Land Use and Environment Issues
SABA’S ASSIGN.
Land use and Environmental issues
Any physical development is going to have some environmental impact. The degree or extent of that impact is dependent upon such factors as the category of use, the intensity of the development, and the physical characteristics of the site. Primary land use categories encompass such basic functions as residential, commercial, industrial, recreational, institutional, and agricultural uses. There are some general characteristics of each of these uses that define their environmental impacts as well as potential compatibility issues.
For example, the construction of facilities (structures, pavement, etc.) on a site affects the surface permeability and hence increases the amount of surface run-off. This can have an impact upon the water table and on adjacent and/or down-stream sites. Site preparation may require removal of existing vegetation and always requires the regarding of the ground surface, sometimes dramatically, to accommodate the development. This, in turn, may increase soil erosion, stream sedimentation, and disrupt the natural character of a site and its surroundings. Removal of vegetation may also expose a site and its surroundings to wind and sun from which they were previously protected. Disruption of natural site patterns may also have an impact upon wildlife habitats. The kinds of physical changes may also result in significant visual impacts upon a site and its surroundings. The aesthetic response to these visual impacts may be very instrumental in the acceptance of or resistance to new development within its surrounding context. The nature of particular land uses suggests a greater environmental impact for some than for others, at least in respect to certain criteria. For example, industrial site facilities can usually be expected to require more extensive site development than many forms of residential development. On the other hand, different uses, such as certain types of
Land use and Environmental issues
Any physical development is going to have some environmental impact. The degree or extent of that impact is dependent upon such factors as the category of use, the intensity of the development, and the physical characteristics of the site. Primary land use categories encompass such basic functions as residential, commercial, industrial, recreational, institutional, and agricultural uses. There are some general characteristics of each of these uses that define their environmental impacts as well as potential compatibility issues.
For example, the construction of facilities (structures, pavement, etc.) on a site affects the surface permeability and hence increases the amount of surface run-off. This can have an impact upon the water table and on adjacent and/or down-stream sites. Site preparation may require removal of existing vegetation and always requires the regarding of the ground surface, sometimes dramatically, to accommodate the development. This, in turn, may increase soil erosion, stream sedimentation, and disrupt the natural character of a site and its surroundings. Removal of vegetation may also expose a site and its surroundings to wind and sun from which they were previously protected. Disruption of natural site patterns may also have an impact upon wildlife habitats. The kinds of physical changes may also result in significant visual impacts upon a site and its surroundings. The aesthetic response to these visual impacts may be very instrumental in the acceptance of or resistance to new development within its surrounding context. The nature of particular land uses suggests a greater environmental impact for some than for others, at least in respect to certain criteria. For example, industrial site facilities can usually be expected to require more extensive site development than many forms of residential development. On the other hand, different uses, such as certain types of