Lesson 6 Sustainability Planning

Question 1

Carrying capacity

Answer 1

is a biological concept indicating the maximum population size of a species that could be sustained in perpetuity within the environment, given the availability of food, water, habitat, etc.
The concept of carrying capacity is used in city planning to discuss the maximum population and employment that could be carried within a particular community.
This can relate to the amount of land available for development, as well as infrastructure capacity.

Question 2

The term “carrying capacity” was first used in 1845

Answer 2

by the then U.S. Secretary of State James Buchanan.

Question 3

Ian McHarg wrote about the concept of carrying capacity in his book

Answer 3

Design with Nature.

Question 4

Triple bottom line

Answer 4

first coined in 1994 by John Elkington.
His argument was that companies should be preparing three different bottom lines:
one for corporate profit, one for people, and one for the planet.
These three P’s were intended to measure the financial, social and environmental performance of a corporation over a period of time.

Question 5

Sustainable development

Answer 5

defined as balancing the fulfillment of human needs with the protection of the natural environment so that the present and future population’s needs can be met. Sustainability includes environmental, social, and economic components.

Question 6

Growing SmartSM

Answer 6

is a legislative guidebook that focuses on updating state legislation to encourage better planning and zoning laws. The Growing Smarter Legislative Guidebook is available for download from the APA.

Question 7

The Smart Growth Network has established ten primary principles for Smart Growth.

Answer 7

1. Create a range of housing opportunities and choices;
2. Create walkable neighborhoods;
3. Encourage community and stakeholder collaboration;
4. Foster distinctive, attractive places with a strong sense of place;
5. Make development decisions predictable, fair, and cost-effective;
6. Mix land uses;
7. Preserve open space, farmland, natural beauty, and critical environmental areas;
8. Provide a variety of transportation choices;
9. Strengthen and direct development towards existing communities;
10. Take advantage of compact building design.

Question 8

Smart Growth

Answer 8

is a term that is used to describe planning for greater sustainability.

Question 9

APA’s Policy Guide on Smart Growth states

Answer 9

smart growth provides economic benefits “for individuals, for neighborhoods, for communities, for developers, for land owners, and for the economy as a whole.”

Question 10

Growth management is a planning approach that pre-dates smart growth and sustainability planning (but is in the same family).

Answer 10

Examples of the approach include the State of Montana’s links to growth management toolkits and strategies, and the Puget Sound Regional Council’s planning for whole communities toolkit.