Study on the Integration of Urban Sprawl and Climate Change Issues in Land Use Planning Strategies at the Supra-Municipal Level

The notion of urban sprawl refers to the spatial dispersion of the population, generally associated with a spatial segregation of land use. Such conditions have been made possible by the growth of automobility.

There is a great deal of literature on the links between urban sprawl, climate change and their general consequences on the quality of the environment and quality of life, from a wide range of sources (public policy texts, guides, normative and prescriptive literature, etc.). This diversity is often a source of confusion among stakeholders such as supra-municipal land-use planning agencies (metropolitan communities, regional county municipality (MRC), etc.).

Produce a literature review presenting the state of knowledge on the integration of urban sprawl and climate change issues in land use planning strategies at the supra-municipal level.

• Conduct a systematic review of literature related to urban sprawl and climate change issues and their integration into land-use planning strategies, based on recognized methodologies. The review will focus on information useful for the development of public policy and the management of regional development from an adaptation standpoint, to support the development or revision of land use and development plans;

• Classify and analyse the documents reviewed according to their links, complementarities and contradictions; Write an analytical literature review;

• Share the results by writing a summary sheet and by presenting the findings to leaders of organizations with an interest in land-use planning at the supra-municipal level.

While recognizing the complexity of the reality in which they must operate, it is possible to summarize sustainable planning approaches according to a few common ideas and principles. With respect to preferred types of development, a consensus exists on a few basic principles:

• Increasing population and activity densities; Encouraging mixed-use development;

• Investing significantly in the development of public and active transportation;

• Protecting and restoring natural systems while enhancing biodiversity.

These approaches aim to reduce dependence on the automobile in order to lessen the environmental footprint of cities and increase the quality of urban life and the health of populations. Limiting urban sprawl is essential in this respect, but must include both ending sprawl per se, and redesigning the sprawled city. Sustainable urban planning approaches have been widely disseminated in planning and development circles over the past 30 years.

The literature reviewed in this study highlights, among other things, the difficulty of deploying an integrated multi-scalar approach that simultaneously addresses transportation, urban form, land use and natural systems (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Diagram of urban sprawl factors that contribute to climate and environmental change

More than a technical problem, this is also a cultural problem: for a majority of North Americans, and for a large proportion of Quebecers, the sprawling city is the main urban environment they will experience in their lifetime. This type of development is often seen as best suited to contemporary lifestyles, despite obvious negative externalities such as traffic congestion, travel time and high transportation costs.

Different jurisdictions must learn to better coordinate their efforts, from neighbourhoods and boroughs up to the higher levels of government that control transportation infrastructure investments. With their potential for intermediate intervention between local and national levels, metropolitan communities and regional county municipalities appear to be strategically placed to coordinate efforts.