Unit 6

Unit 6: Urban

City and Urban Land Use (13 - 17% or 10 - 13 questions on the AP Test)

The course divides urban geography into two subfields. The first is the study of systems of cities, focusing on the location of cities and why cities are where they are. This study involves an examination of such topics as the current and historical distribution of cities; the political, economic, and cultural functions of cities; reasons for differential growth among cities; and types of transportation and communication linkages among cities. Theories of settlement geography, such as Christaller’s Central Place Theory, the rank-size rule, and the gravity model, are introduced. Quantitative information on such topics as population growth, migration, zones of influence, and employment is used to analyze changes in the urban hierarchy.

The second subfield of urban geography focuses on the form, internal structure, and landscapes of cities and emphasizes what cities are like as places to live and work. Students are introduced to topics such as the analysis of patterns of urban land use, ethnic segregation, types of intracity transportation, architectural traditions (e.g., neoclassical, modern, and postmodern), cycles of uneven development, and environmental justice (e.g., the disproportionate location of polluting industries and brown fields in low-income or minority residential areas). Students’ understanding of cities as places is enhanced by both quantitative data from censuses and qualitative information from narrative accounts and field studies. Students also learn about and apply models of internal city structure and development in the United States and Canada (e.g., Burgess concentric zone model, Hoyt sector model, Harris–Ullman multiple nuclei model, and galactic city model), examine the strengths and weaknesses of these models, and compare and contrast the models with the internal structure of cities outside North America.

Topics such as economic systems, housing finance, culture, architectural history, government policies, and innovations in transportation can be useful in the analysis of spatial patterns of urban landscapes. Although much of the literature in urban geography focuses on the cities of North America, comparative urbanization is an increasingly important topic. The study of cities worldwide illustrates how differing economic systems and cultural values can lead to variations in the spatial structures of urban landscapes.

Students also examine current trends in urban development, such as the emergence of edge cities, new urbanism, transit-oriented development, smart growth, and the gentrification of neighborhoods. In addition, students evaluate sustainable urban- planning design initiatives and community actions, such as bikeways and walkable mixed-use commercial and residential developments, that reduce energy use and protect the environments of cities in the future.

Unit 7 (6) – Cities and Urban Land-Use Patterns and Processes ---

Topic 7.1 (6.1) – The Origin and Influences of Urbanization

The presence and growth of cities vary across geographical locations because of physical geography and resources.

Explain the processes that initiate and drive urbanization and suburbanization.

6.A.1 – Site and situation influence the:

· origin

· function

· growth of cities

6.A.2 –

· Changes in transportation and communication

· population growth influence urbanization.

· Migration influence urbanization.

· economic development influence urbanization.

· government policies influence urbanization.

Unit 7 (6) – Cities and Urban Land-Use Patterns and Processes --- Topic 7.2 (6.2) – Cities Across the World

6.A.3 – Megacities and metacities are distinct spatial outcomes of urbanization increasingly located in countries of the periphery and semi-periphery.

6.A.4 – Processes of suburbanization, sprawl and decentralization have created new land-use forms including:

· edge cities and new challenges.

· Exurbs and new challenges.

· Boomburgs and new challenges.

Unit 7 (6) – Cities and Urban Land-Use Patterns and Processes ---

Topic 7.3 (6.3) – Cities and Globalization

Explain how cities embody processes of globalization.

6.B.1 – World cities function at the top of the world’s urban hierarchy and drive globalization.

6.B.2 – Cities are connected globally by networks and linkages and mediate global processes.

Unit 7 (6) – Cities and Urban Land-Use Patterns and Processes ---

Topic 7.4 (6.4) – The Size and Distribution of Cities

Identify the different urban concepts such as hierarchy, interdependence, relative size and spacing that are useful for explaining the distribution, size and interaction of cities.

6.C.1 – Principles that are useful for explaining the distribution and size of cities include:

· rank-size rule

· the primate city

· gravity theory

· Christaller’s central place theory

Unit 7 (6) – Cities and Urban Land-Use Patterns and Processes ---

Topic 7.5 (6.5) – The Internal Structure of Cities

Explain the internal structure of cities using various models and theories.

6.D.1 – Models and theories that are useful for explaining the internal structures of cities include the:

· Burgess concentric zone model

· Hoyt sector model

· Harris and Ullman multiple-nuclei model

· galactic city model

· bid-rent theory

and urban models drawn from

· Latin America

· Southeast Asia

· Africa

Unit 7 (6) – Cities and Urban Land-Use Patterns and Processes ---

Topic 7.6 (6.6) – Density and Land Use

The attitudes and values of a population, as well as the balance of power within that population, are reflected in the built landscape.

Explain how low-, medium- and high-density housing characteristics represent different patterns of residential land use.

6.A.1 – Residential buildings and patterns of land use reflect and shape the city’s

· culture

· technological capabilities

· cycles of development

· infilling

Unit 7 (6) – Cities and Urban Land-Use Patterns and Processes ---

Topic 7.7 (6.7) – Infrastructure

Explain how a city’s infrastructure relates to local politics, society and the environment,

6.B.1 – The location and quality of a city’s infrastructure directly affects its spatial patterns of economic and social development.

Unit 7 (6) – Cities and Urban Land-Use Patterns and Processes ---

Topic 7.8 (6.8) – Urban Sustainability

Identify the different urban design initiatives and practices.

6.C.1 – Sustainable design initiative and zoning practices include:

· mixed land-use

· walkability

· transportation-oriented development

· smart growth policies

o New Urbanism

o greenbelts

o slow-growth cities

Explain the effects of different urban design initiatives and practices.

6.D.1 – Praise for urban design initiatives includes the:

· reduction of sprawl

· improved walkability and transportation

· improved and diverse housing option

· improved livability and promotion of sustainable options.

Criticisms include:

· increased housing costs

· possible de facto segregation

· the potential loss of historical place or character.

Unit 7 (6) – Cities and Urban Land-Use Patterns and Processes ---

Topic 7.9 (6.9) – Urban Data

Explain how qualitative and quantitative data are used to show the causes and effects of geographic change within urban areas.

6.E.1 – Quantitative data from census and survey data provide information about changes in population composition and size in urban areas.

6.E.2 – Qualitative data from field studies and narratives provide information about individual attitudes toward urban change.

Unit 7 (6) – Cities and Urban Land-Use Patterns and Processes ---

Topic 7.10 (6.10) – Challenges of Urban Changes

Urban areas face unique, economic, political, cultural and environmental challenges.

Explain causes and effects of geographic change within urban areas.

6.A.1 – As urban populations move within a city, economic and social challenges result, including:

· issues related to housing and housing discrimination such as,

o redlining

o blockbusting

o affordability

· access to services

· rising crime

· environmental injustice

· the growth of disamenity zones or zones of abandonment.

6.A.2 – Squatter settlements and conflicts over land tenure within large cities have increased.

6.A.3 – Responses to economic and social challenges in urban areas can include

· inclusionary zoning

· local food movements

6.A.4 – Urban renewal and gentrification have both positive and negative consequences.

6.A.5 – Functional and geographic fragmentation of governments --- the way government agencies and institutions are dispersed between:

· state which presents challenges in addressing urban issues

· county which presents challenges in addressing urban issues

· city which presents challenges in addressing urban issues

· neighborhood which levels presents challenges in addressing urban issues

Unit 7 (6) – Cities and Urban Land-Use Patterns and Processes ---

Topic 7.11 (6.11) – Challenges of Urban Sustainability

Describe the effectiveness of different attempts to address urban sustainability challenges.

6.B.1 – Challenges to urban sustainability include:

· suburban sprawl

· sanitation

· climate change

· air and water quality

· the large ecological footprint of cities

· energy use

6.B.2 – Responses to urban sustainability challenges can include:

· regional planning efforts

· remediation

· redevelopment of brownfields

· establishment of urban growth boundaries

farmland protection policies