LOCATION THEORY

Dissatisfaction on the part of individuals and groups concerning their

relationships with the environment will lead them to take modifying
actions. These changes could include:
- the nature of the activity itself
- the space in which it was carried out
- its location with respect to all other activities
- the kinds of communications made with activities at other locations
- the channels which served to carry or transmit them
Modifying actions cause repercussions on other activities, spaces,
communications, and channels. Ex. when a man decides to leave his car
for work and uses the train, his action causes repercussions though how
trivial and unnoticeable. But if several hundred are to do the same, then
the effects would be noticeable
Actions taken by individuals and groups in interest can bring about
conditions which give rise to serious social, economic, and aesthetic
problems connected with the use of land.
Planning seeks to.
a) regulate or control the activity of individual and groups in such a way
as to minimize the bad effects which may arise.
b) promote better performance of the physical environment in
accordance with a set of broad aims and more specific objectives set
out in a plan.
Location theory.
- explains the pattern of land use
- indicates a solution to the problem of what is the most rational use of
land suggesting ways in which the current pattern can be improved.

Johann-Heinrich Von Thunen’s Location Theory Postulated that

around a center town…
…a rural land of constant fertility assumed different forms
The type of land use varies with distance away from the market.

…land use diminishing intensely in reverse relation to inceased distance from the town.
The intensity of production declines with distance away from the market.
Overall use pattern might be modified by the existence of a navigable river.
…cost of river transport are low especially for bulky commodities compared to fairly high
transport overland.

Further modification might occur if a small city with its own production zone is located within the
land use pattern of the main settlements.

Von Thunen model assumed unlikely conditions such as production taking

place around an isolated market place and soil being of constant
fertility. However, it established a distance-cost relationship which
recently became the basis of urban location theory.
- as price mechanism largely decides the profitability or utility of goods
and services, it subsequently determines the location of activity and the
spatial structure of the urban area supplying these goods and services

- land in greatest demand would be as near as possible to the market

on account of low transport costs.
- the highest rent would be gained for this advantage and the highest
value output per hectare would accrue.
- outer belt would have little demand for land because of transport
costs.
- rent would be low and the value of extensive production would be
correspondingly low.
William Alonso’s Bid-Rent Theory
Rents diminish outward from the center of a city to offset both lower revenue and higher
operating cost and not least transport cost.
…a rent gradient would compensate for falling revenue and higher operating costs.
…different land uses would have different rent gradients, the use with the highest
gradient prevailing.

A change of use could be expected to take place through the price mechanism when one gradient
falls below another.
Assumed that the urban area has a single nucleus and that the market for land is perfect.
Walter Christaller’s Central Place Theory
Under very unusual circumstances, one might find that among a group of cities, no single city has
unique site location advantages over others. This might happen out on a vast plain, where there
are no navigable rivers, waterfalls or ports. In instances like this, situation advantages come to
the fore, and a regular, geometric pattern of cities may emerge. This process was more
pronounced when transportation was primitive, and the friction of distance was considerable, but
it can still be witnessed by picking up a map of almost any flat region of the earth.
This diagram represents an idealized urban hierarchy in which people travel to the closest local
market for lower-order goods, but must go to a larger town or city for higher orders goods.

The most disticntive characteristics of urban areas, which distinguishes it from rural area, is the
high concentration of activities and people. The price of urban land tend to be hihger than rural
land due to the competition between different uses to make use of the advantages offered by sites
of high accessibility.Accessibility to commercial and industrial areas is important for many
reasons, including a decrease in transportation cost. Agglomeration economics also tend to
evolve in places of high accessibility. Access is also important to residential location. The
importance of accessibility is illustrated when the utility of particular sites depends upon monetary
factors such as travelling cost to work, schools, shops, and public and private open space, and
upon non-monetary considerations such as peace and quiet(or the converse, compatible
neighbors, fresh air and other less tangible amenities.

Major characteristics normally used when evaluating the attractivenesss of a residential locations,
are the following:
• Physical characteristics of the neighborhood such as a housing structures.
• Socio-econimic characteristics such as the characteristics of people living in the
neighborhood.
• Public services such as quality of schools, roads and local recreation.
• Environmental qualities such as topographical feature, landscape and weather.
• Accessibility of the neighborhood in terms of the site to which the household commonly
travels.

The increased distance from the CBD also increases the opportunity cost of communiting. The
increased opportunity cost of commuting tends to orient the optimal location toward the city’s
center wjere access is best. Which pull will dominate cannot be determined theoritically and may
be illustrated with the help of a simple diagram.
Initially, the household is in equilibrium at point M. as income increases, the household will
relocate because the desire for more space plus the cheaper land near the fringe is stronger than
the increased pull of the desire for better access. A relocation to M’ would reflect the stronger
space pull caused by the income increase. The contrast suggests that the trade-off is affected by
attitude regarding the value of non-work time and preferred living accommodation.

LOCATIONAL DETERMINANTS OF COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL USE

A. COST
- price and rent of land fall with increased distance from the CBD.
- wages are higher in the center
…local demand for labor being greater than local supply.
…commuting costs need to be offset by higher remuneration. (transport
cost more of a reflection of accessibility than distance)
- locations close to junctions, nodes and terminals are particularly
favored maximizing proximity to suppliers and markets.
- decentralized shopping centers are being developed following road
improvement and increased car ownership.
- modern manufacturing industry relies increasingly on heavy road
vehicles for long distance transportation and incurs lower transport
costs on the fringes of cities than at more central locations.

B. REVENUE
- retailing revenue is determined by the size of the shopping
catchment area or hinterland, not just in terms of population but in
terms of purchasing power.
- distribution of the day-time population and points of maximum
transit (where people cluster together) are also important.
- in the case of offices, the spatial distribution, number and size of
client establishments determine revenue.
- revenue is thus greatest within the CBD and so are the aggregate
costs.
…as distance from the center increases, revenue falls and aggregate
costs (after falling initially) rises.
…this is due to the upward pull of transport costs, which are no longer
offset sufficiently by economies in the use of land and labor.
…only within a fairly short distance from the CBD are commercial users
able to realize high profitability.
C. PROFITABILITY
- to maximize profits, firms need to locate where they can benefit
from both the greatest revenue and from the lowest costs.
- specialized functions and activities serving the urban market as a
whole will locate centrally.
- firms requiring large sites and those attempting to reduce costs of
over-concentration will be attracted to the suburbs.
- firms locating close together to benefit from complementary will
incur lower costs because of external economies and enjoy higher
revenue due to joint demand.
…since there is a high degree of inertia, most firms find it difficult to
adjust their locations to the optimum.
…a satisfactory rather than ideal location moreover is established by
zoning and land use controls.
A mixture of interacting influences usually explain each locational
decision.
…as price mechanism largely decides the profitability or utility of
goods and services, it subsequently determines the location of activity
and the spatial structure of the urban area supplying these goods and
services
…high levels of accessibility within the CBD are reflected in low
transport cost attracting greatest demand for commercial sites
…conversely, low over-all accessibility and high transport cost outside
urban areas will attract a much lower level of demand.
…other possible influences: changes in population, technology and
transportation, pressures from redeveloped central areas and local and
central government policy.

D. LOCATION
A factor which, as propagated by the adage "location, location,
location" is considered to be the foremost determinant in the catalyzing
of the decision to purchase.

True in the practice of conventional suburban development

Downside being that a preexistence of excellence in location is

invariably associated with high cost of land acquisition

Created by proximity to a desirable factor such as transportation, a

waterfront, a slope, a long vista, a pleasant climate, a popular resort,
or a desirable community

Only method to economically achieve the value added by location is to

create it on inexpensive land through Planned Neighborhood Development.
Types of Urban Planning Concepts

The process of building and designing urban areas is known as urban planning. The usage of open
space, air, water, and the built environment, which includes buildings, transportation, economic, and
social functions, are included in urban planning. Most often than not, an urban plan is used as part
of a broader city plan.

Urban town planning encompasses a wide range of city-life features, including new and pre-existing
land, buildings, roads, public spaces, transit, economic growth, infrastructure, and the environment,
to name a few. These elements were grouped into distinct conceptual categories.
These are frequently referred to as types of urban planning. Still, it’s crucial to remember that they’re
not mutually exclusive—a unified urban plan should encompass many, if not all, of the areas listed
below.
1. Strategic Urban Planning
Setting high-level objectives and establishing preferred areas of development for a city or metropolitan
region is the focus of strategic urban planning. A strategic plan, also known as a development plan,
core strategy, or comprehensive plan, is the end outcome of the planning process.

The strategic plan’s objectives might include enhancing city transit, developing additional communal
spaces, increasing inhabitants’ quality of life, and enticing people to visit or relocate to the city. This is
usually the highest level of the planning process, and other planning elements will usually fit into this
sort of plan.
2. Land-Use Planning
Land-use planning is primarily concerned with law and policy, including the adoption of planning
instruments such as governmental laws, regulations, rules, codes, and policies to impact land use.

These planning tools address the kind, location, and quantity of land required to carry out various
municipal tasks on a general level. They may also be used to zone or reserve land for specific uses,
such as:

Consultation with the community and key stakeholders, like with other kinds of urban planning, is an
essential aspect of land-use planning to promote transparency and include diverse interests into the
final plan.
Transportation, commercial, and industrial planning should flow naturally into the strategic plan if
communicated properly.
3. Master Planning
Master planning is often used for green field development projects or construction on previously
undeveloped land when beginning from scratch rather than changing existing buildings or areas.

This style of urban planning predicts what a particular location will look like in the future and what it
will take to get there.
To make the project practicable, urban planners must consider the needed zoning (from the land-use
plan) and infrastructure, such as residential and commercial property, transit considerations, road
placements, and so on.

It must also determine where community facilities, schools, parks, and other urban amenities will be
located. Again, communicating with landowners and government organizations who will be affected
by the proposal is critical.
Town planners may also need to hire experienced consultants to gain vital knowledge and insights,
ensuring that the design incorporates all possible perspectives and guarantee that the finished area
is successful for years to come.
4. Urban Revitalization
Urban revitalization, in contrast to master planning, focuses on improving regions that are in decline.
The precise definition of a declining area varies per city—for example, parts with a high number of
failed companies or population growth that is static or falling.
Repairing roads, expanding infrastructure, cleaning up pollution, and adding to parks and other public
spaces are some of the revitalization strategies used by city officials, depending on the main reason
for the decline.

Residents and business owners frequently offer insights that may assist in influence and adjust
planning efforts. Therefore, community participation is crucial with this urban planning idea.
To achieve the lofty apartments, need to convert the land use from industrial to residential, or may
need to incorporate environmental planning to clean up any issues from prior use cases.
5. Economic Development
Economic development is the process of finding areas for expansion to encourage more financial
success inside a community, particularly by luring businesses to construct or relocate their offices
there.

Following that, such businesses recruit local employees and boost commuter traffic to the new
location. Increased exposure and spending in the neighborhood will result from more employees
eating lunch at local eateries, obtaining gas at adjacent gas stations, and stopping by local grocery
shops on their way home.

Because an economic development department may be separate from a municipality’s planning

department, it’s critical to assist that group in navigating Land Use Plans, Master Plans, and
Infrastructure Plans to verify that any development proposals are feasible. It will, of course, be
necessary to collaborate with environmental plans.
6. Environmental Planning
Environmental planning is a sort of strategic planning that focuses on long-term sustainability.

Air pollution, noise pollution, wetlands, endangered species habitats, flood zone vulnerability, and
coastal zone erosion, among other environmental issues affecting the link between natural and
human systems, are all considered in this sort of urban design.

Along with master, revitalization, and infrastructure plans, environmental plans must be prepared.
There are a lot of processes and criteria. While it may seem complicated, it will be preferable in the
long run if all ideas work nicely together.
7. Infrastructure Planning
Infrastructure planning is concerned with the basic facilities and processes that serve a city and its
residents and how such facilities might support the strategic plan’s aims. This category of urban
planning includes:

 Public works infrastructure: This includes water supply, sewage, electricity, and
telecommunications.
 Community infrastructure: This includes schools, hospitals, and parks.
 Safety and transportation: This includes roads, police, and fire stations.
What is the 15-minute city?
By: AR. Amado de Jesus - @inquirerdotnet
Philippine Daily Inquirer / 08:38 PM January 28, 2022

Cities should be redesigned so that from your home, you should be able to walk or bike to several desirable community
amenities, facilities, and services within a 15-minute span of time.
—The Maastricht, The Netherlands/ Gall Freund

The scene is all too familiar for many of us—the dreaded and painful daily commute as we travel
back and forth to work every day. Sitting in traffic for hours both ways, not knowing what time we
can get to our destination, is stressful both mentally and physically.

Based on the 2015 Global Satisfaction conducted by Waze, Metro Manila has the “worst traffic in
Southeast Asia.” This is one of the main reasons why Manila is known as a chaotic city.

Some foreign visitors are perplexed that the average citizens seem to take all this horrendous
traffic calmly. Is it simply complacency or resignation that makes him accept it as inevitable?
Some say it is the Filipino’s patience that helps him cope with it.

Long commutes and getting stuck in traffic for long hours are major concerns of many cities the
world over. Today, this problem is being addressed by an innovative concept called the 15-minute
city.
A possible list of services to be provided in a 15-minute walk will vary from community to community. They may include
playgrounds, green parks, grocery stores, drug stores, schools and libraries, hardware stores, restaurants, coffee
shops, dental and medical services.—moveBuddha

What is the 15-minute city?

According to French-Colombian scientist Carlos Moreno who developed the urban planning
concept, cities should be redesigned so that from your home, you should be able to walk or bike
to several desirable community amenities, facilities and services within a 15-minute span of time.
The concept has been described as a return to a local way of life, “living locally”.

Why 15 minutes?
It is estimated that most able-bodied people, can walk up to a quarter of a mile or slightly over a
kilometre within a 15-minute timespan. A possible list of services to be provided in a 15-minute
walk will vary from community to community. These may include playgrounds, green parks,
grocery stores, drug stores, schools and libraries, hardware stores, restaurants, coffee shops,
dental and medical services.
What are the benefits?
Top of the list are the health benefits. Proximity and ease of access promote walking, which helps
reduce the growing problem of obesity. The concept also helps cut greenhouse gas emissions as
there is no need for people to move about the community to do basic errands.

This concept is especially adoptable during the time of the pandemic as people see the benefits
of living where public facilities are closer to home.

How do we create 15-minute cities?

The first thing to do is to make an inventory of what the city has to offer. Cities need to review
what existing resources they have and how they are being used starting with spaces. We need to
ask who is using it and why? What are the services available in the city? Are there health care
centers, marketplaces, shops, cultural life? What about green spaces and schools? Are there
offices and housing provisions?

Here are three key features of a 15-minute city:

 The beat of the city should follow humans, not cars.
 Each space in the community should be used for many different things.
 The neighborhood should be designed to allow people to live, work and prosper in them
without the hassle of constantly commuting somewhere else.

The neighborhood should be designed to allow people to live, work and prosper in them without the hassle of constantly
commuting somewhere else. —Tomorrow.City
The first city to adopt the 15-minute city concept was Paris, France, in 2019. The plan of Mayor
Anne Hidalgo includes a massive decentralization, increasing bike lanes and developing them
into spaces of leisure, building more green spaces, transforming existing infrastructure and using
many areas in the city for varied things and activities—which is the central theme of the 15-minute
city.

In 2015, I wrote about the plans of Paris under Mayor Hidalgo who has been mayor since 2014.
She laid out a program to improve the quality of life of its residents and visitors by adopting a
green concept to develop innovative re-vegetation programs so that nature is not limited to parks,
gardens and forested areas but spread out through highly developed neighbourhoods and
buildings. Project completion was set for 2020.

During her current term of office, she aims to transform Paris into a people-friendly city, which
includes removing space for cars and boosting space for cyclists and pedestrians.

Incidentally, Mayor Hidalgo won a second term over two other candidates based on her
environmental platform of improving the quality of life in the city.

The concept has inspired urban planners and policymakers all over the world, including North
America.

How wonderful if Metro Manila could adopt some of the ideas from the redevelopment plans of
Paris. With all the promises that our politicians are offering the people, the idea of improving the
quality of life in the city should be on top of their list. Metro Manila could certainly use some
innovation in our approach to improving city life. It may be just exactly what we need in this time
of the pandemic.

The author is the principal architect of A.P de Jesus & Associates–Green Architecture and vice
chairman of the Philippine Green Building Initiative. For comments or inquiries,
email [email protected]
https://business.inquirer.net/339793/what-is-the-15-minute-city#ixzz7MKK5n7Pa

“I would like to live in a self-sustainable city. As an urban planner, I focus on

the importance of neighbourhood planning and the 15-minute city offers you
that self-sustainability.”
Maimunah Mohd Sharif, Executive Director of UN-Habitat
LEARNING TASK:

Your 15-Minute City

There are a number of communities where you have all of your essential items within
a 15-minute drive, but potentially less than one essential location in a walk. So you
map out local services to see how close your neighborhood comes to the ideal. It is a
way to show this contrast in spatial makeup.

The map will show how many services can be accessed from your address. Show the
contrast in the accessibility between walking and driving.

The map tells you if your own neighborhood qualifies as a “15-minute city”. Can you
say if your own neighborhood qualifies as a 15-minute city? Is it possible that your
neighborhood will move in this direction? Can this concept be used as a framework for
urban planning?

So, do you live in a 15-minute locality?

Can you find out if you can meet all your needs within a 15-minute walk from your house?
Is it possible to meet your basic needs within a 15-minute walk or bike ride?
Can you map it out? Can your map tell if you live in a 15-minute locality?
Very well then, let’s get started.

INSTRUCTION: Identify and locate your basic needs within a 15-minute walk and bike
ride from your house. Show the contrast in the accessibility and spatial make-up
between walking and driving. Write a brief analysis and assessment of your 15-minute
city.

RUBRIC: E S P W Pts
Identified the basic needs 5 3 1 1 5
Located the basic needs 5 3 1 1 5
Presented the contrast in accessibility 5 3 1 2 10
Presented the contrast in spatial make-up 5 3 1 2 10
Used visual tool/s to convey analysis 5 3 1 1 10
Written analysis and assessment 5 3 1 1 10
TOTAL 50

E-Exemplary S-Satisfactory P-Poorly W-Weight Pts-Points

COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING
Introduction
An old saying amongst those in the planning profession is that if you fail to plan, what you are in
reality doing is planning to fail. Communities are always facing this dilemma. If the community you
work, play, and live in does not have a plan for its future, what ultimately may happen is that the
community will fail to adapt to change and to take advantage of opportunities.

The concept of comprehensive planning is very much related to the economic prosperity of
communities. A comprehensive plan can be a tool for planning the future growth or decline of a
local community. Most importantly, a comprehensive plan can be used to address the constant
change and evolution of a community. Comprehensive plans are sometimes referred to as land
use plans—they often deal with issues related to the appropriate uses of land. In many cases,
comprehensive plans are prepared to address compatibility issues between various uses of
land, management and preservation of natural resources, identification and preservation of
historically significant lands and structures, and adequate planning for infrastructure needs. In
other instances, comprehensive plans are utilized to address issues related to schools,
recreation, and housing.

Early on, this planning process was referred to as the “City Beautiful Movement.” This
movement established two aspects of the local comprehensive planning process that are still in
use:
(1) The professional consultant in the field of comprehensive land use planning, and
(2) The planning commission, which is used in communities all across the country.
The City Beautiful Movement was the beginning of what is more commonly referred to today as
“Comprehensive Planning.”
What Is a Comprehensive Plan?
Comprehensive planning is an attempt to establish guidelines for the future growth of a
community. As the term “comprehensive” suggests, this is an all-inclusive approach to
addressing the issue of a community’s future growth. A comprehensive plan is the formal
document produced through this process. The document is official in nature, meaning that it is
designed to be adopted into law by some form of local government. The document should then
serve as a policy guide to decisions about community development.

According to William I. Goodman, a well-known author on the subject of comprehensive planning,

the key principle in the concept of the comprehensive plan is that it is an instrument to be used by
community leaders who establish the policies and make the decisions regarding physical
development. According to Goodman, the plan document should fulfil six basic requirements:

1. It should be comprehensive.
2. It should be long-range.
3. It should be general.
4. It should focus on physical development.
5. It should relate physical design proposals to community goals and social and economic policies.
6. It should be a policy instrument first, and a technical instrument only second.

Goodman goes on to say that the procedure for creating a comprehensive plan also has five basic
requirements:

1. There should be only one official comprehensive plan.

2. The legislative body should formally adopt the plan.
3. There should be a lengthy period of public debate prior to adoption.
4. The plan should be available and understandable to the public.
5. The plan should be formulated to capitalize on its educational potential.

What Is Included Within a Comprehensive Plan?

The elements of a comprehensive plan can vary from community to community. In most cases
though, the plan consists of a study of existing conditions and a discussion of future trends, goals,
and objectives. Land use patterns, housing conditions, population, roadways, and other
infrastructure issues are usually the principle elements that are studied.

In some cases, educational facilities are reviewed along with recreational and other government
facilities. Social service facilities may also be discussed. Comprehensive plans deal with the land-
use-related issues relevant to each of these topics.
The Comprehensive Planning Process
A comprehensive plan should be a vision of what a community is to be in the future. The process
of developing this plan should be a community-wide effort. All interest groups should play a part
in delineating this vision. Specific goals and objectives should be developed along with a time
frame for implementation. The contents of a comprehensive plan can vary from community to
community, but in most cases, a plan should consist of the following elements:

1. land use (both existing and future),

2. demographics (existing and projected),
3. housing,
4. infrastructure,
5. education,
6. recreation, and
7. thoroughfares.

The first phase of the process consists of collecting all available data on these topics. A citizens’
participation process should also be developed.
Getting Organized
Before any work begins on the comprehensive plan, a leader should be appointed to coordinate
this project. A committee should also be appointed to provide direction to the person or persons
held responsible for developing the plan. A popular scenario is for the county commissioners or
village (city) council to appoint the committee and assign the task of leading the process to an
administrative department head or consultant.

Data Collection
One of the first steps in the comprehensive planning process is to collect data on existing
conditions. The data collected should relate to each of the elements that will make up the plan.
For example, obtaining existing zoning maps or land use maps that have been developed in
the past can be a starting point for reviewing current land use information. If this information is not
available, it may be necessary to conduct a survey of the existing uses of land. A classification
system identifying the various types of land use must then be developed. Typically, existing land
uses can be identified as falling into three major categories: residential, commercial, or
industrial. Additional categories can include recreation/open space, agricultural, and
government. You can then break down each major category into other classifications. For
example, you can have multi-family (meaning more than one unit) and single family as two
classifications within the residential land-use category. The industrial land use category can be
divided into heavy industrial classifications or light industrial classifications. Each parcel of land
within the community should be classified and identified on a map with a specific classification.

If housing is an element of the comprehensive plan, data regarding existing housing in the
community must be collected. Information pertaining to conditions, age, number of units, whether
or not each unit has adequate plumbing and kitchen facilities, and whether the unit is owner- or
renter-occupied could be relevant The Census Bureau can also provide data related to the
demographics of the community population. However, a more detailed house-by-house survey
may also be desired.

If the comprehensive plan is to include a study of transportation, then the community’s existing
roadway system should be evaluated. Reviewing existing maps of the community can initiate this
process. A review of current transportation services can also be included as part of the
transportation element.

Various methods for collecting data can be used. The best approaches vary depending on what
elements are to be included in the comprehensive plan. It is important to remember that most
information needed for planning is already available through a number of sources.

Analyzing Data
Once the data has been collected, the next step in the comprehensive planning process is to
analyse it. The coordinator and committee should take time to study data provided for each of the
planning categories. The data should be analysed for trends or other significant considerations.
Upon thorough review and analysis, the next step in the process is to come up with goals and
objectives.

Goal Setting
The comprehensive plan should conclude with a set of recommendations established by the
committee. The recommendations should be presented in the form of goals and objectives. The
objectives should consist of strategies for addressing each of the main goals.
Citizen Participation
Throughout the entire comprehensive planning process, citizen input should be obtained. After
all, the comprehensive plan is a document for the community. The citizens of the community
should have a say regarding the future of their community. There are a number of ways to obtain
citizen input:

1. Hold a series of open forums or public meetings to obtain public comment.

2. Distribute news releases explaining what is being worked on and inviting written comments.
3. Include a citizen survey as part of the comprehensive planning process and incorporate the
results into the body of the plan.

Citizen input helps to determine the goals and objectives of the plan.

Conclusion
Land is a basic resource on which human activity ultimately depends. Comprehensive planning
is a tool for determining how to use this resource.
 LAND USE PLANNING

LAND-USE PLANNING
Land use planning is a public policy exercise that designates and regulates the use of land in
order to improve a community’s physical, economic, and social efficiency and well-being. By
considering socioeconomic trends as well as physical and geographical features (such as
topography and ecology), planning helps identify the preferred land uses that will support local
development goals. The final outcome is allocation and zoning of land for specific uses, regulation
of the intensity of use, and formulation of legal and administrative instruments that support the
plan. A land use plan may be prepared for an urban area, a rural area, or a region encompassing
both urban and rural areas.
LAND USE
 Land use refers to the manner of utilization of land, including its allocation development
and development.
 It is the human use of Land.
 It involves the management and modification of natural environment or wilderness into
built environment such as fields, pastures and settlements.

LAND USE-OBJECTIVES
 To promote efficient utilization, acquisition and disposition of land and ensure the highest
and best use of land.
 To direct, harmonize and influence discussions and activities of the private and public
sectors relative to the use and management of lands.
 To reconcile land use conflicts and proposals between and among individuals, private and
government entities relative to the present and future need of the land.
 To promote desirable patterns of land uses to prevent wasteful development and minimize
the cost of public infrastructure and utilities and other social services to preserve areas of
ecological, aesthetics, historical and cultural significance.
URBAN LAND USE-CLASSIFICATION
 Residential
o Low Density
o Medium Density
o High Density
 Commercial
o Land that is set aside for commercial activities.
 Major Central Business Districts in Urbanized areas.
 Minor Central Business Districts in less Urbanizes areas.
 High way service centers or commercial strips.
 Neighbourhood Center.
 Industrial
o Land that used for industrial; factories, ware house, power plants, or places of
resource extraction (like mines).
 Institutional
o Land that covers the major public and semi-public uses.
 Open Space
o Land that is now vacant or left in a natural state or land that is for recreational use.
o Parks/ Playgrounds and other recreational areas.
o So called “Non- functional open spaces” and includes lands reserve for greenbelts
and buffer zones; and other vacant lands reserved for specific or functional
purposes.
 Transportation
o Land that is used for moving people and goods from one place to another.
LAWS THAT ENSURE RATIONAL LAND USE AND SUSTAINABLE URBAN AND REGIONAL
DEVELOPMENT
 Executive Order No. 72
Providing for the preparation and implementation of the Comprehensive Land Use Plans
(CLUPs) of Local Government Units pursuant to the Local Government Code of 1991 and
other pertinent laws.
 Memorandum Circular No. 54
Prescribing the guidelines of Sec. 20, R.A. 7160, authorizing cities/ municipalities to
reclassify lands into non-agricultural uses.
 Executive Order No. 124
Establishing priorities and procedures in evaluating areas for land conversion in regional
agricultural/industrial centres, tourism development areas and sites for socialized housing
 Presidential Decree 1517
Laws that protect the rights of tenants and occupants of lands within Urban Land Reform
Zones / Areas for Priority Development (ULRZ /APD)
CONCEPTS OF LAND USE: BEST USE OF LAND
 The use of land which generates the maximum profit without negative consequences
especially on the environment.
 Land should be used in such a manner consistent with its natural qualities to maximize its
productivity and also adhere to the principles of sustainable development.
 Utilizing land in a manner that is beneficial to both man and environment.

LAND USE PLANNING

 Refers to the rational and judicious approach of allocating available land resources to
different land.
 Refers to a document embodying a set of policies accompanied by maps and similar
illustration.

LAND USE PLANNING PRINCIPLES

 Evaluate and record unique features.
 Preserve unique cultural and historical features.
 Conserve open space and environmental features.
 Calculate additional charges for altering land.
 Plan for mixed uses in close proximity.
 Plan variety of transportation option.
 Set limits and manage growth patterns.
 Encourage development in areas of existing infrastructure.
 PHYSICAL PLANNING

PHYSICAL PLANNING
Physical planning is a design exercise that uses the land use plan as a framework to propose the
optimal physical infrastructure for a settlement or area, including infrastructure for public services,
transport, economic activities, recreation, and environmental protection. A physical plan may be
prepared for an urban area or a rural area. A physical plan for an urban region can have both
rural and urban components, although the latter usually predominates. A physical plan at a
regional scale can also deal with the provision of specific regional infrastructure, such as a
regional road or a bulk water supply system.
DEFINITION
 Planning efforts that shape the built environment in direct ways, such as location, layout
and construction of infrastructure elements (streets, sidewalks, open spaces, waterways,
public buildings, utilities, etc).
 Cumulatively sets out the physical framework of a place. It may also include things like
regulation of property (i.e., land-use and subdivision codes) which also shapes built
outcomes in a different way.

DIFFERENTIATING THE PLANNING PROCESS FOR URBAN, RURAL, AND REGIONAL

CONTEXTS
While the generic planning process, as well as the core issues that the process addresses, will
remain largely similar in urban, rural, and regional contexts, there are differences that need to be
recognized.

Urban areas
The planning process in urban areas tends to be more complex and prone to conflict and
contestation. Land values are higher, property ownership is more complex, and flexibility to
change land uses is often more limited. It is important to acknowledge that land use planning is
going through a paradigm shift across the world. From an earlier, purist approach of exclusive
zones for specific uses (e.g., residential, commercial), there is a shift toward appropriate mixes of
compatible uses (e.g., residential with small businesses, institutional with offices). From an earlier
approach of flat, low-density urban development, there is a shift toward more compact cities with
variable density correlated with urban transport systems. Other distinctive characteristics of urban
planning include the following.
  Developed or built-up areas predominate. Therefore, the land use plan needs to reflect
and plan for diverse land uses.
 The demand for infrastructure will be higher (in both quantitative and qualitative terms)
and the provision of infrastructure more complex and costly. Therefore, housing
reconstruction must be closely coordinated with the development of infrastructure.
 Urban land use planning has an immediate and highly visible impact on urban land values.
Therefore, a transparent approach to planning is essential.
 Urban areas are more likely to have agencies that undertake planning and regulation as
well as professionals for design and supervision. Therefore, the approach to Disaster Risk
Reduction is usually based on planning and regulation.
 Investments in urban settlements and infrastructure during reconstruction should
contribute to already-established urban development goals.

Rural areas
The settlements and associated built-up areas form a relatively small part of the larger landscape.
Land values are lower, and, while ownership and titling issues exist, they can often be resolved
relatively easily through participation. Land values are lower, and, while ownership and titling
issues exist, they can often be resolved relatively easily through participation. The sense of
ownership is higher in rural areas, and the social structure plays a major role in the dynamics of
reconstruction. However, community participation is fully achievable in a rural context. Other
features of rural planning include the following.
 Land use plans need to respond more significantly to natural features, such as geology,
topography, hydrology, and ecology. The classification of uses within a settlement will
assume less significance while in the larger landscape will reflect the diversity of uses in
agriculture, animal husbandry, forestry, and other related activities.
 Institutional arrangements for regulating development are non-existent in rural areas of
most developing nations; there may be no designated planning agency whatsoever. The
approach to DRR should be based on building awareness and training construction
workers.
 A land use plan in a rural area may not dramatically change land values, but can still have
a significant impact on the sustainability of development.
 Physical planning may be limited to a basic road network and essential services within the
settlement. However, there may be planning required to support agriculture and other rural
livelihoods.
 Housing is usually designed and built by owners themselves or by local masons. It is
important that building regulations are responsive to the local cultural context.

Regions
Regional plans become relevant if there are reconstruction requirements or vulnerability mitigation
issues that are spread over large, geographically integrated areas. For example, if the road
network in a large area has been damaged or if an entire floodplain has attracted high-risk land
uses, a regional plan may be the appropriate vehicle. Coastal zones also may have special
planning or regulatory regimes that govern set-backs and land uses across multiple jurisdictions.
Other considerations with regional planning include the following.
  A regional land use plan will deal with macro-level issues, like locations of settlements,
protection of forests, and management of coastal zones, river basins, and floodplains.
However, such plans by themselves will not be enough to guide the post-disaster
reconstruction process.
 Physical planning at the regional scale will primarily look at the facilities for regional
infrastructure, such as regional roads, structures for watershed management, and bulk
water pipelines.
 The institutional arrangements for regional planning can vary from state or provincial
governments to special agencies set up to coordinate development in a particular zone.
Their planning capability will vary.
 Regional plans are often developed with an economic focus. Their utility in a post-disaster
context may be to connect disaster recovery to the economic goals set out in the plan.
 Regional plans have to be complemented by plans for the rural and urban areas within
the region.

GENERIC CONTENT OF A COMPREHENSIVE POST-DISASTER RECONSTRUCTION PLAN

PHYSICAL PLAN
Several key elements of physical planning are listed here. Planning may address them
collectively, or each may be dealt with separately if the situation demands it.

 Road layout
o What is the existing road network in the settlement or region?
o Is it adequate for speedy evacuation and rescue in the event of a disaster?
o Are new road connections required to reduce risk and enhance preparedness?
o Are new roads required to provide connectivity to housing reconstruction locations?
o What is the extent of damage to roads?
o Are engineering improvements required?

The output of this component will include road network maps and project briefs for road
construction.
 Plot layout
This relates to proposed housing reconstruction. While detailed design of housing layouts is
a separate activity, at the planning stage it is important to prepare at least a conceptual layout
of the proposed housing to ensure that the land allocation is adequate and that major issues
have been addressed. The output is a set of plot layout plans.

 Planning for infrastructure and services

This component deals with network alignments and land allocation for infrastructure services.
The critical services include water supply, wastewater management, solid waste
management, and storm-water management. Power supply and telecommunications
networks may also be important. In all these cases, the existing systems need to be
documented and proposed improvements need to be conceptually worked out to the extent
that is required for assessing

 Planning for public buildings and social infrastructure

This component deals with allocation of land for facilities related to health, education,
government, recreation, community development, and disaster shelters. In the planning
process, the questions that need to be addressed are:
o What facilities existed pre-disaster?
o Should refuges be built?
o What is the extent of damage?
o Do any facilities need relocation?
o Were pre-disaster facilities adequate?
o What does the reconstruction policy envisage: restoration of pre-disaster levels or
improvement?
o What is the land requirement?
o What facilities are required as part of new housing to be created?

The output of this component is a set of maps showing locations of proposed facilities and
project briefs for creating them.
 TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC FACILITIES PLANNING

The process of defining future policies, goals, investments and designs to prepare for future needs
to move people and goods to destinations
 shape an area’s economic health and quality of life
 provide for the mobility of people and goods
 influences patterns of growth and economic activity by providing access to land

Transportation Planning Affects:

 Public policy concerns
 Air quality
 Environmental resource consumption
 Social equity
 Land use
 Urban growth
 Economic development
 Safety and security

IMPORTANT FACTORS IN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

 Efficiency
o To achieve efficient management and better management of existing resources
o Effective use of transportation system
o Uses of technology
o Land use and resource controlling
 Quality
o To reduce a negative impact to the traffic that produce a pollution
 Equity
o To meet travel demand and response for all communities
TRANSPORTATION PLANNING PERIOD
 Short Term (Action Plan)
o Review matters that can be completed within three years and involve high costs.
o Example: program an engineer to optimize the use of existing transportation
systems by installing various traffic control devices such as signs and signals
 Long Term (≥ 5 years)
o This type of planning is more structured and complicated and it must be designed
better than short term planning
o urban transportation planning process involves planning the next 20 to 25 year

TRANSPORTATION PLANNING ELEMENT

1) PLANNING PROCESS
 Studied/Research stage
Research and analysis that shows the current demand and the relationship of
movement with the and environmental demands
 Forecast stage
Formulating the plan, predict future travel demand and make a recommendation to fulfill
traffic demand.
 The evaluation stage
To assess whether the proposals made satisfactory demand and provide maximum
benefit to the community

2) MONITORING AND REVIEW

3) IMPLEMENTATION
PLANNING PROCESS
 Situation definition
Involve all of the activities required to understand the situation that gave rise to the
perceived need for a transportation improvement.
Information about surrounding area, its people and their travel habits may be obtained.
 Problem definition
To describe the problem in terms of objectives to be accomplished by the project.
Objectives are statements of purpose such as to reduce traffic congestion, to improve
safety, etc.
 Search for solution
Consideration is given to variety of ideas, design, location, and system configuration that
might provide solution to the problem.
 Analysis of performance
To estimate how each of the proposed alternatives would perform under present and
future conditions.
 Evaluation of alternative
To determine how each of the proposed alternatives will achieve the objectives of the
project.
 Choice of project
Made after considering all the factors involved.
 Specific and construction
Once the transportation project has been selected, the project move into the detailed
design phase which each of the components of the facilities is specified.

General policy of transportation planning

 Social aspects
Improve the social aspects as can be done safely and comfortably
 Economic aspects
With the existence variety of travel pattern, activities such as employment, population and
household income will be increase.
 Physical aspects
Create an efficient transportation system because there are various modes of
transportation introduced.

In effort to reduce traffic congestion in urban areas, the following elements have to be introduced:
 Capacity
Widening access, traffic lights, sidewalks, traffic lights, parking (cars, motorcycles,
bicycles)
 Priority
Priority to bus routes, truck, and space is limited (pedestrian), parking
 Restraint
Access control, incentives to use public transport, car sharing, land-use policy.
Types of Infrastructures

 Hard Infrastructure
This refers to the physical network that keeps an industrialized nation smoothly functional.

Among the components that are classified under the hard infrastructure are the capital assets
like the utilities, transport vehicles, telecommunication systems, roads, highways, railways,
subways, traffic lights and street lights, dams, walls and culverts, drainage systems, the
airports and bus terminals, and bridges, among others.

For private infrastructure, these are the land, the buildings and other improvements, the
electric posts and the water systems, the warehouses and storage facilities, and the vehicles,
just to name a few.

Hardware infrastructure is further classified into transportation, energy, communication, water

management, measurement networks, and waste management.

 Soft Infrastructure
The soft infrastructure, on the other hand, is the framework required to keep and maintain the
different institutions. This can also include both the physical and the non-physical assets.

Examples of physical assets are the buildings that house the network and the equipment used
to maintain the institution.

For non-physical assets, this includes the software and programs, the governing rules and
regulations, the financial system, and the organizational structure. In essence, the soft
infrastructure embodies the system of delivery of services to the people. If you want to create
a corporate culture within the company then you must have a soft infrastructure for that
specific culture for the workers to follow.
The Government’s Role in providing Public facilities
The Government has the responsibility of providing Public Facilities to all its citizens. One of the
most important functions of the government is to ensure that these public facilities are made
available to everyone. Public facilities have to be equally available and affordable to all citizens
irrespective of their economic or social status.

Roads, railways, sanitation, water supply, and electricity can only be maintained by the
governments since these facilities involve an enormous amount of money and are not very
profitable enterprises.

Public facilities that are also provided by Private companies are schools and colleges, hospitals,
and transportation. Most public facilities provided by private companies are not usually within the
reach of the common man.

Common man or only those who are financially capable for the service.

Characteristics of Public Facilities:

1. The benefits of public facility can be shared by many people.
2. Government schools enable many children to get educated.
3. The supply of electricity is essential for all households. Farmers can run pumps sets to
irrigate their fields; people open small workshops that run on electricity.
4. Public Parks and libraries provide recreation for the citizens.
5. Health care and sanitation are essential for a healthy life.

The main source of income for the government is through the tax it collects from the citizens.
Aside from income tax, other sources include property tax, sales tax, excise tax, water tax, and
vehicle tax.

 Government Assets
Buildings and facilities relating to government departments or entities. This would include
government department or agency, police and fire services stations.
 Health
This is not limited to city hospitals or clinics, but also to water supplies (drinking water and
water sewage), garbage disposals, and public washrooms or restrooms.
 Educational
Schools (public schools and colleges), and public libraries.
 Recreational
Parks, sports facilities, and public social halls.
 Financial services
Banks.