Overview

Human Geography 12

5. Urban Geography

5.3 Urban Planning and Land Use

Urban Planning and Land Use: Shaping the Cities of Tomorrow

Explore how zoning, smart growth, transit-oriented development, and sustainable design principles determine how cities grow, function, and serve their communities.

What You'll Learn

Zoning regulates land use by separating incompatible urban activities effectively.

Smart growth directs development inward, reducing sprawl and preserving land.

Transit-oriented development reduces car dependency near public transit hubs.

Green spaces improve air quality, health, and urban community well-being.

What You'll Practice

Students analyze urban planning theories from Jacobs, Calthorpe, and Simmel.

Questions test understanding of zoning, TOD, sprawl, and gentrification concepts.

Learners evaluate how mixed-use development and green spaces shape cities.

Why This Matters

Understanding urban planning and land use empowers students to analyze how policy decisions shape communities, drive economic development, and determine environmental sustainability in an increasingly urbanized world.

This Unit Includes

Practice exercises

Learning resources

Skills

Zoning

Smart Growth

Urban Sprawl

Gentrification

Sustainable Cities

ON Curriculum Aligned