Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Metropolitan fringes'

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning, 2001.
Includes bibliographical references (leaves 81-85).
The ecological effect of urban form has been an important issue in 20" century planning history. The inadequate relationships between development patterns of modern cities and their natural surroundings had been discussed in Geddes's Cities in Evolution, McHarg's Design with Nature, Lynch's Good City Form, Forman's "ecologically optimum spatial form" in Land Mosaics, and Mitchell's "fine-grain urban pattern" in City of Bits and Etopia (Geddes, 1915; Lynch, 1961, 1981; McHarg, 1969; Forman, 1995; Mitchell, 1995, 1999). However, these normative theories have almost never been tested by empirical studies and quantitative analysis. The thesis is about ecological effects of a twenty-year period urbanization in the fringe area of eastern Taipei metropolis. Using the technology of GIS and the principles of landscape ecology, some quantitative and spatial analyses are applied here to verify the complicated non-linear relationship between city form, forest patch shape and hydrological effects in the case study of eastern Taipei. Some landscape ecological indices like forest patch numbers, corridor connectivity, compactness of city form, landscape fragmentation and landscape heterogeneity are measured across different spatial scales and over twenty years period. Some correlations between the landscape indices and the hydrological change are verified. The following are the main findings of the study: 1. The empirical study provides an operational approach to large-scale metropolitan spatial analysis. The integration of GIS technologies and landscape ecological analysis shows the potential for the future development of a GIS based ecological design and planning tool. 2. A holistic framework is proposed for the purpose of integrating consideration of urban development, landscape change and hydrological processes. The evidence shows that there exist some correlations among the three processes. 3. Some landscape ecological indices are highly correlated with hydrological effects, including the number of 10 hectare or larger forest patches, the compactness index K and the fractal dimension D of city form, and the evenness index E of the landscape heterogeneity. 4. The data show a 10 year "time lag" phenomenon between urban development and hydrological effect in eastern Taipei. The differences of the runoff effect between 1980s and 1990s support the hypothesis that there exists a threshold point or limitation of the natural system. When the magnitude of urban development goes beyond that limitation, the original hydrological system became "irreversible" or "less reversible". 5. The evidence of the threshold point indicates that the strategic timing point and spatial points could become the basis for design and planning intervention. Using scenarios planning procedure, a sustainable urban environment could be achieved gradually by applying landscape ecological principles.
by Perry Pei-ju Yang.
S.M.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning, February 2005.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 261-269).
Numerous authors have noted that the patchy, sprawling pattern of development characterizing the metropolitan fringe results in part from the decisions of individual landowners regarding the use, subdivision, development, sale, or transfer of land. These decisions are related to owners' interests in their land: the set of benefits, derived from ownership, that enhance owners' physical, financial, or emotional well-being. In this dissertation, I develop a framework for exploring landowners' interests in their fringe properties. The framework proposes a set of interests owners might hold in land, explains how they are influenced by personal and external circumstances, and discusses how interests shift over time. In developing this framework, I draw from research on landowners' roles in land conversion and Marxist scholarship on "exchange" and "use" values in urban land. The framework also emerged from research conducted in the Austin, Texas fringe, involving a telephone survey of over 500 landowners, interviews with owners and experts on the region's growth, and a field visit.
(cont.) The study reveals that Austin-area owners are a diverse group whose land interests relate to monetary gain, the use of land for residence or business, and emotional satisfaction from the enjoyment of resources or activities on their property; and that individual and family owners typically hold multiple interests in their land at any given time. However, the study also identifies general "orientations" toward agriculture, enjoyment, and investment, which, with other key variables (including residency, parcel size, tenure, and location), may be associated with specific behaviors including use, sales, purchases, and transfers to children. The research also reveals that, over time, personal and external factors (such as intensifying development pressures) may serve some interests but be deleterious to others, complicating owners' decision-making, but explaining why some elect not to sell land despite potential profits, and why, over the course of ownership, individual landowners may play multiple roles in land conversion, contributing to the uneven nature of fringe growth. For planners and policymakers, the dominance of individual and family owners, their interests, and the stories of their histories with their land can inform efforts to encourage alternative forms of development.
by Jennifer M. Hrabchak.
Ph.D.

This study uses data on the fast-growing peripheral counties located in the 50 largest metropolitan areas to test the null hypothesis that counties located on the metropolitan fringe are demographically homogenous. Using multivariate analysis, the analysis statistically identifies distinct groups of counties in the metropolitan fringe. In contrast to much of the standard literature, the research rejects the null hypothesis and suggests that more than one exurbia exists. This study also explores the varying pressures and demands faced by the different exurban county types in response to massive and compounding growth stresses, recognizing the complexity of managing growth in the fringe and the implications for planners. It is expected that counties identified as â similarâ will experience common-responses to different programs and policies addressing growth pressures. Similar counties should therefore use these results to facilitate information exchange concerning successful or unsuccessful strategies.
Master of Urban and Regional Planning

This dissertation assesses the effects of tax and expenditure limitations (TELs) on principal items of revenue, largest components of expenditure and the levels of public debt of local governments serving urban cores and suburban fringes of the largest metropolitan areas in the US. The first part of the dissertation consists of 4 chapters. Chapter 1 examines the formal aspects of TELs; Chapter 2 explores historical evolution of fiscal limits between 1800 and 2009; Chapter 3 examines substantive nature of TELs; and Chapter 4 reviews the extant research on TELs. The past research suggests that TELs are associated with increased centralization, diminished government responsiveness, and suboptimal outcomes of the entire local public sector. The second part of the dissertation, Chapters 5-6, presents the empirical study of the asymmetrical fiscal effects of TELs on different geographic segments of metropolitan areas. The study employs the quasi-experimental multiple comparison group time series research design and measures fiscal outcomes associated with the imposition of TELs. It relies on a standard fixed effects dummy variable OLS model with constant slope coefficients and variable intercept. The sample (N = 166,530) contains 7 periods of observation at 5 year intervals of 745 metropolitan counties from 270 metropolitan areas. The unit of analysis is the metropolitan county area. The study found that in the urban cores and suburban fringes of metropolitan areas: 1) overall fiscal effects of TELs follow general asymmetrical trends identified by past research; 2) specific fiscal effects varied by comparison group, type of TEL imposed, and measure of fiscal outcome; 3) local governments in the urban cores are more adversely affected by TELs; 4) general revenues and expenditures declined in all comparison groups but urban core local governments experienced larger declines; 5) in all comparison groups own source revenues declined, intergovernmental revenues increased, spending on public education and public safety declined with larger declines in the urban cores; 6) long-term debt (especially non-guaranteed) has been rising more quickly in the urban core segments of metropolitan areas; and 7) in general, the effects of TELs were more negative and more pronounced for local governments experiencing fiscal stress.
Ph. D.

Residential-agricultural land use conflict in the rural-urban fringe of metropolitan areas is commonly mentioned as a planning problem. The initial intent of this research was to correlate types of conflict and local planning responses in order to identify effective approaches to the management of such problems. The anticipated method would have combined theory which addresses the cause and characteristics of residential-agricultural conflict along with data from Vancouver suburbs having substantial agricultural activity and planning departments respected for their professional qualities. However, the investigation showed that the academic literature and the accessible data would not support such research. On the other hand, consultations with local planners and a review of available documentation in the municipalities of Richmond, Delta and Surrey, British Columbia, showed that residential-agricultural land use conflict is treated as a planning problem and is a source of complaints to municipal officials. Three kinds of conclusions resulted from this research. The first and second are appropriate to the underdeveloped state of the academic literature, while the first and third relate to professional practice in the absence of applicable scientific knowledge. The first is a description of the characteristics which are perceived as constituting a planning problem and a governmental response. Secondly, there are recommendations for development of data to support future research. Municipal governments in the three communities have no comprehensive monitoring system or set of cross-referenced records of complaints associated with land use conflicts. Instead, conflicts are received, identified and acted on by a variety of departments in the local government. From the descriptive material a tentative typology is offered to guide data collection and classification. Thirdly, there are suggestions which may be useful to planners who must rely on non-systematic methods to identify conflict situations appropriate for a planning response and to develop that response. The summaries of problems and responses reported are used to develop a tentative critique of present conceptualizations of appropriate planning measures. It is observed that planners have used only a few of the possible responses to rural-urban conflict. In particular, it is clear that for a wide range of conflict types there has been a reliance on land buffers to separate potentially conflicting activities. Alternative and supplementary approaches which may improve the management of typical conflict situations are suggested. These approaches focus on preventing the development of conflict through increasing the mutual understanding of the conflicting parties' points-of-view. Examples include public involvement in problem identification and resolution, as well as programs to facilitate communication between the government, farmers and non-farm residents.
Applied Science, Faculty of
Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of
Graduate

The aim of the thesis was to analyze the phenomenon of so-called fringe events, alternative and independent urban events, which arise from bottom-up initiatives that reject the institutionalized system. The first part is dedicated to a reconstruction of the debate on contemporary urban events by identifying the main classifications, the three dominant debates and by discussing the concept of an event city. The second part analyses three different case studies: Marseille 2013 Off (city of Marseille, France), Fuorisalone (city of Milan, Italy) and Paratissima (city of Turin, Italy). At first they are described in their constituent elements (the birth and the history of the event, the budget, the partners and the project governance, the local stakeholders and the relationship with the official event) to see how much those events can be considered "fringe". While later they are analyzed within their urban context to see how far fringe events manage to be urban events that make local identity. The conclusions of the work offer a comparative perspective of the three case studies that allow us to see how and if the fringe events are configured in terms of alternative events that re-interrogate the mechanisms of urban branding (Karavatizs 2004) and the success of urban events as new tools of international urban competition (Richards, Palmer 2010) and instruments of political intermediary strategy, legitimizing the political discourse and the public identity (Gravari-Barbas, Jacquot 2007).
L'objectif de la thèse est d'analyser le phénomène des événements off, événements urbains alternatifs et indépendants, qui naissent «du bas» à partir des initiatives qui rejettent le système institutionnalisé. Dans la première partie, nous proposons une reconstruction du débat sur les événements urbains contemporains: les principales classifications sont identifiées; les trois débats dominants sont présentés et le concept de la ville événement est remis en cause. Dans la deuxième partie, nous analysons trois études de cas différents : Marseille 2013 Off (Marseille), Fuorisalone (Milan) et Paratissima (Turin). Au début, ils sont décrits dans leurs éléments constitutifs pour voir le degré «off» de ces événements (naissance et histoire de l'événement ; budget ; partenaires et projet de gouvernance ; acteurs locaux impliqués et relation avec l'événement officiel) ; puis ils sont analysés dans le contexte urbain dans lequel ils sont insérer, pour voir dans quelle mesure les événements off parviennent à être des événements urbains qui font l'identité locale. Les Conclusions, à partir d'une vue d'ensemble des trois études de cas, nous permettent d'analyser les trois événements off dans une perspective comparative qui décrit les caractéristiques communes et les différences qui existent entre eux. Cette analyse nous permet de saisir les configurations des événements off en fonction de leur caractère alternatif et de leurs effets sur les entreprises de « branding » urbain. Enfin, on verra comment, parmi les spécificités de chaque étude de cas examinés, ces mécanismes sont mis en cause par la production d’une image alternative à celle représentée par l'événement officiel.

L'objectif de la thèse est d'analyser le phénomène des événements off, événements urbains alternatifs et indépendants, qui naissent «du bas» à partir des initiatives qui rejettent le système institutionnalisé. Dans la première partie, nous proposons une reconstruction du débat sur les événements urbains contemporains : les principales classifications sont identifiées ; les trois débats dominants sont présentés et le concept de la ville événement est remis en cause. Dans la deuxième partie, nous analysons trois études de cas différents : Marseille 2013 Off (Marseille), Fuorisalone (Milan) et Paratissima (Turin). Au début, ils sont décrits dans leurs éléments constitutifs pour voir le degré «off» de ces événements (naissance et histoire de l'événement ; budget ; partenaires et projet de gouvernance ; acteurs locaux impliqués et relation avec l'événement officiel) ; puis ils sont analysés dans le contexte urbain dans lequel ils sont insérer, pour voir dans quelle mesure les événements off parviennent à être des événements urbains qui font l'identité locale. Les Conclusions, à partir d'une vue d'ensemble des trois études de cas, nous permettent d'analyser les trois événements off dans une perspective comparative qui décrit les caractéristiques communes et les différences qui existent entre eux. Cette analyse nous permet de saisir les configurations des événements off en fonction de leur caractère alternatif et de leurs effets sur les entreprises de « branding » urbain. Enfin, on verra comment, parmi les spécificités de chaque étude de cas examinés, ces mécanismes sont mis en cause par la production d’une image alternative à celle représentée par l'événement officiel
The aim of the thesis was to analyze the phenomenon of so-called fringe events, alternative and independent urban events, which arise from bottom-up initiatives that reject the institutionalized system. The first part is dedicated to a reconstruction of the debate on contemporary urban events by identifying the main classifications, the three dominant debates and by discussing the concept of an event city. The second part analyses three different case studies: Marseille 2013 Off (city of Marseille, France), Fuorisalone (city of Milan, Italy) and Paratissima (city of Turin, Italy). At first they are described in their constituent elements (the birth and the history of the event, the budget, the partners and the project governance, the local stakeholders and the relationship with the official event) to see how much those events can be considered "fringe". While later they are analyzed within their urban context to see how far fringe events manage to be urban events that make local identity. The conclusions of the work offer an overview of the three case studies that allow us to analyze the three fringe events in a comparative perspective that describes the common features and differences between them. This analysis allows us to grasp the fringe events configurations based on their alternative nature and their effects on attempts of urban branding. Finally, we will see how from the specifics of each case study examined, these mechanisms are involved in the production of an alternative image to that produced by the official event

Across the globe, both developed and developing countries strive to continuously increase economic growth. Many strategies have been developed to guide these countries towards achieving growth and development in a sustainable manner. For many of these countries, cites have become the hubs with regards to the various socio-economic activities taking place within countries. This has in turn subjected cities to tremendous growth. The increased growth of cities has been characterized by radial expansion, wherein development spreads out from the city center to the fringes. The radial expansion of cities has not always been under control or properly managed by government or the private sector as well as the relevant role playing stakeholders. Many socio-economic and environmental challenges have been associated with the rapid urban development that spreads into urban fringes. This dissertation focuses on assessing the sustainability of urban fringes and their developments. It presents a conceptual framework that tackles multiple urban fringe challenges and their various causes as well as the possible solutions thereof. It also focuses on empirically assessing the sustainability of the Cato Ridge urban fringe development in eThekwini Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal Province. The study discovers that the challenges of urban fringe development are economic, social and environmental. It concludes with recommendations for addressing policies of urban fringe developments in order to ensure sustainability.
M.T.R.P. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 2013.

碩士
國立臺灣大學
園藝學研究所
93
The spatial restructure and urbanization are the focal problems in the development of capitalism and global transformation lately. Taking the eastern fringe of Taipei metropolis--- Neihu, Nangang and Sijhih Districts for example, these areas are gradually merged into urban-rural interface in the process of urban sprawl, and many high-tech office towers appeared around the freeway system, together with the local settlements, illegal factories, newly-developed suburban communities and warehouse-like stores, etc. These urban landscape elements form the specific phenomenon represented in many emerging satellite towns which is just similar with the case of Great Los Angeles urban sprawl－edge city. The main goal of this research is to apply the idea of “edge city” to reading the cityscape of Taipei metropolis fringe, attempts to inspect its characters of edge city, and inquires into the context and composition of its development and the impacts on the dwellers'' everyday life. This empirical study shows that the post modernity such as “urban region”, “network society”, “power landscape”, and “culture hybrid”, have been appeared on the eastern fringe of Metropolitan Taipei. It means the structure of Taipei Metropolis is transforming from mono-nuclei traditional industrial-urban structure to the poly-nuclei knowledge-oriented urban economic structure, the fragmented landscape patterns have made everyday life experiences turn into highly mobile movements between points, the failed spatial governance system cause the lost social interactions in the public nodes, even make more and more everyday life experiences forcibly distribute into cyberspace and all kinds of consumption space. Meanwhile, syndicates and community shadow governments divvy and monopolize the spatial managing power. Due to the social, cultural and natural environmental problems caused by the new settlement form of city region, the existing dual spatial policy, managing thought and planning system in Taiwan need to be redefined, and changed into urban- rural united system. Besides, we also need to construct the networks of regionalized local spatial governance for connecting the fragmented social and natural environment toward the sustainable eco-urban community and the healthy lifestyle in edge city.

The study explored the leisure styles of peri-urban youth living on the fringe of the city of Durban. Little is known about the leisure patterns of this marginalised segment of the urban population and an aim of this study was to begin to develop a knowledge-base using a holistic or multi-theme approach. Data was collected on the leisure activities, attitudes and the leisure setting of shack youth. Such information would be helpful in understanding the role which leisure plays and could play in the social development of shack youth. The research methodology, comprising qualitative interviewing in phase one (to gather contextual data) and a survey in phase two (to explore leisure patterns quantitatively), complemented the holistic focus by examining actors' leisure experiences and the wider leisure context. To interpret the research findings, socio-psychological models of leisure explained respondents' styles of leisure at the interpersonal level whilst at the macro-spatial level, findings were contextualised in an apartheid city 'framework to show the way the historical context has shaped present leisure patterns. In the context of shack life, leisure was found to be a strategy for survival and an alternative route to the satisfaction of higher order needs. Despite environmental constraints, respondents identified socio-spatial opportunities for leisure activities which they perceived to be freely chosen and enjoyable. The study concluded that leisure is a valuable tool which social policy makers and planners could use to develop the latent potential of young shack dwellers.
Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1994.

The Salmon River Watershed, Langley, B.C., is on the urban-rural fringe of the Greater Vancouver Regional District. A major aquifer within the Salmon River Watershed provides rural residents with drinking water and maintains stream flow during the summer. The highly mixed land use activities in the watershed, consisting of residential development, commercial agriculture and hobby farming, are resulting in non-point source nitrogen pollution of stream and groundwater. The purpose of this study was to determine how the type, intensity and changes in land use activities have affected water quality. Indicators such as nitrate-N, ammonia-N, orthophosphate, and faecal coliforms and streptococci were used to characterize water quality. Animal unit and septic system densities and nitrogen loading were used as land use indicators. Land use/water quality relationships were analyzed with a Geographic Information System (GIS). The Salmon River and its tributaries are relatively healthy. Most of the water quality indicators met the appropriate criteria for drinking water and aquatic life. Nitrate-N concentrations and microbial counts, however, have been and continue to be a concern. While nitrate-N was below the maximum drinking water quality criterion of 10 mg-N L'1 at all stations there are localized areas where nitrate-N concentrations are above background and reaching levels of concern (5 mg-N L"1). The highest nitrate-N concentrations were measured during low-flow conditions. This suggests that the nitrogen-polluted groundwater is affecting the stream during the summer. In contrast, faecal coliforms and streptocci counts were higher during high-flow conditions suggesting runoff from agricultural fields on which manure is spread in the late fall. More than 3,200 septic systems have been installed in the Salmon River Watershed between 1930 and 1994, a large number of which are located on the Hopington Aquifer. The pattern of increasing septic system densities closely matched the increase in streamwater nitrate-N from up to downstream in both the Salmon River mainstem and Coghlan Creek upstream of their confluence. Agricultural activities are concentrated on large commercial operations. However, hobby farms are becoming a more important component of the agricultural sector in the urban-rural fringe environment. There has been an overall decrease in animal numbers, mostly due to fewer cattle, poultry and pigs between 1986 and 1991. In contrast, horses and sheep, often associated with small farms, increased in number over the same time period. Animal unit densities increased from up to downstream in the Salmon River mainstem to its confluence with Coghlan Creek as does the streamwater nitrate-N concentration. In the Coghlan, however, animal unit densities did not vary, yet the nitrate-N values in this section of the stream increased the most. These results suggest that residential and agricultural uses are both sources of nitrogen in the Salmon mainstem, while septic systems are the primary source in Coghlan Creek. A nitrogen mass balance was used to quantify the sources (manure, fertilizers, the atmosphere and septic systems) and sinks (crop uptake, management losses, dentrification) of nitrogen in the watershed in order to determine the amount of surplus nitrogen being applied. The contribution of septic systems accounted for about 20 % of the surplus loading in the watershed, while large farms contributed about 68 % and small farms 12 % of the surplus loading. There is a poor linear relationship between high nitrate-N values in the stream and corresponding spatial inputs of nitrogen from manure, fertilizers and septic systems. This is due to the highly variable surficial geology, the complexity of groundwater hydrology and the spatial lag between areas of high nitrogen surplus applications and water quality sampling stations. The area near the Salmon River-Coghlan Creek confluence is the most affected section of streams in the watershed and should be used as the key site to monitor environmental quality in the watershed.