Communities and development 237(K) Compact development.Compact development enriches the sphere of an
individual’s social, cultural, employment, and other opportunities in a
small area, reducing vehicular travel, and providing economic support
for publictransport and walking/biking paths.
(L) Development density.Residential development at sufficient density helps
support public transport conveniently accessible for both residential and
employment locations.
(M) Geometry of a node (r^2 problem).Since area is scarce around the center
of a circle and increases rapidly moving outward, a land price gradient
tends to produce concentric land-use zones, which may be broken by
convenient transportation radii and planned slices or nodes of different
land use.
(N) Infill.Infill development on greenspaces in a built area is often beneficial
forcreating compact neighborhoods, but only up to the point where
quality parks are too far apart for most residents to walk, and stepping
stones too far apart for effective species movement across the built area.
Environment and community
(A) Metabolism/ecosystem/machine analogy.Using the structure and flows of
an organism, ecosystem, or machine to understand a city emphasizes
theimportance of limited diverse inputs and outputs, and maintain-
ing a diverse, but not too complex, structure within the city, both of
which provide stability and adaptability for the inevitable big surprises
ahead.
(B) Human--environment relationships.Inaddition to social needs and eco-
nomic opportunity, human--environment relationships are at the core
of a community and are sustained by an effective mix of greenspaces,
built areas, infrastructure, and institutions.
(C) Environmental management. Management of urban environmental
resources and problems that places short-term crisis-prevention mea-
sures as part of long-term solutions for a larger potential future com-
munity is likely to save costs, maintain public support, and establish a
more sustainable future.
(D) Impermeable surfaces.Limiting the amount of impermeable-surface area,
especially in suburbs, reduces rapid-runoff peak-flow flooding, recharges
groundwater, reduces pollutant levels reaching water bodies, and
improves local streams and fish populations.
(E) Drainage connection.Drainageconnection area (impermeable surface
directly connected by pipes or ditches to water bodies) is reduced by
channeling stormwater into vegetated depressions and drainage basins,