Land Use is the term used to described the human use of land.

It represents the economic and cultural

(If there is a vacant lot or untended field near your house, visit it and look at it closely. Most probably
there are various trails or paths cutting through the property. These trails were not planned by an
architect or a city engineer; they were formed as people walked from one place to another. The very fact
that people will form a trail rather than walk randomly across the land indicates that natural factors favor
some routes over others. Some of these factors include the topography, vegetation, the location of the
nearby buildings, and the most efficient routes between them.)

At its best, land use planning incorporates the most placement of buildings, farms, roadways, and
facilities to preserve the beauty of the land as much as possible while at the same time minimizing
human effort. On the other hand, development of the land can be terribly ugly and can create a system
that encourages wasted energy, resources, effort, and time.

(This topic is concerned with the human settlement and use of the land surface of our planet. Both ideal
and real patterns are considered. Let me ask you first, “What factors would you consider if you were
asked to build a new model community on a previously underdeveloped piece of land?”)

Most land use planning must evolved around existing cities, but in a few places, entirely new towns are
built and the following needs must be considered:

1. Food. The most productive farmland is generally found on level plains or in river valleys. In arid
or semiarid zones, farmland should be located near a source of irrigation water.
2. Water. Rainwater collects in natural basins and then filters through the earth to concentrate in
rivers, ponds, or lakes. To ensure a permanent supply of water, the surface topography and
subsurface structure of soil and rock in a watershed either should not be altered only with great
care. Key watersheds might become recreational areas where no major construction or earth-
moving projects are allowed.
3. Waste Disposal. In a well-planned community, wastes are recycled. Products such as scrap
newspapers, metals and glass can be recycled by industrial processes. Sewage and food scraps
make excellent fertilizer. Therefore, waste disposal systems should be located near both
industrial and agricultural zones.
4. Living Spaces. Maximum efficiency can be realized if living spaces are: (a) located near places of
work and recreation to minimize the need for transportation, and (b) positioned favorably to
receive maximum sunlight for solar heating.
5. Industrial and Commercial Zones. These areas should be located near enough to living spaces to
minimize transportation needs but not so close that noise and pollution become bothersome.
Industrial and commercial zones should also be located near water, intercity or international
transportation systems, and sources of electricity.
6. Electrical Energy. Power plants must be located near source of cooling water. If plants are
located near industrial zones, waste heat losses can be minimized through cogeneration.
7. Recreational zones. Parks, woodlands, waterways, and mountains should be accessible as
possible.
8. Transportation Systems. If the rest of the community is well designed, transportation links
connecting the individual components will be short and centralized. If population centers and
industrial centers are both clustered, mass transit becomes practical. If the two zones are
sprawled out, however, people prefer to travel privately.

Land development creates impervious surfaces through construction of roads, parking lots, and other
structures. Impervious surfaces :

 Contribute to nonpoint source water pollution by limiting the capacity of soils to filter
runoff.
 Affect peak flow and water volume, which heighten erosion potential and affect habitat
and water quality.
 Increase storm water runoff, which can deliver more pollutants to water bodies that
residents may rely on for drinking and recreation. Storm runoff from urban and
suburban areas contains dirt, oils from road surfaces, nutrients from fertilizers, and
various toxic compounds.
  Affect groundwater aquifer recharge. Point source discharges from industrial and
municipal wastewater treatment facilities that can contribute toxic compounds and
heated water.

Some land development patterns, in a particular dispersed growth such as “suburbanization,” can
contribute to a variety of environmental concerns. For example:

 Increased air pollution due to vehicle use results in higher concentrations of certain air
pollutants in developed areas that may exacerbate human health problems such as asthma.
 Land development can lead to the formation of “heat islands" domes of warmer air over urban
and suburban areas that are caused by the loss of trees and shrubs and the absorption of more
heat by pavement, buildings, and other sources. Heat islands can affect local, regional, and
global climate, as well as air quality.