Urban FuturesJon Epperson

Future…or the End of Cities?

If you listen to some people, you would swear that cities are going to be eliminated…forever!

We know that this is an exaggeration; nevertheless, urban policy is more important than ever.

The End of the City

• For many years, policy (along with other things like consumer preference, racism etc.) has driven the population out of urban areas

• Suburban cities have thrived to the detriment of large urban areas – however now, even those suburbs are suffering the same problems

Why are Cities in Trouble?

• Disproportionate number of low-income residents

• Loss of manufacturing jobs• Crime• Congestion• Sprawl• Loss of community/communication

Cities and the Poor

• Low income households- “Cities are filled with poor people not because the cities make people poor, but rather because cities attract poor people.”

• Why is this the case?- Lower costs of transportation- Cities have more access to welfare spending- The density of cities attracts poor who need the social networks that are so valuable

- Increase economic opportunity (i.e. jobs)

Dealing with Job Losses

• Almost all cities continue to lose manufacturing jobs- Machinery and overseas competition wins out over the higher cost of American workers

• Cities have seen an increase in service related jobs, but that does little to help out-of-work manufacturing laborers

Crime

• Large central cities continue to have problems with crime and image- unfortunately, many of these stereotypes are backed up statistically

• It is thought that perhaps criminals use the agglomeration effects and social networks within the city to propagate their activity

Congestion

• Larger cities tend to have more congestion due to the increases in population density and commuting traffic

• Kansas City is like most cities in that there are traffic jams that drive commuters crazy– Kansas city is far better off than most cities in this

respect, however much of that may be due to…………….

Sprawl

• Sprawl - “low-density, noncontiguous, automobile dependent, residential and nonresidential development that consumes relatively large amounts of farmland and natural areas.”

• Kansas City certainly fits the bill for sprawl

Sprawl

Population density: Kansas City vs. other frequently cited “sprawling” cities– Los Angeles – 8,092.3 people/sq. mi.– Atlanta – 4019.7 people/sq. mi.– Dallas – 3697.44 people/sq. mi.– Houston – 3623.0 people/sq. mi.– Phoenix – 3071.8– Indianapolis – 2,273.0 people/sq. mi.– Kansas City – 1538.4 people/sq. mi.

Community/Communication

• Technological advances and lower densities have led to less face to face contacts

– Email, telecommuting, and social networking have translated into more distant relationships

– Face to face communications are becoming obsolete

– Do you buy it?

Community/Communication

• As our cities spread out and we enlarge our networks, do we pay attention to those people closest to us?

• When communication breaks down within our blocks, subdivisions, or neighborhoods are we actually losing that sense of community we all look for?

Poverty and Mixed-Income Developments

• Designing Income integration- Can we build with a focus on

mixing income?- What is the success rate of

projects that include mixed income units?

- How can mixed income developments be marketed?

Managing Urban Growth

• Public policy instruments “the set of techniques by which

governmental authorities wield their power in attempting to ensure support and effect or prevent social change.”

- Public ownership and management

- Regulation- Incentives

Public Policy Instruments

• Public ownership- Often seen as “public goods”

National Highways National Defense Open space

Public Policy Instruments

• Regulation- Moratoria/postponement of development- Limiting building permits- Adequate Public Facility Ordinances (APFO’s)- Zoning

Public Policy Instruments

• Incentives/Disincentives

- Impact Fees- Reduction of fees- Subsidies- Tax exemptions

Protecting Open Space

• Public acquisition- Government buying land for the purposes of not developing it

• Regulations- e.g. restrictions to build on environmentally sensitive areas- Cluster zoning/Downzoning

• Incentives- Right to farm laws- Transfer of Development Rights/ Purchase of Development Rights

Future Success of Policy Instruments

• If we want our policies to succeed, several things are needed- Quality implementation- Complimentary policy instruments- Stakeholder participation- Empirical evaluations

Sustainability

• Most of us think of sustainability as it relates to the environment

• Sustainability is also meant to be associated with economics and social justice

• The future of policy and city development is going to be highly contingent on the ideals of sustainability

Kansas City FOCUS

• The point of the FOCUS plan is to address the future – it is a plan

• It “focuses” on many of the same things– Revitalizing the urban core– Designing the city framework for

sustainable development and ensuring environmental stewardship

– Respecting diversity– Creating opportunity– Developing jobs

Physical Framework

• Natural systems and historic resources- Protecting the historical sights and structures of the city while also protecting the environment and open spaces

• Development Patterns- Encourage infill development/redevelopment- Support mixed use developments- Strengthening the role of zoning- Avoiding leapfrogging style of development

Physical Framework

• Urban Design and Development Guidelines- enhances the city’s quality of life,

- increases property values, and - encourages additional public and

private sector investment.

The Future of Cities

• As you can see there is much that goes in to building cities. There is even more that goes in to maintaining cities.

• Kansas City is not alone in creating public policy that is meant to give the future of the city direction. The FOCUS plan provides a framework for the city to plan ahead.

The Future of Cities

Make no mistake, cities aren’t going

away. As cities age and problems become more demanding, there needs to be planning, cooperation and creativity in order to ensure cities like Kansas City are thriving and vibrant for a long time to come.

The End

Photo Sources

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