Land Use for a New Sustainable Community - Research Paper Example

Land Use for a New Sustainable Community Thesis Statement This is a research conducted to determine how land is significant for a sustainable community. The objective of the research is to use the researched land can be used to meet the requirements as well as the needs of a new community. 1.1. Purpose of The Research The purpose of this research is to come up with the most suitable way of using the land effectively to meet the needs of the community. 1.2. Definition of Terms In order to understand the paper and the research, numerous terms used for the research should be understood as well as their significant to the research. Land use is a general idea where the land is made active for production. In the research, the use of land is important to express how the new community can meet the needs and the requirements of the members and the entire community at large. Sustainable community is a community that can be able to provide for the needs of the people in present and the future periods. The community is sustained to ensure that every need of the every member of the community is fulfilled. The research aims to develop a community and sustain it through the use of land. 1.3. Brief Overview The research paper will approach the topic in numerous dimensions in order to obtain the objective and the purpose of the research and understand how land can be effectively used to develop new community that can sustain the needs as well as the requirements of the people in the community. The research will first assess the traditional approaches to the use of land. For a community to develop, the paper looks at some zones that guides the development of a community such as residential zones, civic zones, commercial zones, agriculture land zones and open source zones. The paper will discuss the zones in detail and their significant to the research. Secondly, the research will assess the environmental challenges that are likely to affect the development and the sustainability of the new community through the use of land. Such environmental challenges as air pollution, land consumption, water pollution, infrastructure and mixed use development. The environmental challenges will be used in the research to understand the problems that might lead to the failure of land use in the development of a new sustainable community. The research will also assess some of the principles of sustainability dealing with the development of a community such as open space, water sources, and sense of belonging, infrastructure, and diverse community features that are integrated. Consequently, the strategies to development of a sustainable community will be discussed in the research. The three strategies include the urbanism, regional planning and land use and transport decision-making. Finally, the research will consider the development of a sustainable community in the use of land neighboring Jeddah. 2. Sustainable Neighborhood in Jeddah 2.1. Traditional Approaches In order to use a land for sustainability of a community or ay for any other purpose, the initiatives should consider the traditional approach of the using a land which involves several zones. The first zone is the residential zone, which is composed of any number of people who covers a home such as the single family residences and suburban among others. Several issues such as determining if a property can include the mobile phones, and some buildings placed on a specific property. The type of animals on a residence are also determined by the residential zone. Some domestic animals such as chickens, sheep and cows among others are limited by the requirements of the residential zone. On the other hand, animals such as the dog’s pets and birds among others are not limited by the requirements of animals on a residential zone. Secondly, the other zone is the commercial zone. The purpose and the business use of a land determines the commercial zone. It is divided into various categories including the nightclubs, hotels, apartments, shopping centers and office buildings among others. In addition to this, commercial zones may also include the any land not in use that can support the building and the development of the mentioned buildings. The permitted commercial zone is determined by the availability of parking and the vacant land. Rules are set to determine the closeness of this buildings regarding to the types of businesses in the buildings. For instance, the schools and churches are not allowed to be close to the adult entertainment refreshments such as the bar among many others. The third zone determining the use of land in a sustainable community is the industrial zone. This type of zone also focuses on the type of business purposed for the buildings. The level to which a business falls in the industry is determined by some environmental factors such as noise among many other issues. Industrial zone is composed of plants manufacturing and other facilities for storage. The determining factor of the industrial zone is the amount of space and area covered by the building as well as the height of the building. The requirements of the industrial zones are much higher. Agriculture zone is significant to the communities that are focused in improving the economic and the agricultural production in the community. Those who do not use the land for agricultural practices and production together with those who use the land building and construction, are limited to the use of the land by the agriculture zone. Putting the minimum size for the buildings and structures in a community is a method used by the agricultural zone to restrict and control the density. The type of operation conducted for agricultural practices determines the variation of density. The zone protects the communities of farming from being fragmented by the development of the residents in the community. Finally, the other zone restricting the land use in the sustainable community is the zoning of history or the historical zone. Fifty years old and above buildings and structures are considered are regarded as the historical buildings, thus determined by the historical zones. The zone prevents the alteration and the change of this buildings and structures. However, the historical buildings and structures are allowed to repair and restore to retain the past historical plan. The government uses the historical buildings to impose tax on the users. If the land neighboring Jeddah is intended to use as the development and the foundation of a new sustainable community, then any historical building found in the land might not be changed and the government might rent it to certain members of the community to collect tax incentives from them. 2.2. Environmental Challenges In this section of the paper, the research examines the relevant environmental challenges that may affect the choice and the use of land for development of a sustainable community. The environmental conditions are among the most important factors to consider when setting structures, residents and agricultural activities among others. Poor environment might lead to poor cultivation and failure of the development of a community. The sustainable community depends on practices such as the agricultural practices, buildings and structures for businesses. In this section, various environmental challenges that might affect the land use for a community to develop and sustain the needs of the community. First is the air pollution. The pollution of air is the aspect of releasing unwanted organic and the waste materials. Some businesses requires a favorable air condition, the growth and the development of plants also requires the air. Air pollution in a certain land might lead to poor development and inadequate resources to meet the needs of the community. It is evident that in every practice and activity, the air is required normally. People in business and industries require favorable air condition in order to be effective in their positions. Plants and animals requires the favorable air condition in order to survive and develop. Therefore, air pollution is an environmental factor that might lead to the underdevelopment of a community and land use failure. As a results, the new community might not get enough resources to sustain the members of the community. Secondly is the consumption of land. The degree of land use can also determine the development of a sustainable community. The amount of land to be consumed by the new community is determined by the needs and the requirements of the community. The size of land consumed should be able to accommodate the community and the practices the community will conduct in order to sustain the entire community. The community might decide to use the land for many purposes such as the agricultural activities which may require a large piece of land. Others might use the land for businesses and residences which will also require enough size of land, others might decide to do both the buildings for businesses and agricultural activities. Another challenge is infrastructure and transportation, and might be faced by the development of a community on land use for buildings and structures, residents and agricultural activities among others. Infrastructure is a challenges that might face the development of a sustainable community. If the new community is established and the land is used for businesses, agriculture and industrialization, then the infrastructure should be good in the area. The infrastructure is divided into two major categories that are relevant to the research. The first one is transportation. Poor transportation in the area might lead to poor development of the companies and the business industries in the community. The business need to transport wide in order to provide and ensure that the business has all the requirements of the consumers. Transportation of goods and services is required for trade and extension of the business. Another factor is the communication. The business need to communicate in order to do business effectively and associate with other organizations that are far. The mode of communication can be through sending a messenger and fax, but the most effective and advanced method is the use of mobile phones, emails and other social networks. For instance, farmers who practice agriculture and grow their products, requires effective communication to their consumers in case of updates and changes on the normal schedule. Communication is important and might affect the development of a sustainable community. Structures and buildings made for businesses are maintained and developed using effective business relationship that are enhanced through communication. Management in businesses also use communication to reach the stakeholders and their customers. 2.3. Principles of Sustainability Cities and towns that operate under sustainable land use have an appropriate balance of the preservation of environment, livability and commerce. The principles of sustainability are discussed below showing how they are applied to the land use in Jeddah neighborhood. The general principle of sustainability include the open space where the supply of the open green spaces is adequate and encourages the passive use as well as the active use. Another principle is the sustainable waters sources where the community plans the supply of the water to the land. Walkability and connectivity is another principle of sustainability where the communities are encouraged to be able to walk for long distances in order to improve on the recreational and commercial activities among others. The other principle is the diverse community features integration, where the variety of commercial, recreational and residential uses among others, are integrated by the planning of the community. Finally, the sense of place is another principle of sustainability that designs the structures and the geographical spaces to improve the culture, heritage and the history of the community. In addition to this, there are other general principles of sustainability that apply to the use of land. The principles include the determined sustainability staff where the leadership is provided. Sustainability goal is among the applicable sustainability principles in the use of land. In this principle, the long term and the short term goals are set to guide and motivate the community. Others include the performance track, holy approach, partnership building and the sharing of knowledge among others. 2.4. Strategies of Sustainability There are three key approaches and strategies of sustainability in the use of land. The strategies are important and significant to the research since they give the strategies used in Jeddah and other cities to approach the sustainability of land use. The first strategy is the use of sustainable urbanism (Farr, 2008). The reform movement that puts the creation of the varied and the walkable places with the aim of building infrastructure is known as the urbanism of sustainability. The strategy is used to enhance and integrate the walkable transportation form along the green buildings for high performance. It can be operated through effective communication and leadership, and its implementation can be in Jeddah neighborhood (Farr, 2008). The tactics that can develop the neighborhood of Jeddah, are through the increase in sustainability, land use and transportation integration and creation of sustainable neighborhoods in business. Secondly, decision making and land use integration is the strategy of sustainability (Farr, 2008). The transportation planning should be considered and regarded as a strategy to approach the sustainability. The use of land and making of critical decisions. Finally, the regional planning is the other strategy to approach the sustainability issue. The requirement of this strategy is designated the uses of lands. It also requires collaboration among the entities of the public to determine the goals and the objectives of the city and the community (Farr, 2008). 2.5. Regulations of the Buildings Regulations of buildings are legal strategies set in order to ensure that relevant legislation policies in building are carried out. In UK, approval of the building regulations is necessary for establishing many buildings. For instance, in terms of the Floor Area Ratio also known as FAR, the square feet of the building is divided by square feet of the building’s location. The technique is used by the government in the codes of zoning. More dense or urban construction area is a result of higher FARs. The FAR measures the foot are of the building. For instance, a square foot lot of 4000 contains a thousand square foot building. The FAR also determines the number of story of a building. A building of one-story will have the same FAR as for a building of two-story, where every floor is 500n square feet. The 1st floor also referred to as the ground floor, is on the ground level, the second floor on the other hand is one-storey above the ground. The 3rd floor is in two-storey above the ground. The building has a basement which has the parking, the first floor has shopping center, 2nd floor has a bank, and the third floor is the clothing and materials shopping. The sixth floor has a bar and café. 3. Model Design 4. Conclusion To conclude, the research aim was to determine how land can be used for development of a new community that is able to sustain the needs and the requirements of the communities. The paper analyzed several topics and areas that would provide an accomplishment to the aims and the objectives of the research. For instance the research assessed the challenges, strategies of sustainability and traditional approach to the use of land. The objective of this research was to determine how land can be used to sustain and provide for the needs and meet the requirements of the community. The research has assessed the strategies and the approach to the most effective ways of using a land to meet the requirements of a new community. References Ballantyne, Bernadette. (2012). “Jeddah Modernises Sewerage System.” MEED: Middle East Economic Digest, 56(51), 32-33. Benedict, Mark and Edward MacMahon. (2002). “Green Infrastructure: Smart Conservation for the 21st Century.” Washington, D.C.: Sprawl Watch Clearinghouse Monograph Series. http://www.sprawlwatch.org/greeninfrastructure.pdf (accessed April 16, 2014). Farr, Douglas. (2008). Sustainable Urbanism: Urban Design with Nature. New Jersey: John Wiley and Sons, Inc. Kloss, Christopher. (2008). 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