SYLLABUS
Land Use Analysis (Geography 572)
TTH 12:30 – 1:45 SH 113 Schedule # 21598
Fall 2014
Welcome to Land Use Analysis! In this class you will engage in a comprehensive theoretical
and practical approach to the examination of how we use land and plan for land uses in the
United States. The land ethic and its changes over time since European settlement to the
modern day, the processes involved in land use decisions, and the mechanics involved in
effecting these decisions are all discussed. We are particularly concerned with examining how
to plan land uses that are healthy for communities, are environmentally sound and that provide
positive benefits to the economy and society. Competing uses of land, including non-use, and
the environmental and social effects of use are reviewed, along with urban renewal, and
specific policies and regulations that are required in land use decisions at the local, state and
federal levels of government. This is a very practical course, one which will give you “real
world” valuable tools for land use analysis and planning. For example, some of the policies we
go over are local, state and federal, such as General Plans, the California Environmental Quality
Act and the National Environmental Policy Act. Also, in recognition of natural resource
planning, current sustainability concepts, such as “green design”, “smart growth”, and the tools
to achieve these, are given throughout the course.
Instructor: Diana Gauss Richardson
Office: Storm Hall 301B; Office hours: T 11:00 – noon, 2:00-3:30, W noon – 4:00, Th 11- noon,
and specific appointments. My door is usually open, so please feel free to drop by anytime.
Phone: 594-5476; email: drichard@mail.sdsu.edu
Check Blackboard (BB) for notices, assignments, posting of scores, other relevant course
information.
TEXTS:
1) Seven Rules for Sustainable Communities, Design Strategies for the Post-Carbon World, by
Patrick M. Condon, 2010
2) The Nature Principle, by Richard Louv, 2011
3) Articles and other readings will be posted on Blackboard
FORMAT:
Course format is lecture-based, supported by texts, readings, guest lectures, field trips, and a
special event:California Environmental Quality Act. This evolving policy directly affects most
land use decisions in CA. Even if you never use it, it is important to know how it applies to
development decisions. This half-day seminar (9:00am – 1pm) on Oct. 25 is a beginning course
in the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and is highly encouraged – save the date! (A
$40.00 fee for this class is charged by the College of Extended Studies; the fee is $25.00 if you
are a student AEP member.) Attendance at the event is worth 40 points. See* at end of
syllabus for more information.
Alternatively, if you cannot attend the seminar, you can prepare a research paper (5-6 pages)
summarizing the attributes of CEQA, addressing specific questions. This is also worth up to 40
points.
TERM PROJECT:
Factors involved in land use analysis and planning will be reviewed throughout the semester.
You will be given a project site, and will evaluate its suitability for development/redevelopment.
The following outline details the required product and due date. The term project is worth 150
points altogether. Any late assignments are worth half credit. We will visit the project site on
Sept. 13 at 9am. The location is in National City, and detailed directions will be posted on
Blackboard. (Waiver forms must be signed in order to attend this field trip.) Martin Reeder,
the City Planner for National City will work with you on this project, and will lead the field trip.
For the project site, we will examine the history, important policies, regulations and other
information that affect the site. These will include the General Plan Land Use Designation,
the Site Opportunities and Constraints (the physical/cultural/historical setting),
Environmental Policies pertaining to the site (CEQA, NEPA, USFWS, Coastal Act, CA Dept.
Fish and Wildlife, etc.), Neighborhood Dynamics and Needs (demographics, services,
mass/public transit opportunities, etc.), and ability to develop with Green/sustainable
design principles that you want to incorporate into your plan, and any other relevant
information. We will visit the site together as a class, and discuss many of these topics.
We’ll note surrounding land uses. Photographs of the site will help in your analysis; bring
your camera if you have one. Your final product will be 1) a land use analysis and 2) plan for
this site.
1) For the analysis, you will prepare a written report of approximately 5-6 pages (max 12 pt.
font, normal margins) that summarizes the key components of the analysis, including each
of the topic areas listed above. (Use subheadings for each of the topics.) Your integration
of material given in lecture and from the readings will be a big component of your grade on
this portion. The paper is worth 80 points and due on Dec. 2.
2) The site plan for the site will be a group project, with 4-5 people in a group. This plan will
be what you believe would be a sustainable, productive and sensitive use for the site, and
something that is consistent and/or compatible with the surroundings. The proposed land
use should be described in detail, as well as graphically detailed. You do not need to be an
artist or have skills to do the graphic representation – it can be a handwritten drawing – as
long as it shows how your proposed land uses are laid out on the site (site footprint). In the
description, you can use details, such as solar panels, landscaping, building footprints, any
water features, etc. Examples of the plan layout and description will be given in class.
You will receive an individual grade (30 pts. possible), and a group grade (40 pts. possible).
Each person in the group will be responsible for a particular component of the plan, and the
end product will be a team effort. We will work on a schedule for various tasks completion
during class.
Group presentations of projects will occur in the last two or three class sessions. Format
should be professional: nice dress, group dynamics worked out so that each person plays a
role, and power point slides to demonstrate topics.
TEXT REVIEWS:
Each of the two texts will be reviewed by answering questions pertaining to the chapters; these
will be due in class following the readings, and a schedule of the due dates is shown on the
Course Schedule. The text responses will be worth a total of 120 points.
ATTENDANCE:
Attendance will be taken randomly during the semester, and is worth 20 points altogether.
Student may be excused from class with no point penalty if arranged with me; contact me
before class to arrange excused absence.
EXAMS:
3 exams will include material from lecture and will be worth approximately 40 – 50 points each.
The dates for each are shown on the Course Schedule.
GRADES:
Your final grade is based on the total score at the end of semester. The total score will include
all assignments and attendance. Grading will be based on the following percentages: 92% + A;
90-91% A-; 89% B+; 81-88% B; 80% B-; 79 % C+; 70-78% C; 69% C-; 68% D+; 60-67% D.
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Students are expected to demonstrate knowledge gained in the following areas by their
performance in the responses to the readings, the term project, the quizzes, and class
participation. Major topics that students should demonstrate knowledge in: 1) changes in land
development perceptions over time in the U.S., 2) various mechanisms of planning and analysis
as described throughout the course, 3) examples of land uses at all levels of government, 4)
critically think through a development scenario, 5) think critically about healthy and sustainable
urban design, and 6) be aware of the planning/political process in land use decisions.
COURSE SCHEDULE We will follow the course schedule as outlined below. You are responsible
for knowing the information on this schedule; I may not remind you of upcoming assignments
due. If the schedule is amended, I will give you adequate notice so that you may adjust your
calendars.
Week of
Readings
AUG. 25
Topic
Introduction, Land Uses in
the U.S.; Historical
perspective on land use
planning.
SEPT. 1
General Plan
L Ch. 2-4
Louv (L) Ch. 1
Condon (C) Ch. 1
8
Government agencies
involved in land use
planning/decisions.
Guest speaker: Martin
Reeder, City of National City
(Th. 11th))
L Ch. 5-7
15
Regional Planning; SANDAG,
JPAs, Special Districts, LAFCO
L Ch. 8-10
22
“Sustainable” Development
L Ch. 11-13
“Green”
Design, LEED, “Smart Growth
EXAM 1 - Sept. 25 (material
through 9/18)
29
Oct. 6
Due Dates
Calif. Env. Quality Act –
history and events that led
to its adoption
L Ch. 14-17
Other state regulations incl.
CA Coastal Act, CA Fish and
Wildlife
L Ch. 18-20
Field trip to site 9 –
11am on Sept. 13
(Sat. morning)
RESPONSES to Louv,
Chpts. 1-7, C Chpt. 1
due Sept. 18
(all assignments are
due on the Thursday
of the week shown)
Responses to L Ch. 813
13
20
Site characteristics – topog.,
drainage, vege, etc.;
community; infrastructure;
etc.
L Ch. 21
The Nature of Cities (film)
EXAM 2 – Oct. 23 (material
incl. 9/23 – 10/21)
C Ch. 2
Responses to L Ch. 14 21
Oct. 25, 1/2-day CEQA
Workshop, 8:30 –
12:30
27
Nov. 3
Water! Considering water in
planning (GPs, site design)
C Ch. 3, 4
Federal agencies (NPS,
USFWS, USFS, BLM)
C Ch. 5-6
10
Federal requirements.
National Environmental Policy
Act, Endangered Species Act,
Clean Water Act
17
Examples of actual designs and
projects
24
Format for presentations.
No class Thursday –
Thanksgiving!
Dec. 1
8
Class presentations
Class presentations
EXAM 3 – Dec. 11 10:30 –
12:30 (material 10/27 through
11/25)
C Ch. 7 -8
Responses to C
Chpts. 2-6
Responses to C
Chpts. 7, 8
Project papers due
Dec. 2
CLASS COURTESY and ACADEMIC BEHAVIOR: It is important that courtesy be maintained
in the class. Basic courtesies include: not speaking while the professor or another student
is, remaining in your seat during the entire class period (i.e., taking care of personal
business before and after class, arriving on time and not leaving early), not dominating
questions/discussion time, and turning off cell phones, all electronics (generally, civil,
mature and respectable behavior). Of course, cheating and plagiarism are not tolerated –
complete course failure or failure of an assignment would ensue if either occurred. See
Academic Integrity below. Your attendance in this class confirms your commitment to
upholding these basic courtesies and behaviors.
Academic Integrity: The faculty and staff demand the highest levels of academic and
professional integrity in all work at San Diego State University. Plagiarism, cheating on
exams, copying another student’s work, or any other type of academic dishonesty, will be
referred directly to the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities for disciplinary action.
You will receive zero points on the exam or assignment.
Americans with Disabilities Act (DA) Accommodation: The University is committed to
providing reasonable academic accommodation to students with disabilities. The Student
Disability Services Office provides university academic support services and specialized
assistance to students with disabilities. Individuals with physical, perceptual, or learning
disabilities as addressed by the Americans with Disabilities Act should contact Student
Disability Services for information regarding accommodations. Please notify me so that
reasonable efforts can be made to accommodate you. If you expect accommodation
through the Act, contact the Student Disability Services Office at (619) 594-6473.
Website: http://www.sa.sdsu.edu/sds/sds-main/prospective-general-info.html
Source: http://bit.ly/z7Xv7K
This syllabus is intended to guide us through the course. However, circumstances can change
and so I reserve the right to change the syllabus/schedule as needed to ensure that we fulfill the
objectives of the course. You will receive full and fair notification regarding any such changes.
* The CEQA Workshop for Students is the first building block to understanding how to use and
apply the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and how it is implemented by local
agencies. Completion of the workshop will provide students with a strong base to develop further
CEQA knowledge. This training, which will focus on practical real-world applications, will
enhance the resume of each participant to demonstrate their mastery of the preeminent
environmental regulation/process in California. Topics covered will include:
·
Historical and political roots of CEQA
·
Mitigation monitoring
· Preparation and processing of CEQA documents Initial Study, Statutory and Categorical
Exemption, Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND), and Environmental Impact Report (EIR).
·
Information on careers in environmental planning
·
Skills that undergraduate and graduate students need to be most marketable.
1.
Date/Time: October 25, 2014 from 8:30-12:30
2.
Regular workshop fee: 40$ non-AEP member, 25$ AEP member
3.
Instructor: Mr. Kent Norton
Kent Norton has over 35 years of experience in CEQA and NEPA compliance throughout
Southern California. He is currently a Senior Environmental Planner with LSA Associates, Inc.
in the City of Riverside, but has worked in both the public and private sectors. He has prepared
and managed the preparation of hundreds of CEQA and NEPA compliance documents including
Initial Studies, Environmental Assessments, Categorical Exemptions, Negative Declarations,
Environmental Impact Reports, and Environmental Impact Statements. His projects range from
small urban infill developments to the subdivision of over 13,000 acres of land in the high desert
near Barstow, and EIRs for over a dozen large specific plans in Riverside and San Bernardino
counties. Over the years many of his environmental documents have won local and state awards
from both the AEP and APA. Mr. Norton holds a B.S. in Biological Science and an M.S. in
Environmental Studies from California State University Fullerton. His thesis on “Land Use
Planning for Sources of Non-Ionizing Electromagnetic Radiation” was published by the National
Technical Information Service as a handbook for planners when dealing with cellular telephone
towers, high voltage power lines, microwave communication towers, radio and television
broadcast towers, etc.