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Emerging Exurbia: A Comparative Analysis of Exurban Settlement Patterns Across the U.S.

Reference Type
Conference Proceedings (Chapter)

"As US urban land consumption grows, even greater than our population grows, to make informed policy and planning decisions it is critical that the pattern of this growth is well understood.  So often the discussion of growth focuses  on studies that are either based on already urbanized areas (a problem of scope) or on course level data that does not disaggregate so that emerging settlement patterns can be studied (a problem of scale).  This research turns the focus to the region that lies between the rural-urban fringe and rural areas, often referred to as exurbia.  This area transcends the traditional dichotomy of urban versus rural and metropolitan versus non-metropolitan.  Previously, data limitations have prevented a systematic study of exurban areas across the US.  We use a population database that is at a relatively fine spatial scale (each cell approximately 0.67 km square).  The objectives of our research are three-fold: to estimate and compare the amount of land and people in different exurban settlement patterns; to analyze socioeconomic, landscape and geographic characteristics of settlement patterns by region; and, to draw conclusions as to the policy and planning implications.  Preliminary results show the total amount of land in exurbia and urbanized areas is roughly the same and that exurban settlement patterns vary widely across the country.  Furthermore, we find that factors, such as percent employment in the central business district, household income, and road networks, are highly and significantly correlated with this type of pattern and its increasing presence on the landscape." [Abstract from Conference Program and Book of Abstracts]

[Concurrent Session I-D: Urban Sprawl]

[Presented at "Emerging Issues Along Urban/Rural Interfaces: Linking Science and Society", a conference held March 13-16, 2005 in Atlanta, GA (US)]

Authors
J. Clark, E. Irwin, R. McChesney
Date Published
2005
Journal/Conference
Emerging Issues Along Urban/Rural Interfaces: Linking Science and Society
Editor
D. Laband, et. al.
Publisher
Auburn University Center for Forest Sustainability
Publisher Location
Auburn, AL (US)
Sub-Topics
Interface, Planning
State(s)/Region(s)
National
Keywords
Sprawl, Urban-rural, Exurban, Leaf characteristics, Interface, WUI
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