Quote:
Originally Posted by TWAK
this really isn't on topic, but it is something I always see on this forum. What exactly is urban and vibrant? Urban is dense housing right? So an apartment complex in natomas with a ton of people living there is considered urban or vibrant? What is difference?
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one of the most significant differences in a suburban vs. urban enviroment, is the way land is zoned. In a suburban envornment, land use is determined by use - and most often, segregated by use. For example, this is where all the commercial space goes, this is where all the residential development goes, and over here the light industrial, etc.
In an urban environment, land use is determined by using form-based codes. Form based codes determine dwellings units per acre, height restrictions, setbacks, and parking units
first - and does not segregate land by use.
This creates mixed use environments where you have multi-family housing next door to offices, next door to commercial spaces. Often times this promotes a constant and diverse crowd, as some people live there, while others work there - this is what's termed as a 24-hour population, meaning you don't get these dead zones at night, as seen in suburban office parks at night. "Vibrancy" is just a pleasant byproduct of a constant, 24-hour population.