Oral Abstract Details

Author(s):
Jordy Guth, Richard Toth, R. Douglas Ramsey, and Steven Daniels

Affiliation:
Utah State University

Presentation Type:
Oral

Topic Area:
Science delivery and exchange of information for natural resource professionals, policymakers, and private citizens

Abstract Text:
The loss of rural character from the American landscape is occurring at an alarming rate due to increased development pressure and changes to historical development patterns. The definition of rural character is unique to each community and typically refers to the physical and social structures created by the activities and settlement patterns of small communities within the context of a unique region, or biophysical landscape. This study focuses on the contribution of settlement pattern as an important factor to the rural character of a place. Patterns of historical rural development were established by the settlement activities of early American European migrants, typically comprised of small, compact towns surrounded by large areas of open space (Campoli et al., 2002). Until the middle of the 20th century, new growth was relatively compact and incremental, reflecting established town layout and structure (Arendt et al., 1994). Unfortunately, most new development does not respect the historical patterns of land use and usually occurs in the form of poorly planned, haphazard low density developments scattered across the rural landscape, otherwise known as suburban sprawl (Barnes et al., 2001). Subsequently, the rural landscape becomes fragmented, resulting in the loss of aesthetic qualities, diminished sense of community (Tilt et al., 2007), and economically and ecologically inefficient land utilization (Ryan, 2002; 2006). The western United States is a beautiful and unique place characterized by large open spaces composed of agrarian landscapes and pristine natural areas. These amenities are attractive to those seeking to escape the congested, urban areas on both the west and east coasts. The character of small communities is heavily impacted by sprawl development, mostly due to inadequate land use zoning or regulations. Also, the tradition of strong private property land rights in America has generally been resistant to adding additional restrictions on land owners. As a result, the rural character of the western landscape has been dramatically altered in a relatively short time. In Utah, the problem is exacerbated by several factors. The growth rate is 2.7% (U.S. Census Bureau, 2008), which is one of the highest rates in the country. Also, the majority of the Utah landscape is characterized by wide open vistas through red rock and sagebrush steppe, with very little forested areas. These vast expanses are arguably the most striking aspect of the landscape. Even small changes, such as a new road cut or the addition of a two-story house can have major visual impacts. Additionally, the loss of prime agricultural land is raising concern. A recent poll in Cache County, Utah found 71% of residents favor increasing property taxes $20 million annually to assist critical lands preservation efforts (Loomis, 2008). In a time of economic uncertainty, residents are becoming aware that it will become increasingly important to protect local land based resources. Comprehensive planning is essential for successful long-term protection of rural character (Daniels & Bowers, 1997). The Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget in Utah, partially funding this study, has recognized the need to provide an effective method or tool to assist planners in better identifying, quantifying, and protecting rural character for their respective communities. Many small communities do not have adequate or comprehensive general plans in place, nor the financial means to develop one. Some plans that do address rural character are vague and lack specific definitions or goals. Where they exist, zoning and subdivision codes do not always represent planning goals. Many are insensitive to existing town structure and design, and ignore natural and cultural features of the landscape. In some cases, conventional zoning has translated to the loss of valued rural features and simply translates into “planned sprawl” (Arendt et al., 1994). Rural character is eroded gradually, under the assumption that new development will improve the quality of life and economic opportunities for residents. Often the opposite is achieved when the unique features of the place are lost. Although residents may not be supportive of certain changes within the community, they lack the tools to guide development in an appropriate and desired fashion. Involvement by the public is central in developing a plan to protect the qualities of rural character perceived to be important by the community (Hester, 1985; Arendt et al., 1994; Ryan, 2006). The critical planning challenge is the need “…to grow gracefully, in a manner consistent with the traditional character of the community, so that new development fits harmoniously in the town fabric and helps to reinforce the local sense of place” (Arendt et al., 1994: 8). Because rural character is inherently based on human values, inquiry into rural character necessarily involves several disciplines and the analysis of the multifaceted theoretical construct of “sense of place.” Architecture and planning have provided valuable tools to analyze form and pattern in the landscape. Sociology has studied the importance of human interactions and social structure in relation to place. Psychology has addressed the deeper innate and cognitive aspects of human preference for certain types of environments. Geography gave the scientific study of sense of place its theoretical basis by linking space with human activities (Tuan, 1974; Relph, 1976), and provides valuable new tools for spatial analysis and modeling through Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology. This study will attempt to address the “what” of sense of place as related to rural character by combining theory and scientific method with visualization and design techniques, fusing aspects of these different perspectives of sense of place into a format that can be applied in planning. This study provides a framework to detect large-scale patterns within the landscape that indicate rural character quality. The goal is for this information to be developed into a planning tool, for use on a statewide basis. If components of land settlement patterns contributing to rural character can be assessed using spatial criteria, this information can be mapped throughout the state and made available to the public as a tool to guide future planning efforts. One small community in Utah was selected as the study site for this project. The central research questions for this study are: 1) What are the spatial patterns of land use that are associated with rural character in Utah? 2) What are the physical criteria which define the patterns of rural character, and how can they be developed into a framework for a rural character planning tool? The methods utilized for this project identify large-scale landscape patterns conducive to rural character qualities and their respective criteria. Individual components are delineated by their physical criteria and isolated for study. The components selected for analysis are limited by the use of existing datasets, straightforward GIS mapping techniques, and by landscape patterns generalizable to the majority of rural communities in Utah. Using GIS datasets and mapping techniques, these components are mapped individually as rural character indicators and then compiled to represent a gradient of rural character values within the study site. To verify and evaluate results, the composite map is compared to a visual assessment map of the same area. This map is based on an evaluation of pattern type observed from aerial photos. This study explores and acknowledges the complexity of this subject area, with the goal of creating clarity and legibility of this important topic within the planning process. Because rural character is often perceived as too complex and subjective to define, this important subject is often under-represented by methods that favor quantitative analyses. While this model employs deductive, quantitative methods to define the variables, it also allows individual community values and preferences to influence the final results. This model provides a simple framework for a new planning tool to help visualize and prioritize important aspects of rural character from which communities may begin to develop strategies to accommodate inevitable growth.