Ripple Effect

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As a net is made up of a series of ties, so is everything in this world is connected by a series of ties. If anyone thinks that the mesh of a net is an independent, isolated thing, he is mistaken. It is called a net because it is made up of a series of interconnected meshes, and each mesh has its place and responsibility in relation to other meshes. –Buddha The application of systems dynamics reveals deep interconnections that may not be readily apparent on the surface. Just like a pebble tossed in a pond, a seemingly insignificant event can have effects amplified throughout the entirety of a system. The small ripple created when the pebble hits the water can be a wave by the time it reaches the opposing shoreline. Likewise, in the planning context, the ripple effects of a new exurban shopping center, downtown high-rise or medical complex are felt far beyond any single neighborhood or city. The effects of development resonate beyond surrounding counties and metropolitan areas to impact the environmental, social or economic conditions region-wide. Planning at the regional scale is critical. As our economic interdependencies, land use patterns and transportation networks have evolved over the last century; the regional context has become increasingly important. As a result, to meaningfully influence the impacts associated with development, land use, and transportation, planning activities must be focused at a level where central cities, suburbs, and exurban areas are considered accordantly. Regional planning is far from a new concept. Contemporary regional planning trends such as urban growth boundaries, transit oriented development, sustainability planning, and reinvestment in central cities can trace its roots to the like... ... middle of paper ... ...d in urban design and encouraged the proliferation of non-motorized infrastructure. The current aspirations of the planning community hearken to the past efforts of theorists like Howard, Mumford, Adams and Geddes. Howard, for example, identified many social and environmental inequities arising from industrialization and exploitation of resources. Hence he, and his contemporaries, believed that these could best be addressed through planning efforts that tackled these challenges pro-actively. Contemporary regional planning trends, such as urban growth boundaries, transit oriented development, sustainability planning, and reinvestment in central cities are largely a response to the already ubiquitous reverberations of a lack of foresight. It is my hope that in their current iteration, these efforts are successful in dampening the effects for the next generation.

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