In practice, the neighborhood unit concept has fallen short of its theoretical promise. However, one of its major goals -- attempting to produce a more satisfying social life for the inhabitants of a residential area -- is still valid. To attain such a goal, it now appears to be more valid to attempt to assess the attitudes of people towards each other rather than to attempt to manipulate locations of facilities in order to attempt to develop more satisfying residential environments. One relationship that appears to have relevance for attaining such a goal is that of the neighbor. If it were possible to assess an individual's attitudes towards his neighbors, it would be possible to use such information as one input in the design of future residential developments. By attempting to assess an individual's concept of the ideal role of neighbor, planning would be taken one step away from corrective action based upon behavior observable in an existing environment, towards assessment of attitudes towards residential environments that may provide a more sound basis upon which to predicate changes to produce more satisfying residential environments. T his thesis attempts only to develop a tool by which it may be possible to elicit an individual's concept of the ideal role of neighbor. The construction of the tool follows directly from the theory of what a neighbor is and how a neighbor acts. Testing of the tool is limited to attempting to discover problems of administration . / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

Planners have generally failed to prevent the urban strife (including civil disorders, housing shortages, visual blight and rising pollution which characterizes so many North American cities. While they cannot necessarily be blamed for these occurrences, they cannot entirely be exhonerated. Planning techniques for guiding and controlling urban development have not kept pace with the rapid growth of our modern cities. Certain techniques have been borrowed from other fields, notably simulation modelling, but their use has frequently been hampered by a lack of data and by the high cost of implementation, furthermore, these techniques have generally failed to filter down to the Profession at large, with the result that they have largely remained the preserve of the technical expert who may not be in the mainstream of broader planning principles. The sophisticated nature of these techniques has promoted their isolation from the day-to-day planning processes. One alternative to a rigourous computer simulation is to employ a gaming simulation. The latter may permit a considerable simplication of the model by allowing the players (in this case, planners) to become ' simulation actors' who emulate the behavior of various interest groups or institutions in response to carefully selected rewards. This format has the advantage of precipitating the direct involvement of planners in the model and of facilitating their understanding of problems through the process of abstracting from reality. Such an abstraction is often conducive to the achieving of an overview; this may permit planners to be less distracted by the routine problems of planning administration, which are short term in nature, and to redirect their focus to longer term considerations. The purpose of this Study is to develop a gaining simulation framework for the analysis of planning problems which are not readily amenable to many quantitative techniques and for the evaluation of alternative planning strategies. This framework or tool is capable of incorporating a series of very simple interrelationships into a recursive process which will ultimately generate the implications of various decision alternatives and which will permit planners to identify optimum strategies. The framework incorporates the simulational features of a 'gaming simulation' and the strategy evaluating features of 'game theory'. The former have generally constituted abstractions from reality which were merely assertions in mathematical form but which were not particularly useful for either rigourous analysis or accurate forecasting. The lack of mathematical rigour in their structures has tended to inhibit their use for any but educational purposes, notably prediction and research. The latter have been confined to the identification of optimum strategies in only the most simple exchanges, which cannot generally be related to the complexities of the real world. This Study represents a step towards combining these two approaches. The gaming simulation framework, when 'primed' with appropriate data, will generate optimum strategies which may be followed by the participants. Its mathematical structure constitutes an amalgam of Markov processes, network analysis and Eayesian decision analysis. This technique is primarily designed to be used in the day-to-day planning process in large cities rather than in the cloistered research context, although it may later prove to have even wider applications. The null hypothesis is presented in the Study which states that the framework is not capable of generating an optimal solution. It was then refuted using probability theory to demonstrate that an -optimal solution was attainable. The use of the framework in the planning context was then illustrated by applying it to the specific public/private negotiations preceding major urban landmark developments in Canada. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

Despite the presence and growth of urban planning, urban problems persist and in some instances are worsening. A major problem of urban planning appears to be an inability to achieve a high level of accomplishment. Urban planning in Canada was examined by the Federal Task Force on Housing and Urban Development in 1969. They found it to be reactive, negative, without sociological or ecological concerns, and lacking in vision. These judgments are intuitive and require verification, but no empirical evidence is available on the practice of Canadian urban planning. The objective of this study, therefore, is to provide empirical evidence on the practice of urban planning in Canada in 1970 as a basis for its further assessment. To guide this study, the following hypothesis was tested: that the practice of urban planning in Canada follows the traditional model (physical orientation, reliance on long range plans, and an apolitical stance). A three stage approach was adopted to test the hypothesis and describe the practices examination of 1. procedural variables, 2, external variables, and 3. planning decisions. Procedural and external variables were identified from theoretical literature and empirical studies done in the U.S.A. Data was collected through a questionnaire mailed to the 7k urban planning directors in Canada of which 53 responses were received. For further understanding of the practice, three hypotheses about the determinants of the practice were tested using the Chi-square statistic (the practice is determined by 1. location of the agency, 2. local power structure, and 3. a complex of variables). In search of a more definitive explanation, a multivariate statistical technique was applied to the data. Lastly, an analysis of the important planning decisions over the past five years was made. This study has found that the traditional hypothesis cannot be accepted. Rather the practice has been modified in a complex way which de-emphasizes comprehensive planning, new ideas and the apolitical stance, and places new emphasis on physical development, zoning and subdivision regulations. Furthermore, Canadian, urban planning has not met urban problems because it has a limited approach. This limited approach has not been fully recognized or appreciated which leaves a void in the total planning spectrum. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

Increasingly, where, how and when growth occurs has far reaching consequences for the health of the city and planet. In the past, many growth decisions have been made at the local level largely within land use terms. In today's highly interrelated and ever-expanding urban regions, it is recognized that these decisions must be made in a more comprehensive and consistent intergovernmental manner if the long-term health of all communities is to be protected. The planning structures as defined by the legislative and governance frameworks that are in place in many cities often do not address the need for improved growth management. Some state/provincial governments are taking an active role in determining the regional and local planning framework in which the management of growth takes place. In Canada, many of the initiatives are a refinement of existing planning legislation and regional governance structures. In the United States, many of the initiatives are the result of growth management legislation. This study explores the positive and negative attributes of Ontario's Planning Act and Washington State's Growth Management Act with respect to adoption and implementation of a regional growth strategy in the Greater Toronto Area and the Central Puget Sound Area and in facilitating or challenging the efforts of the cities of Toronto and Seattle in realizing their growth goals and objectives. Data sources for this study were libraries, government offices, and individuals active in municipal and intergovernmental relations. The focus of the data search was to determine what were the major urban issues facing Toronto and Seattle and whether the planning system was designed to provide effective solutions and expand their capacities to create the results they desire. The study contends that planning legislation can play an effective role in growth management if it embodies three essential characteristics. Firstly, it must facilitate the adoption and implementation of robust official or comprehensive plans. The plans must contain clear goals about the distribution, location and quality of future growth and explicitly detail the steps required to reach these goals. While the plans produced must integrate all planning functions related to the use of land to allow the development of cities that are economically, socially and environmentally balanced, the integration of land use and transportation planning is a prerequisite of effective growth management. Secondly, the local official or comprehensive plans that are adopted must be tied to a regional plan that expresses the collective aspirations and responsibilities of the various cities that constitute today's city-regions. The actions of local as well as senior governments must be consistent with the vision and policies contained in the regional plan. Thirdly, the legislation must be effective in promoting the development of intergovernmental planning relationships that allow all parties to continually learn and act strategically to realize the local and regional visions. The implementation of the plans is particularly dependent on the development of complementary governance and financial arrangements. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

This thesis is a study of contemporary urban design in North America. The physical aspects of the architecture of the city are examined in the light of the history of ideas and of urban design. While most studies show the development of modern architectural and urban design as a chronology of ever new trends and discoveries in a continuous line of progress, this work shows that many essential features of design are not new and have not been changing. On the contrary, ideas developed in the eighteenth century can be regarded as the essential source of inspiration of many aspects of contemporary design. The central theme of the thesis is that the body of thought developed in the late eighteenth century - defined as romantic thought - is still at the origin of the motivation of contemporary urban design. The study identifies the essential traits of the prevailing style of urban and architectural design and relates them to the main themes of the romantic tradition. The point made is that this tradition has become a very uncritical one and that the establishment of alternative and new traditions is thus made very difficult, if not impossible. The method followed in the thesis is to make hypotheses of influences between eighteenth century thought and contemporary notions affecting the physical design of cities. The hypotheses are supported by the evidence of the thoughts and projects of representative thinkers quoted and by the attitudes, the laws and the patterns of physical design found in our days. Among the sources used in this thesis the reader will find passages ranging from Edmund Burke and Immanuel Kant to Jane Jacobs, Frank Lloyd Wright and Arthur Erickson. A large body of thoughts from famous and less famous people who spoke and worked in a representative way is used throughout the thesis. Illustrations of "prophetic" designs from the age of Boullee and Ledoux and of many existing projects are introduced to clarify the arguments. Many examples were chosen from Vancouver, British Columbia, but typical examples from the entire North American continent are included. Most of the aspects influencing design are considered. The reader will find an examination of established patterns of existing urban design in North America, an analysis of the attitudes toward the city and architecture observations on the by-laws and the economic system influencing design decisions. This material is used to show that there is a great inertia of old styles and ideals which prevent the establishment of alternative life styles and of truly new canons of design, despite a general consensus about the need for some truly new approach in the physical design of our cities. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Architecture and Landscape Architecture (SALA), School of / Graduate

This thesis addresses the problem of determining urban park and facility requirements. Traditionally, the standards approach has been used, however not only does it oversimplify the problem it also fails to reflect the diverse characteristics of urban populations. Standards are insensitive to the availability of community land and financial resources, and often lead to park and facility requirements which are unrealistic, uneconomical and unattainable. Furthermore, they are inadequate for determining development priorities and for making allocation decisions among facilities and planning areas. Although there has been a growing interest in developing methods which determine space needs for non-urban parks, little of this research has been directed toward urban settings. Methods which have been developed translate recreation participation into space required to accommodate expected peak users, taking into account capacity factors. They attempt to estimate space demands which reflect the diverse characteristics, interests and resources of communities. Although an improvement on standards, deficiencies still exist. Participation is used as a measure, thereby producing requirements which reflect the status quo. Imbalances in supply are perpetuated. Severe limitations for determining priorities and making allocation decisions also result from these methods. This thesis has developed an alternative method; a hybrid of methods previously developed. Recreation activities have been classified into parks and facilities which are accommodated in a hierarchy of service areas. A process then translates participation into unit and space requirements for parks and facilities by service areas. A computer program was written to demonstrate the method's applicability in a practical situation and the method applied to data collected in Richmond, B.C. Determined for Richmond service areas was: amount of space required for parks and facilities, parkland and facility deficiencies, and land and facility costs, cost per peak hour user and the number of peak users which can be accommodated in individual parks and facilities. As a planning tool, this method determines requirements which reflect specific activity participation and interests of populations in various service areas and available land resources. Development costs for parks and facilities are provided which enable a realistic assessment of the feasibility of development according to available financial resources. Development priorities and allocation decisions can also be made. The approach developed in this thesis has a number of uses in recreation system and site planning. However, rather than a panacea for decision making, it provides information to aid decision making. It is nevetheless, far from perfect. Several limitations could be improved upon. For instance, more research is needed to enable the development of a comprehensive park and facility classification system for urban areas. The measurement of participation and use patterns could be improved. Also capacity estimates should consider the impact of use on site deterioration while operating cost impacts of recreation development should be considered in addition to capital costs. Although imperfect, the method developed in this thesis is a useful planning tool for determining urban park and facility requirements. The author hopes it may find practical application. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

The goal of this research is to understand the role, influence, and attitudes of downtown Atlanta business elites on downtown redevelopment policies. The downtown business elites has dominated the local politics of Atlanta for decades in order to achieve their redevelopment objectives. This research investigates the behavior of Atlanta business elites on downtown redevelopment policies from 1950s to 2000s in light of the 1996 Summer Olympic Games experience. This research explored the interplay between Atlanta's downtown business elites and the city elected officials as well as other interested parties in order to analyze the power and involvement of elites on the urban policy-making process. This study is grounded in urban regime theory to analyze how the business elites of downtown Atlanta attempted to transform Atlanta from a regional-national hub into an international city using the city's hosting of the Olympic Games as a convenient vehicle to implement their vision. First, the author lays out the picture in 1950s by introducing the regime actors in Atlanta and by explaining how the regime was shaped and has evolved over decades. Next, the author investigates how the business elites used the Olympics as a convenient vehicle to implement their own vision for downtown redevelopment. Finally, the author discusses the short- and long-term impacts of the Olympics on downtown Atlanta redevelopment. By establishing a connection between the Olympic bidding idea, Olympic legacy, and the changing role of downtown Atlanta business elites in urban policy-making process, this study contributes to the body of literature in urban politics by linking the regime theory and mega-event literature to expand the understanding of Atlanta's local political power structure and the city's policy dynamics in light of the 1996 Olympic experience. The results indicate that the regime in Atlanta has changed since its creation because of several internal and external factors, including the relative decline of downtown Atlanta, growing and attractive competitive suburbs, and changing demographics. Local growth advocates have promoted Atlanta first as a regional, then a national, and finally an international city. The Olympic bid was a logical result of the existing regime in Atlanta seeks to transform the city into a world-stage player. Downtown Atlanta business elites sought to use the Olympics as a convenient strategy to create an international city image, reverse the declining trend of office and retail businesses in downtown, and to increase the primacy of downtown Atlanta over growing suburbs in the region. The elites seized the opportunity presented by a potential Olympic hosting in Atlanta to make promises and implement a vision that revitalizes certain downtown areas. Atlanta's Olympic strategy gave positive results in the short-run, however did not help to increase the primacy of downtown Atlanta in the long term due to short-term focused strategies selected by downtown business elites as well as prioritized regional issues and shifted focus of business elites to regional growth. The findings suggest that regime theory has limited ability to explain the changes in governing coalition. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Urban and Regional Planning in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester, 2015. / June 24, 2015. / Atlanta, Business Elites, Olympic Games / Includes bibliographical references. / Jeffrey R. Brown, Professor Directing Dissertation; Frances Berry, University Representative; William H. Butler, Committee Member; Timothy S. Chapin, Committee Member.

Access to affordable housing in well-located areas across Cape Town is a pressing issue faced by low-income households. Attempts have been made at addressing the issue through affordable and free housing subsidies being implemented, but these have not improved access to opportunities for low-income households. These land distribution patterns are a result of recycled apartheid policies perpetuated by an unequal urban land market that does not allow low-income groups to participate. This research focuses on the spatial fragmentation of apartheid planning and its effect on low-income households in accessing subsidised housing in well-located areas. Through the collation of a spatial development framework, this study addresses the accessibility to affordable housing for low-income households by utilising state-owned land at Youngsfield Military Base and Royal Cape Golf Course in Wetton and Ottery, suburbs bordering the southern suburbs and Cape Flats district. The research process began with a spatial analysis which outlined the metropolitan, sub-metropolitan and site context for potential affordable housing development on well-located state-owned land. This supplied a detailed context for the needs of the site, the environmental context and confirmed the good location of the study area in relation to opportunity areas. Spatial design principles were then chosen to inform the creation of a quality urban environment with high-density mixed-use affordable housing and other economic and amenity opportunities. Relevant housing policies were analysed and ample existing policies were found which address affordable housing implementation in South Africa. Unfortunately, other affordable housing options such as social housing and subsidised loan housing are happening at a slower pace than Breaking New Ground (BNG) subsidised housing. Precedents of affordable and social housing were identified, many of which have been successfully implemented, but some still lack the incorporation of essential spatial concepts that create quality urban environments in residential developments. The concept proposal plan illustrated the use of literature and key spatial concepts informing the development of the site. Essential aspects of development were calculated to facilitate thorough planning for public facilities, public transport and affordable housing implementation. The research included an implementation section which identified the relevant stakeholders who would be engaged with during the planning process and affordable housing implementation. Using the package of plans process, the site was divided into precincts to easily streamline the development of the entire site. Appropriate social housing institutes and affordable housing companies were considered as possible institutions to manage and partially fund developments. Feasibility of cross-subsidisation was considered as a major option during implementation of the long-term phasing of the development. The research and implementation illustrates that by using existing policies and appropriate stakeholders and institutions efficiently, the creation of quality urban environments for affordable housing is possible. With the proper city officials in place and the political will for the development, housing developments on this scale can provide large numbers of affordable housing opportunities in better located areas.

There is a spatial dislocation between jobs and people in Cape Town, which is largely caused by financial exclusion through urban land markets. The majority of low-income households - who also constitute the majority of the city's population - live on the urban periphery, where property is affordable but opportunities are scarce. This places the burden of high transport costs on the shoulders of those least able to pay, and reinforces the patterns of segregation imposed by apartheid. This deep-rooted spatial inequality has recently been brought to the fore through a series of housing-related protests by Reclaim The City and others. These movements prove that the need for well-located, affordable housing is only getting more urgent. If Cape Town is to overcome the spatial legacy of apartheid, it needs more affordable housing in areas of economic and social opportunity. This dissertation demonstrates how affordable housing can be provided in one well-located, inner-city site: The Foreshore. Situated in the City Bowl, the Foreshore is close to the abundance of employment opportunities and social facilities of this established and growing district. Further, the City of Cape Town has recently begun a tender process for development of the Foreshore. This included a request (albeit vague) for affordable housing to be included in the resulting project. Building on the City's intentions, this dissertation presents a spatial development framework for the Foreshore site that prioritises affordable housing and a mix of uses. The need for affordable, inner-city housing was established through an analysis of Cape Town and the City Bowl. Through this analysis, the Foreshore emerged as a prime site for fulfilling this need. A review of housing policy and legislation, together with an assessment of Cape Town's housing market, determined that Social Housing is the best model for achieving sustainable affordability in an urban context. However, it was found that the involvement of private sector is crucial to realising developments that are feasible and diverse. Further, it is important to take a demand-driven approach to housing delivery, which is sensitive to market nuances and which draws on a range of spatial planning principles. This helps to create holistic, liveable neighbourhooods. These principles were demonstrated in the spatial development framework for the Foreshore. This showed that developing the Foreshore presents an opportunity to reintegrate society, and to reconnect the city to the sea. It is possible to develop 8500 residential units in the site, most of which would be affordable to households earning R3500 to R15000 per month. To achieve this, it is vital that the elevated freeways be replaced with ground-level roads, which will in fact reduce traffic congestion. The city's historical connection to the sea should be restored by reconstructing the Adderley Pier and creating a Foreshore promenade. Realising these projects in manner that is feasible, sustainable, and socially just would require an efficient and tactical implementation process. Discussions with experts in the field of affordable housing development revealed some key implementation strategies for this. These included the package of plans process, land value capture, and the strategic use and release of state-owned land. Together, these would enable the controlled involvement of private sector in the Foreshore development, and would help to find the project's infrastructure. These findings are not entirely exclusive to the Foreshore, and could therefore give guidance to affordable housing projects in other parts of the City Bowl. Therefore, developing the Foreshore to prioritise affordable housing could initiate the socio-spatial reintegration of Cape Town's fragmented city centre.

Bibliography: p. 230-231.