Term
Definiton
city
a relatively large, densely populated settlement with a much larger populated settlement with a much larger population than rural towns and villages
socioeconomic stratification
structuring of a society into distinct socioeconomic classes, including leadership that exercise control over goods and people
first urban revolution
The agricultural and socioeconomic innovations that led to the rise of the earliest cities
urban hearth areas
regions in which the world's first cities evolved
site
an absolute location of a place on Earth
situation
relative location of a place in reference to its surrounding features or its regional position with reference to other places
second urban revolution
The industrial innovations in mining and manufacturing that led to increased urban growth
metropolis
A very large and densely populated city, particularly the capital or major city of a country or region
urban area
self-governing place in the United States that contains at least 2500 people
suburbanization
The movement of people from urban core areas to the surrounding outer edges of the cities
sprawl
The tendency of cities to grow outward in an unchecked manner
edge city
A concentration of business, shopping, and entertainment that developed in the suburbs, outside of a city's traditional downtown or central business district
infill development
The building of new retail, business, or residential spaces on vacant or underused parcels in already-developed areas
world city
city that is a control center of the global economy, in which major decisions are made about the worlds commercial and financial networks
urban hierarchy
ranking of cities with the largest and most powerful at the top
primate city
A city that is much larger than any other city in the country and that dominates the country's economic, political, and cultural life
central place theory
A model, developed by Walter Christaller, that attempts to understand why cities are located where they are
central place
a settlement that makes certain types of products and services available to consumers
threshold
in central place theory, the number of people required to support businesses
range
in central place theory, the distance people will travel to acquire a good
gentrification
The displacement of lower-income residents by higher-income residents as an area or neighborhood improves
smart growth
policies that combat regional sprawl by addressing issues of population density and transportation
diverse housing options
policy that encourages building quality housing for people and families of all life stages and income levels in a range of prices within a neighborhood
new urbanism
An approach to city planning that focuses on fostering European-style cities of dense settlements, attractive architecture, and housing of different types and prices within walking distance to shopping, restaurants, jobs, and public transportation
greenbelt
A zone of grassy, forested, or agricultural land separating urban areas
zoning
The classification of land according to restrictions on its use and development
de facto segregation
racial segregation hat is not supported by law but is still apparent
redlining
The practice of identifying high-risk neighborhoods on a city map and refusing to lend money to people who want to buy property in those neighborhoods
affordability
The maximum price that a buyer can afford to pay for a house or apartment
environmental injustice
Occurs when certain groups carry a larger share of environmental risks and hazards than groups who have the power to influence decisions about the environment
environmental justice
The movement to fix environmental discrimination
squatter settlement
An area of degraded, seemingly temporary, inadequate, and often illegal housing
land tenure
The right to own or hold property; it defines the ways in which rights to that property are managed.
inclusionary zoning
municipal and county planning ordinances that require a given share of new construction to be affordable by people with low to moderate incomes.
exclusionary zoning
Zoning that attempts to keep low- to moderate-income people out of a neighborhood
urban renewal
Large-scale redevelopment of the built environment in downtown and older inner-city neighborhoods
fiscal imbalance
Occurs when a government must spend more than it receives in taxes
fiscal zoning
The practice of using local land-use regulation to preserve and possibly enhance the local property tax base
scattered developments
Subdivisions or developments that do not border on existing settlements and that remove agricultural land from production
ecological footprint
The total amount of natural resources used and their impact on the natural environment