Sustainability and Urban Planning
As we gradually set out deep into “the community” aspect of sustainability. I can confidently distinguish it from other aspects of sustainable science and environmental law .However; simultaneously can link these factors back to community. This week’s reading articles reflect upon the basis of sustainable urban planning, followed by zoning and its repercussions on communities which are closely knit with environmental law. It also describes the role of sustainable planners, which is now extending into various fields.
In the book “Planning for sustainability”, author states that it is necessary to acknowledge change in order to work on it. Generally, planning related changes are gradual and slow. Therefore it is important to identify them. It is essential that it gets identified by political and professional leaders, who hold power to work on such situations. A city’s functioning and character is outcome of various interrelated factors such as, land use and growth management, transportation and automobile dependency, energy and resource use, pollution and environment, inequality and poverty and (the most important aspect)sense of community. For instance, if inward looking suburban sprawls with low density or moderate density are separated by huge wide highways and freeways; ruin the walkability of that place. Following which, there is dependence on automobiles which result into emission of green house gases. Tension prevails between the balance of gated communities and affordable housing. Unfortunately, affordable housing units are declining and there is growing rift between urban poor and urban rich. This rift is not conducive to the growth of a sustainable community. (Wheeler S. M., Introduction, 2004)
Figure 1: Government administration structure of USA (Eng)
Shift from collective unity to individualism, forms the ground for private benefits that encroach on common/shared resources and space. This shift has emphasized the need for planning. Planning is the tool, with the help of which we can attempt to achieve urban utopias. Planning is done on multiple scales (Wheeler S. M., Introduction, 2004). These scales are in unison with the government administrative structure of a country. Every country has a different administrative structure. All these structures come together to form a global sustainable planning scale. What is interesting about these scales is that every country follows its own government structure. It can also be said, that a powerful and efficient working of a government structure can directly be linked to effective planning. If this structure has faults (like corruption or inclined to benefits of developers), it will be evident in the planning or it’s execution.
(Public Administration, 2012)
Figure 2 : Government administration structure of India
Traditionally, human systems were part of ecological cycle. Indigenous groups preserved the sanctity of environment by condensing them into rituals, which were part of their daily activities. (Wheeler S. M., Introduction, 2004) For instance, they knew where and how their food was produced, and how their food was dependent on the climate cycle. In coastal areas fishing was done at intervals and in unison with the breeding cycles. They followed nature’s law, instead of following government imposed environmental law (that we follow currently). The mere physical distance from the resources, develops ignorance towards the environmental system in urban setting. This results into ecological imbalance. This is when urban planning and sustainability intersect.
Over the years, different people have diverse understanding, definition and perspective for sustainability. These definitions differ according to the stand point or the lens of the author. For instance, an economist will define sustainability differently than a spiritual writer. (Wheeler S. M., 2004)
A sustainable planner has a responsibility to incorporate elements like long term perspective, holistic outlook, acceptance of limits and focus on a place. These are efficient tools for sustainable development. (Wheele, 2004)A planner should be aware that, future of a place will depend upon the zoning assigned to that area. Traditionally, systems that were compartmentalized should function together. Inter related departments like ecology and economy should work together. A country can progress, only if all parts are considered. Development should benefit every part of the society. It also important to acknowledge limits of sustainable planning. Sustainable development demands site specific development as opposed to generic framework.
The author, identifies the three E’s of planning, i.e. environment, economics and equity. These form the basis of sustainable planning. (Wheeler S. M., Planning and the Three Es, 2004) Over the period, we can add more factors to it like education, employment etc.
Reading and analyzing articles written by the stalwarts of planning like Lewis Mumford, Jane Jacobs and Ian Mcharg was no less than a joyride. The long term understanding they posed through their writing, is even valid today. Those concerns prevail and now we are living them.
The Article “Cities and the Crisis of Civilization” by “Lewis Mumford” has a very poetic vibe to it. He romanticizes the city extremely gracefully. The term called, “Garden Suburb” referred to the aesthetic of urban planning. (Mumford, 2004)One can immediately understand the difference of imagination he has when he says the word “city”. He refers to them as melting pot of economic, religious diversities. City was addressed with the same integrity as a village .As opposed to how; currently we link cities to development, lights, cramped spaces and place for the urban rich.
An extract from Michael Sorkin’s Article, “All Over the Map” describes a typical gentrification technique that resulted into current Stuyvesant town. Political and economical details of this case are mentioned to express their pivotal role in favoring upper end housing. “Rent Control Act” is described as, “the best risk adjusted real estate investment. Rentals are stabilized for certain period of years; this act is instrumental in maintaining affordable housing within the city. The architect for Stuyvesant town, collaborated with developer MET (developer of large scale projects).Their main agenda was to destabilize maximum number of apartments, so that they exit “The Rent Control Act”. (Sorkin)
Such large scale developments resulted into steep decline of affordable housing inf the city of New York. Residents are paying more than 30 percent of their income as rents. The city is left with maximum number of small houses with huge rents. The City has turned into a brand; residents are paying brand value.
Various thoughts and ideas snowballed while reading these articles. I found myself constantly relating back to the situations and conditions I have come across in my city (Mumbai). I have been born and brought up in the city of Mumbai, India. Throughout my life I have seen people from different parts of India immigrating to my city. Now, I am a recent immigrant in the city of New York, and I perceive a city through immigrant’s lens. I am well aware of place I am in, but I still I find myself drawing similarities between Mumbai, while trying to understand New York. Maybe because one is the city where I have grew up and other is the one I am trying to explore or maybe this is how cities function all over the world. Be it in developed or developing countries. I have witnessed, the real estate prices soar.I am living through the shift of ideology where residents prefer renting the apartment, rather than hoping to own one.
The challenges in planning are escalating. Now the constant factor of community is also a variable and can change with the tenure of lease. How to plan sustainably for a community that is changeable? The job of building sense of shared spaces amongst unknown people will bring up interesting ideas to the platter of sustainable planning.
Works Cited
Figure 1: Eng, U. a. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.lrn.usace.army.mil/Missions/Water-Management/Education-Series/Emergency-Management/
Mumford. (2004). Cities and the Crisis of Civilization. In T. a. Beatley, The Sustainable Urban Development Reader.
Public Administration. (2012, sept 12). Retrieved 09 20, 2016, from http://publicadministrationtheone.blogspot.com/2012/09/union-government-and-administration.html
Sorkin, M. Writing on Buildings and Cities. London: Verso, 2011. In M. Sorkin, All over the Map.
Wheele, S. M. (2004). Theory of Sustainable Planning. In S. M. Wheeler, Planning for Sustainability.
Wheeler, S. M. (2004). Introduction. In S. M. Wheeler, Planning for Sustainability. Routledge.
Wheeler, S. M. (2004). Planning and the Three Es. In S. M. Wheeler, Planning for Sustainability.
Wheeler, S. M. (2004). Sustainable Development. In S. M. Wheeler, Plannning for Sustainability.
