In urbanized areas, "suburban sprawl" has been the pattern
of growth we have had since the 1950s, driven in part by the assumption
that everyone will drive wherever they go. Major characteristics are: (a)
uncoordinated, often scattered development; (b) uniformly low-density "space-taking"
development; (c) land uses that are almost completely segregated from each
other; (d) auto-scaled urban design; and (e) lack of high-quality, pedestrian-friendly
public spaces (parks, squares, streets).
This type of development is very land-consumptive, resulting
in the loss of wildlife habitat and biodiversity and the degradation of
air and water quality. It is also very expensive for providing public facilities
and services. Because so much money must be spent on roads and other auto-related
costs and water and sewer facilities, little, if any, is left for parks,
civic architecture, redevelopment, historic preservation, and social services.
As a result, economic and social problems have been created in central
city areas. Land speculation and unsewered development greatly reduces
the economic viability of farming. Less tangible costs include lost sense
of "place" and reduced community life and "neighborliness."
In rural and tourist areas, development, including recreational
facilities, second homes, and commercial strip development degrades the
environment. This reduces the attractiveness of these communities for future
economic growth "killing the goose that laid the golden egg."
We have known about the long-term problems with uncontrolled
and uncoordinated development for a long time. We have also known about
the solutions. In Wisconsin, the State Office of Planning in the Department
of Administration (eliminated in early 1980s) released several excellent
reports on land use policy issues and the environmental and economic costs
of failing to wisely manage growth. More recent studies have been published
by the Department of Natural Resources, the Department of Transportation,
and the Governor's Interagency Land Use Council (ILUC).
WHAT ARE THE MAIN CAUSES OF SPRAWL?
1. Past and current subsidies for fringe sprawl development
and driving which hide the real costs of individual land use decisions.
Federal and state funds have been used to extend sewer and
water facilities to scattered, fringe development. Recent studies show
the cost of infrastructure for new fringe development is subsidized by
current residents. Despite the myth perpetuated by auto, oil, and highway
interests that drivers "pay their way," roads and drivers have been and
continue to be heavily subsidized.
2. Communities compete for property tax base revenue,
hindering interjurisdictional cooperation and resulting in bad land use
decisions.
Municipal dependence on property taxes pushes communities
to seek developments that provide net revenue (after deducting service
needs), and to neglect "low-value" developments such as lower and moderate
income housing. This has also resulted in overzoning for commercial and
industrial land uses.
3. Municipal land use regulations have contributed to
poor community design.
Zoning, minimum-standard practices, building codes, and other
municipal regulations have often worked at cross purposes with sound land
use. For example, zoning has outlawed mixing related, compatible land uses
and prohibited accessory apartments, which could ease rental housing shortages
and provide unsubsidized affordable housing. Ordinances have mandated the
overdesigning of streets and required large setbacks and excessive parking,
resulting in wasteful, land-consumptive development. Instead of encouraging
livable neighborhoods and compact, walkable commercial areas, zoning has
been used solely to prevent or buffer perceived negative land uses.
4. Urban disincentives make infill/redevelopment more
difficult, costly, and less desirable.
These include: high land values and tax rates in fully developed
areas; "brownfields"; aging infrastructure; often more burdensome regulatory
process and financing requirements; site assembly and logistics problems;
higher overall costs; and fear of reduced marketability in inner-city neighborhoods.
5. Failure of the real estate market to provide consumer
choices in housing.
Aided by tax incentives to own vs. rent, the American Dream
of the "country house" is still alive and well. This preference by many
for a large home on a large lot has been a factor driving suburbanization.
However, surveys show significant untapped markets for different housing
and neighborhood options. A recent Consumers Reports article noted
that "researchers have found that many consumers do like traditional neighborhoods--or
would, if offered the choice." Unfortunately, the real estate market has
not responded, in part due to factors mentioned above.
WHAT CAN WSN MEMBERS DO LOCALLY?
1. Get involved in your local community's land use and transportation
planning efforts. Start a committee to address priority issues (e.g., a
long-range planning or pedestrian-bicycle committee).
2. Form or participate in your neighborhood or downtown associations.
3. Make land use & transportation high profile issues
in local elections (e.g., write letters to local paper).
STATE LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES
1. Implementation of ILUC Report recommendations and creation
of land use council to facilitate development of land use policy changes.
2. Creation of State Land Use Department or Office to implement
land use policy recommendations.
3. Brownfields initiative in Governor's Budget Bill (SB 77
and AB 100).
4. Extension of the State Stewardship Fund for acquisition
of parks and open space.
5. Strengthening impact fee law to allow municipalities to
develop methods for charging service beneficiaries more proportionately
for the costs they impose.
6. Revision of the Tax Incremental Finance (TIF) law to eliminate
abuses which undercut purpose to promote compact development.
7. Legislation to ensure better management of lakeshore development
on northern Wisconsin lakes (to be introduced by Sen. Rob Cowles).
8. Legislation to ensure land annexed to cities is attached
to the city's school district.
9. Opposition to bills to expand town land use and home rule
authority which undercut compact development goals.
10. Support shift in funding from new highways to local transportation
needs and alternative transportation.
For more information, contact author Bill Schaefer, Citizens
for a Better Environment at (414) 271-7280 or via e-mail at cbebschaef@igc.org;
or Caryl Terrell, Sierra Club-John Muir Chapter, at (608) 256-0565 or via
e-mail at cterrell@execpc.com.
You can also find information on WSN's website at www.execpc.com/~wsn,
and this document in particular in the transportation and land use section
at www.execpc.com/~wsn/transport.html.
