URBAN LAND USES 6 Land Classifications Introduction 80

URBAN LAND USES 6 Land Classifications

Introduction • 80% of Canadians work, travel, shop and spend leisure time in cities. • A variety of Land uses are required to meet the needs of individuals, governments, businesses and communities at large

Land Use 1 - Residential • refers to all the places where people live • often takes up to 40% or more of the developed land in cities • Residential Density: the number of housing units per square kilometer and is the most important characteristic of land use

Factors that Influence Land Density 1. Cost of Land: where the land values are low (outskirts of cities) single family homes are built; where land is more costly (downtown, along major transportation lines/intersections) apartments and multi-unit homes are built. 2. Age of Neighbourhood: Areas built prior before WWII, have higher densities than houses after WWII

Land Use 2: Transportation • about 1/3 of developed land is used for roads and highways • cities transportation system is made up of 3 different parts: 1. Vehicles: • Private transportation (can lead to traffic!) • Mass transit system (subways, bus, light train) can move up to 30, 000 people per hour but it is very expensive to construct BUT in the long run will save us money

Expressways – designed to carry huge amounts of traffic over long distances quickly Arterial Roads – carry moderate amounts of traffic over shorter distances, from Expressways to Local Roads or from one arterial road to another Collector Roads - move traffic from local roads to arterial roads Local Roads – take people to their homes from

Factor 3: Terminal Facilities: - At the end of a journey or transit line, terminal facilities are required - train/bus station, parking lots, airport, ferry stations

Land Use 3: Commercial • Includes the activities of buying and selling goods and services in retail businesses, wholesale buying and selling financial establishments, and ‘other’ business • They are important to a communities economy in that they provide jobs and encourage the flow of money into the community • Any service must have a minimum number of customers to be profitable – this minimum number is called a threshold population

3 threshold populations that sell 3 different types of products: 1. Low Order Products – product or service purchased frequently 2. Middle Order Products – product or service purchased occasionally 3. High Order Products – product or service purchased infrequently

Community Shopping Centers (malls) • malls are usually found at major intersections in large cities • most shopping needs can be satisfied in centers of this type • mall built around anchor store(s) that are located at the ends of the mall Regional Shopping Centers (Malls) • large regional shopping malls contain types of stores/activities smaller shopping centers plus specialized stores which require higher threshold populations • located in suburbs of large cities along major highways • have large parking lots to accommodate customers • focus on high/medium order products

Commercial Land Use – Central Business District (CBD) • CBD is called the ‘downtown’ • easily identified by the greatest concentration of the tallest buildings • high demand for office space elevates land values – therefore large buildings need to be built to offset the cost of land • CBD includes financial, retail, entertainment, lawyers, banks, hotels, stock brokers, all close together • CBD may revitalize downtown area by adding a mall to compete with suburban mall

Land Use 4: Industrial • includes activities in factories (processing and manufacturing), warehousing (storage) and shipping products • modern cities are characterized by 4 main types of industrial land use: • CBD industries • Ribbon industries • Suburban Industrial Parks • Suburban Business Parks

Before the 1940’s factories were built on land near waterfronts and railway lines because: • imported products such as grains and heavy manufactured goods required waterfront • road ways were not as developed as of yet

After the 1940’s better highways and long distance trucking gave manufacturers an alternative to rail transportation – therefore, factories could move to suburban areas near highways and near where people live now The old properties remaining in the CBD were: • converted into loft apartments/studios • torn down to make parking lots for office buildings • left vacant and remain an eyesore to downtown visitors