What is an urban growth boundary?

We’ve already talked about how sprawl can be an issue and as to why it occurs. However, preventing sprawl can be achieved. One of these mechanisms is called an urban growth boundary (UGB)
An urban growth boundary is a regional boundary, set in an attempt to control urban sprawl by, in its simplest form, mandating that the area inside grow within that area only.
Within this boundary, growth must occur within and cannot grow beyond the boundaries unless there is a change in boundaries. Notably urban services such as water, sewer and electricity are also prevalent within these areas, allowing for growth in underdeveloped areas. Each local government or jurisdiction outlines and carves out their own boundary lines in efforts to ensure growth only occurs within the boundaries. Extending the boundaries could backfire with more sprawl occurring. Not having extensive boundaries also could constrain growth, driving up land prices overall. A subtle balance is often hard to achieve but can be done through strategic long range land use strategies, zoning, and planning scenarios.
If you found this video interesting, please give it a like! Likewise, if you enjoyed this video and want to continue learning more about urban planning topics, please subscribe to the channel to notified when new videos have been uploaded. Thank you!
#urbansprawl #cityplanning #urbanplanning #sprawl #citysprawl