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At Risk: The Bay Area Greenbelt 2012 [Download], through a detailed spatial analysis, tries to answer the question, how much of a threat does sprawlThe process in which the spread of development across the landscape far outpaces population growth. The landscape sprawl creates has four characteristics: a population that is widely dispersed in low-density development; rigid separation of uses, so that homes, commerce and workplaces are segregated from one another; a network of roads laid out to separate land into huge blocks and offering poor access; and a lack of well-defined, thriving activity centers, such as downtowns and town centers. Most of the other features usually associated with sprawl – a lack of transportation choices, relative uniformity of housing options, and difficulty walking from place to place – result from these conditions. pose to the greenbelt?
The analysis captures land useThe occupation or utilization of land or water area for any human activity or any purpose defined in the general planA statement of policies, including text and diagrams setting forth objectives, principles, standards and plan proposals, for the long-term future physical development of the city or county. The general plan is a legal document required of each local jurisdiction by the State of California Government Code section 653o1 and adopted by the city council or board of supervi¬sors. In California, the general plan has seven mandatory elements (circulation, conservation, housing, land use, noise, open space, safety and seismic safety) and may include any number of optional elements (such as air quality, economic development, hazardous waste, and parks and recreation). The general plan may also be called a city plan, compre¬hensive plan, or master plan.. and planning data in three primary categories: 1) development pressure, 2) policy protection, and 3) open spaceAny parcelA lot, or contiguous group of lots, in single ownership or under single control, usually considered a unit for purposes of development. or area of land or water that is essentially unimproved and devoted to an open space use for the purposes of (1) the preservation of natural resources, (2) the managed production of resources, (3) outdoor recreation, or (4) public health and safety. value. The At Risk map showing likelihood of development within 10 to 30 years is derived by directly comparing the pressure to build on open spaces against the policies enacted to keep them preserved. Visit the Greenbelt Mapper to explore more.
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The development pressure category comprises information on market activity, zoningThe division of a city or county by legislative regulations into areas, or zones, which specify allowable uses for real property and size restrictions for buildings within these areas; a program that implements policies of the general plan. and growth projections, as well as locational pressures on open spaceAny parcelA lot, or contiguous group of lots, in single ownership or under single control, usually considered a unit for purposes of development. or area of land or water that is essentially unimproved and devoted to an open space use for the purposes of (1) the preservation of natural resources, (2) the managed production of resources, (3) outdoor recreation, or (4) public health and safety.. These values are added on top of each other to give a cumulative score, with those strongest development factors receiving a greater relative score. For example, a proposed project in the approval process is given a greater relative score than undeveloped open spaceAny parcelA lot, or contiguous group of lots, in single ownership or under single control, usually considered a unit for purposes of development. or area of land or water that is essentially unimproved and devoted to an open space use for the purposes of (1) the preservation of natural resources, (2) the managed production of resources, (3) outdoor recreation, or (4) public health and safety. zoned for rural residentialLand designated in the city or county general plan and zoning ordinance for buildings consisting only of dwelling units. May be improved, vacant, or unimproved. dwellings.
The policy protection category is similarly an aggregate of policy measures enacted that protect the land from development, such as urban growth boundaries, agricultural protections, and hillside ordinances. Then the development pressure category and the policy protection category are scored against each other; the resulting combination provides the final numbers.
A third component, the value of the Bay Area landscape, deepens our understanding. The Mapper allows you to see where wildlife habitat, recreational lands, cultivated areas, and water resources cover the region. Taken together with the development and protection categories, the assessment of the region’s lands empowers the Bay Area community to make more informed decisions about the future of the landscape for this and the next generations.
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