COLLEGE
OF FOOD, AGRICULTURAL & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
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COLLEGE
OF FOOD, AGRICULTURAL & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
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N A V I G A T I O N |
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DEFINING EXURBAN Increased out-migration from urban and suburban areas, more land consumption per capita, and edge city formation around the periphery of central cities have led to more complicated patterns of settlement in which the distinction between suburban and rural has become increasingly blurred. A new type of development that is neither fully suburban nor fully rural has emerged, sometimes referred to as the "exurbs." Exurbia or the "exurbs" are a type of spatial pattern of settlement that differ from their suburban counterparts. Exurbs are located at greater distances from urban centers than suburban developments and are comprised of a different mix of land uses and population. Active farms are interspersed with different ages and types of very low density residential development, including roadside houses, new housing subdivisions, exclusive estates, and mobile homes. In addition, exurbia contains small, rural towns as well as newer edge-of-town retail, commercial, and industrial development. Exurbs are areas that are in transition from their traditional rural setting to something more urban. They are often transformed into suburbs or edge cities within a 20-30 year period. Daniels (1999) describes the exurbs as having following characteristics:
The various definitions of exurbia complicate analysis. For an Ohio example of how different definitions can alter the determination of what constitutes exurban land, review the following images: As seen in the previous example, varying definitions can cause confusion and difficulty in determining what is exurban and it's characteristics. A primary goal of the program is to utilize sub-county Ohio data to assist in defining what constitutes exurban Ohio. This typological analysis is crucial to help understand the dynamics of Ohio's population change and predict future settlement patterns. A variety of factors have led to exurban development. Continued decentralization of economic activity and the "growth" of edge cities have also made it easier for exurban residents to move further from the urban center of population. Technologies have made it possible to have many urban conveniences without living in an urban area. For example, septic tanks enable development far away from public sewer systems and the internet provides communication and online shopping opportunities that diminish the importance of easy access to urban areas. Lastly, people's desire for a rural lifestyle and their dislike of certain urban and suburban features, such as congestion and lack of privacy, have driven them further out beyond the suburbs in search of a rural ideal (Nelson, 1992). As a result of these and other factors, exurban areas have experienced higher growth rates than most urbanized areas. This sizable growth has significant economic, environmental, and social impacts on these exurban areas and on the urban, suburban and rural areas within the same region. There are needs both at the local level to assist exurban communities in managing incoming growth and at a regional level to identify optimal growth patterns and growth management policies for the region. Additional goals of this program are to (1) disseminate relevant analysis of economic, social, environmental, agricultural, and demographic data for Ohio exurban areas and their surrounding regions, and (2) provide education based on research findings that empowers citizens and policy-makers to better manage growth and change both at local and regional levels. REFERENCES Daniels, Tom. When City and Country Collide. Island Press: Washington, DC, 1999. Nelson, A., 1992. "Characterizing exurbia." Journal of Planning Literature 6(4), pp.350-368. |
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Questions or Comments concerning
The Exurban Change Project or the web site can be forwarded to
exurban@osu.edu
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