ABSTRACT
Urban researchers and policy makers view urban sprawl with increasing concern, as urban growth is considered to be one of the main factors contributing to the contemporary water crisis, especially in Western US. There have been countless attacks leveled against “urban sprawl”, drawing attention to the negative effects it has on the environment, the economy, and on the social fabric of cities (Langdon, 1997; Wiewel & Persky, 2002; Lindstrom & Bartling, 2003). Most research to-date has been focused on the consequences of urban sprawl on environmental resources; these consequences include forcing people to drive extensively (thereby creating a high carbon footprint), placing pressure on water resources, increasing costs for urban networks and, ultimately provoking overall ecological disaster (Burchell et al., 1998; Johnson, 2001; Camagni et al., 2002; Squires 2002; Livingston et al., 2003). Studies have argued that, when well implemented, dense forms of urbanization can help to lower the negative social, economic and environmental impacts of extensive development (Camagni et al., 2002).
