GEOG 442 Day 5: Information

Housekeeping Items The schedule for the tool presentations is as follows: Feb. 9- Rich (transportation demand elasticity); Feb. 11- Matt (LEED); Deanna (traffic impact assessment); Feb. 16- Caitee (CPTED); Mar. 2- Constanza (?); Jeff (?); Mar. 4- Tyler (urban design analysis); Mar. 9- Rob (community energy planning); Maury (demographic forecasting); Mar. 11- Nigel (sense of place analysis); Mar. 16- Julian (tranche financing); Mar. 18- Craig (habitat assessment); Kevin (carrying capacity analysis). The schedule for the tool presentations is as follows: Feb. 9- Rich (transportation demand elasticity); Feb. 11- Matt (LEED); Deanna (traffic impact assessment); Feb. 16- Caitee (CPTED); Mar. 2- Constanza (?); Jeff (?); Mar. 4- Tyler (urban design analysis); Mar. 9- Rob (community energy planning); Maury (demographic forecasting); Mar. 11- Nigel (sense of place analysis); Mar. 16- Julian (tranche financing); Mar. 18- Craig (habitat assessment); Kevin (carrying capacity analysis). When should the course project outline be due? When should the course project outline be due?

3 Housekeeping Items I'm going to ask Julian to move his tool presentation to the 18th, as we have Andrew – the lead planner for the Campus Master Plan – coming to talk with us on the 16th. I'm going to ask Julian to move his tool presentation to the 18th, as we have Andrew – the lead planner for the Campus Master Plan – coming to talk with us on the 16th. Tyler drew my attention to a web site that looks at the energy performance of 5 UBC buildings, including the C.K. Choi Building. The link is: Tyler drew my attention to a web site that looks at the energy performance of 5 UBC buildings, including the C.K. Choi Building. The link is: I mentioned last time about the Austrian architect, Friedrich Hundertwasser. I mentioned last time about the Austrian architect, Friedrich Hundertwasser.

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5 The Crucial Role of Information in Planning Decisions One can make a decision based on any amount of information; the danger lies in either accumulating too much (studies as a substitute for action) or too little (making decisions by the seat of one’s pants)‏ One can make a decision based on any amount of information; the danger lies in either accumulating too much (studies as a substitute for action) or too little (making decisions by the seat of one’s pants)‏ Does one use “standard” sources of information or invest in costly custom-made? Does one use “standard” sources of information or invest in costly custom-made? In some cases one needs a combination of both. In some cases one needs a combination of both.

6 The Key Role of the Planning Area To gather information, one must know the boundaries of the area for which information is to be gathered To gather information, one must know the boundaries of the area for which information is to be gathered In addition to identifying the appropriate scale, one must decide what criteria will be used to determine the boundaries. In some cases, this will be the whole municipality. In other cases, one will need to define a sub-area, such as a neighbourhood or business district for consideration. In addition to identifying the appropriate scale, one must decide what criteria will be used to determine the boundaries. In some cases, this will be the whole municipality. In other cases, one will need to define a sub-area, such as a neighbourhood or business district for consideration.

7 The Key Role of the Planning Area (cont’d)‏ According to Leung, the boundaries of a planning area should be created based on a combination of political (jurisdictional), technical (congruent with data sources), and functional (pertaining to patterns and processes) considerations. According to Leung, the boundaries of a planning area should be created based on a combination of political (jurisdictional), technical (congruent with data sources), and functional (pertaining to patterns and processes) considerations. One should also take into account how residents and users define an area. One should also take into account how residents and users define an area. The problem with geometric grid line systems is that they do not coincide with ecological, social, or economic functional units. The problem with geometric grid line systems is that they do not coincide with ecological, social, or economic functional units.

8 The Key Role of the Planning Area (cont’d)‏ It's best to delineate an area based on physical and social continuity/ consistency (e.g. occupation by a particular ethnic group) and/or unity of planning problems (e.g. substandard housing, social pathology, proneness to flooding, etc.). It's best to delineate an area based on physical and social continuity/ consistency (e.g. occupation by a particular ethnic group) and/or unity of planning problems (e.g. substandard housing, social pathology, proneness to flooding, etc.). Physical features – such as a river, building type, land use, or major artery – can serve as useful boundaries. Physical features – such as a river, building type, land use, or major artery – can serve as useful boundaries. Boundaries need to be flexible and will be a compromise between the planning issues at hand and available data sources. Boundaries need to be flexible and will be a compromise between the planning issues at hand and available data sources.

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10 Delamont Study in East Kitsilano The boundaries for the Delamont study (4th, Broadway, Burrard, and Balsam) coincided with a census tract (though its boundaries had changed), and a census tract (though its boundaries had changed), and major arteries on three sides major arteries on three sides It had a certain unity based on identity (park and postal station), and identity (park and postal station), and similar apartment units. similar apartment units.

11 Information Categories In collecting physical, social, and economic information, one must balance need and application against readily available sources (they may conflict). The necessity to do this is partly financial constraint, as demonstrated by the BC Sprawl Report 2004 project. In collecting physical, social, and economic information, one must balance need and application against readily available sources (they may conflict). The necessity to do this is partly financial constraint, as demonstrated by the BC Sprawl Report 2004 project. This document examined the relationship between urban form, livability, and economic vitality in 24 BC communities. The indicators chosen were a compromise between what would have been most useful and what was available and not too costly. This document examined the relationship between urban form, livability, and economic vitality in 24 BC communities. The indicators chosen were a compromise between what would have been most useful and what was available and not too costly.

12 URBAN FORM: -Population density -Density of housing units -% of Housing Units that are Single-Detached -Hectares of Streets, Roads and Alleys Per 1,000 People -Kilometres of Sewer and Water Infrastructure Per 1,000 People -% of Employed Labour Force Working Within Own Census Subdivision (Municipality)‏ -% of Commuters Who Are Drivers of Automobiles (Modal Split for the Trip to Work)‏ -% of Commuters Who Drive 5 Kilometres or Less -The Mean Length of Commute (in kilometres) for the Trip to Work

13 LIVABILITY: -% of Owners Spending More Than 30% of Income on Housing -% of Renters Spending More Than 30% of Income on Housing -Housing Diversity Index (based on mix of single-detached, ground-oriented units, and apartments)... -Hectares of Parks and Playground Per 1,000 People (within the municipality)‏ -Post-secondary Educational Establishments Per 10,000 People -Bookstores Per 10,000 People -Art Galleries and Art-related Establishments Per 10,000 People -Speciality Food Stores Per 10,000 People -% of Housing Stock Built Before 1946

14 ECONOMIC VITALITY: -Number of Businesses Per 1,000 People -Incorporations Per 10,000 People -Residential Building Permits Per 10,000 People -Unemployment Rate (% of the Population 15 and Over)‏ -Dependency on the Safety Net: Government Transfers as a % of Total Income -High-Tech Index (tech businesses as % of total businesses)‏ -Bohemian Index (a measure of the number of “cultural creatives,” as defined by Richard Florida)‏ -Education Index (number of people with a Bachelor degree or higher)‏ -Consultants Index (consulting businesses as a % of total businesses)

15 Information Categories (cont’d)‏ Leung cites Chapin and Kaiser as suggesting seven broad categories: economic economic population population activity and space quality activity and space quality land use land use environment environment transportation-utilities-communications transportation-utilities-communications guidance system. guidance system. The guidance system can be institutional, market, or a combination of both.

16 Matching Uses with Appropriate Land

17 Activities Let's discuss a little more the small group critiques of the Campus Master Plan. Let's discuss a little more the small group critiques of the Campus Master Plan. Let's also start to shape the contours of the class project more – what we propose to do, how we want to divide up the work, and how we can ensure that the analysis and proposal are quite rigorous, and that what we propose is quite practical (for useful documents, see ormation.asp and Let's also start to shape the contours of the class project more – what we propose to do, how we want to divide up the work, and how we can ensure that the analysis and proposal are quite rigorous, and that what we propose is quite practical (for useful documents, see ormation.asp and ormation.asp ormation.asp Also I would like to discuss how we are going to work in learning more about urban land assessment and establishing a framework for evaluating the University's future performance. Also I would like to discuss how we are going to work in learning more about urban land assessment and establishing a framework for evaluating the University's future performance.