Urban Sprawl
What do abandoned buildings, clogged highways, and newmega-malls in farm fields have in common? According to agrowing list of national experts, all of these seeminglyunrelated phenomenon are the direct result of urban sprawl.Webster's Dictionary says that to sprawl is "to spread outin an awkward or uneven way, especially so as to take up Although a clear meaning of sprawl remains elusive, public debate over sprawl is driven primarily by general concerns that low-density residential development threatens farmland and open space, increases public service costs, encourages people and wealth to leave central cities and degrades the environment.(NCPA) One must understand that urban sprawl can not be completelyeliminated, but only contained in a manner that will helpthe United States to function better as a country. "Sprawlis inevitable. We can't have a strong economy unless wegrow and allow new development"(Beaumont 9). Each morning, millions of Americans start their enginesand grind their way to work. They leave quiet settings forthe hustle and bustle of the nearby cities. When eveningapproaches, these same people make their
Another not so obvious point is that urban sprawl haslarge economic effects on all Americans. More streets,water lines, sewage services, schools, expanded police andfire protections are all paid for by the American taxpayer. Many people were now able to live the "AmericanDream", rural life. However, policymakers and citizens need to lookbeyond the architecture and into the soul of the suburb. The AFT stated that agriculture is in too bad of a statealready, both economically and socially, to be biting thehand that feeds us. But we lose at least 16 acres of prime farmlandto urban development for every acre saved"(Beaumont 15). Unfortunately, only time will give us adefinitive answer. As theworld population expands, the demand for housing increases. (Bartlett 21) This description describes the trend overtaking ruralAmerica. (Beaumont 22) As a result, there has been a surge of actions aimed atlimiting sprawl. For most Americans another example of the "AmericanDream", would be the perfect suburban life. So, what exactly isUrban Sprawl? The terms urban sprawl, and suburbanization are often used to describe the continuous outmigration of the American economic and population base from its central cities and major cities to the seas of low density residential development highlighted by "edge cities" or suburban megacenters, where commercial, retail, office, and entertainment development has occurred.
Common topics in this essay:
Urban Sprawl,
American Dream,
Webster's Dictionary,
Farmland Trust,
Administration Americans,
urban sprawl,
air pollution,
acres farmland,
fell love,
living conditions,
wildlife habitat,
american dream,
central cities,
farmland space,
residential development,
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Acceptance Essays
