2030 (Village of Grayslake Official Website). Likewise, traffic volumes are expected to rise magnanimously, and without adequate expansion, the current conditions are expected to worsen. Within the next ten years, there is a need for substantial expansion of transportation n order to accommodate the predicted population and employment variations. Failure to provide expanded commuter rail, as well as bike/pedestrian improvements on the premise of predicted growth is likely to compromise the resident’s quality of life, lower value of residential properties, and inhibit the village’s ability to retain existing businesses, let alone attracting new ones.
Community facilities and social amenities are prime community property support values (Fainstein and Campbell 34). Unique and significant amenities are often associated with rising property values while lack of the same is associated with lowered property values (Kostof 63). The two offer an avenue upon which businesses and prospective homeowners make decisions regarding locations. New facility types e.g. centers for recreation, in-house ice facilities, athletic fields, among others are provided to residents as a measure of improving their lives and competition stature with other communities(Fainstein and Campbell 35). Grayslake village prides itself in several unique amenities and facilities for the community. The lake county fairgrounds that hosts several all-year-round activities are probably the most conspicuous. It offers educational opportunities and an array of cultural events. Grayslake also hosts the lake county forest preserves and a greenway trail system that connects the village to its various neighbors (Village of Grayslake Official Website). Commercial areas and open spaces are present n the area in addition to large parkland acreages of which passive and active centers of recreation are situated. Additionally, the area prides itself in a community poll, state library, several golf courses, and a skate park. Additionally, and most significant is the multi-university center which offers opportunities for degree awards from various universities.
Like transportation, expected population growth and increased employment are likely to add pressure on the existing community facilities and social amenities. The existing structures are already under pressure and within a few years, they may be unable to adequately serve the public (Planning and Zoning Office, Illinois 72). This is due to the expected rise in demand for facilities and amenities in a town that is continually subject to population pressure. It is therefore desirable that to maintain and even better the community’s quality of life, the council should construct additional facilities and social amenities at per with the perceived increase in public demand for the same. These are expected to not only increase the quality of life of the community but also support the value of property in the region (Planning and Zoning Office, Illinois 74).
In conclusion, it is important to reiterate that urban planning is rather challenging. Urban planners have to keep at pace with perceived demand and demographic changes to ensure they are not overtaken by events. This is the case at Grayslake, planners have to work with existing and adjusted plans to be able to meet the changing demographics and hence the need of the locals. It is therefore incumbent that constant adjustments are made to existing plans in response to new information emerging about the areas variables. Establishing innovative ways of transportation modification and social amenities upgrading without increments in property tax is a desirable goal for every community including the Grayslake community.
Works cited
United States Census Bureau. “US Gazetteer files.” 2005. Web.
Kostof, Spiro. “The City Shaped: Urban Patterns and Meanings through History”, 2nd Edition, London: Thames and Hudson Ltd, 2009. 56-102.
Fainstein, Susan and Campbell, Scott. “Readings in Planning Theory.” Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishers, 2003. 23-45.
Planning and Zoning Office, Illinois. “Comprehensive Plan: Village Of Grayslake.” Illinois: 10 South Seymour Avenue, 2005.
The City Beautiful movement was essential to modern-day urban planning because it essentially shaped its core principles. The movement sought to create grandiose, large-scale building projects and monuments. However, such projects were started without regard for the inhabitants of the land on which they were built: poor people, immigrants, or African Americans (Stein, 2019). This quickly led to conflict with public interest and led to the formation of city planning commissions, intended to account for public input in city planning (Stein, 2019). However, initially, these commissions were still populated by real estate elites, who were primarily interested in using city planning to stimulate profits (Stein, 2019). Along with the monuments and grand designs built at the height of City Beautiful, their efforts led to the property values increasing (Stein, 2019). These changes marked a shift from manufacturing being the primary driving force of city development to real estate occupying this role (Stein, 2019). In turn, this increased the influence of city planning on the actual development of cities.
City Beautiful is also important to city planning because it prompted a wave of opposition that rejected authoritarian city planning in favor of smaller, community and neighborhood-based projects. This opposition drew attention to the needs of smaller urban communities and their demands, which often contradicted both City Beautiful and City Practical’s ideals (Stein, 2019). Finally, a different side of opposition argued that the issue with contemporary city planning was its impractical scale (Stein, 2019). All of these criticisms were eventually incorporated into principles of urban planning as we understand it today. As such, the City Beautiful movement’s influence on modern urban planning is creating city planning infrastructure and increasing planners’ influence; it created a base upon which future city planning developments would be built.
Reference
Stein, S. (2019). Capital City: Gentrification and the Real Estate State. Verso.
People may think that urban planners are having an easy time in pursuing their career in the United States; however, there is an identity crisis in the field of planning. The planners have some degree of discomfort in identifying their profession. They feel that the media and the public have not recognized the role that planners play in addressing complex issues in urban cities (Myers & Banerjee, 2005). Architects, developers, and politicians will always receive praises for their uphill struggle to erect complex buildings in the town; however, the planners, who play a critical role in the development of the project, remain invisible. Landscape architects, engineers, and economists are examples of professionals, who will always claim to have done much work in planning to solve urban problems, whereas, the urban planners are proud of nothing. For this reason, the planning professionals are lacking confidence and self-awareness, as other professionals are encroaching into their field. Recently, planners erupted tensions to express their grievances concerning their accreditation documents. They want to have clear identification that distinguishes academia and profession in carrying out the urban planning role. The professional planners are bitter because the society encounters problems in identifying the expertise planners as many rivals claim to have mastered urban planning. The entire scenario causes confusion, as the planning field in the United States is susceptible to threats in one way or another. Indeed, the vaguely defined field of planning lacks clear boundaries and identity.
Suggestions to reshape planning
As discussed, professional planners are facing difficulties in defining and identifying their roles because of the vague definition of the planning career. Therefore, it is a high time that the American Institute of Certified Planners developed a sharp way of professional identity. The institute should emphasize on retrenchment and restrictiveness to address the problem of the porous planning profession. However, planners should note that they need the help of other professionals to succeed in planning effectively. In the process of producing, administering, and implementing plans, they should adhere to the following imperative points.
Focus on human settlement
It is noteworthy that in the contemporary world, half of the world population is migrating into urban centers (Myers & Banerjee, 2005). The population in the urban centers may rise significantly in the future. Therefore, urban planners are obligated to ensure that there is efficient infrastructure, and there is affordable and efficient housing in the urban cities. Healthy cites with proper networks and sufficient business units are examples of properly planned urban centers. Moreover, the planning exercise must focus on ensuring that there is adequate space for quality public life, and there is sustainable planning that emphasizes on protecting the environment.
Comprehensive interconnections
Apart from emphasizing on formal documentation, it would be wise for the planning professionals to make interconnections with the government, other professionals, the private, and public sectors. Indeed, the interconnections would play a great role in formulating a comprehensive approach towards solving planning problems in the urban areas.
Focus on the future
Planners ought to recognize the fact that things change over time. They must ensure that they reinvent the planning field to be at par with the requirements of the post-modern era. It is noteworthy that people in the contemporary world have a great concern about urban planning, as it affects them in one way or another. Moreover, the number of new students desiring to pursue a course in urban planning has risen significantly. Therefore, the first step of addressing the professional identity crisis is reviewing the academic programs, and adjusting them accordingly to serve the profession. Reviewing the knowledge, skills, and components of the curriculum to ensure that they address the planning needs of the evolving world is a great example of an approach that focuses on the future of professional planning. Most importantly, the educators should encourage the learners to develop personal connections with the planning professional, as the future of urban planning is tricky.
Equity and diversity
The most important thing in addressing urban planning issues is holding public negotiations and allowing various people to express their ideas. Ordinary citizens, people in the public sector, businesspeople, and people in other professionals would play a significant role in developing useful ideas to upgrade communities. The planners should be ready to apply diverse methods of planning the urban areas. The diverse strategies should help in diagnosing problems and designing solutions that aims at improving the communities.
Collaborative decision-making
The comprehensive interconnections play a significant role in bringing many intellectual brains together. In the decision-making process, for example, architects, economists, developers, and the planners can all come up with strong decisions concerning urban planning. The collaborative decisions would play a critical role in encouraging smart growth by enhancing sustainable planning, new urbanism, livability, healthy cities, and enhancing globalization.
Linking knowledge and collective action
The field of planning requires the integration of intellectual knowledge and professional practice for success. The planners are required to ensure that they establish the rightful foundation of knowledge to the learners. Thereafter, the learners will go the field and make a collective action with the public and other professionals to practice their planning career.
Certification of planners
Certification is a very important aspect that enables planners to have an official recognition with the public. Qualified planners swear to serve the public professionally, equally, and with utmost integrity. In spite of the challenges that planners encounter during their practice, they are obligated to adhere to certain ethical codes depending on the underlying situation. Certified planners always struggle to ensure that they act according to the set rules of conduct, which they are held accountable. The rules of conduct are highly respected as the planners can lose their certification if they breach them. Planners who fail to adhere to the rules are susceptible to sanctions, and if the matters become worse, they lose their certification (American Planning Association, 2009). Therefore, certification acts a tool that the association of planners uses to manipulate and streamline all the practices of the certified planners. The planners cannot do any formal assignment without the certifications. By default, all certified planners are members of the American Planning Association (APA). They work toward achieving the goal of building inclusive communities, facilitating public awareness of the planners’ role, and motivating the public to respect them.
Certification and ethics
It is evident that certification has a direct link with ethical conducts in the planning profession. This is because certified planners are obligated to comply with certain rules that address ethical practices in their career. Planners, for example, are obligated to provide adequate, timely, and accurate information regarding planning issues. They ought to employ the ethical code of honesty in every aspect of their career. Certified planners are cautioned about handling illegal tasks, especially if they are doing it knowingly. In case of suspicious occurrences while dealing with a client, the planners ought to consult other qualified planners before proceeding with the assignment. Formal and informal advice is extremely important in trying to investigate a particular issue, and in that case, the planners ought to act professionally. Corruption or acceptance of monetary incentives to act in favor of a client is an illegal act that has an associated ethical lesson. Essentially, the ethical principal of respecting the rights of everyone rebukes corruption (American Planning Association, 1992). Therefore, it is unethical for a certified planner to discriminate or harass clients because of their inability to bribe. The certified planners are made aware that in most cases, they will encounter matters that clearly indicate that some of the clients have self-interests. In such cases, planners ought to be lenient, and they ought to employ fairness to all the affected participants. They ought not to make private discussions that might lead to unfair decisions, which may harm one of the parties involved.
As described, it is evident that almost every code of conduct has some relationship with a certain ethical value. The IAPA is very strict such that the certified planners cannot get away with serious crimes. False swearing, fraud, deceit, bribery, theft, and extortion are examples of serious crimes that a certified planner can commit. All these crimes violate certain ethical rules; thus, committing any of the crimes is similar to breaching the corresponding ethical requirement. Therefore, every time certified planners adhere to the rules of conduct, they embrace certain ethical principles. Likewise, when they breach any of the rules of conduct in their professional career, they infringe a certain ethical principle.
References
American Planning Association. (1992). Ethical principles in planning. Chicago, IL: Author.
American Planning Association. (2009). AICP code of ethics and professional conduct. Chicago, IL: Author.
Myers, D., & Banerjee, T. (2005).Toward greater heights for planning. Journal of American Planning Association, 71(2), 121-129.