What is Urban Sprawl?
Urban sprawl is characterized by the overall growth and spread of a given community. There are both benefits and drawbacks to this process, depending upon what factors are most important residents.IdentificationAccording to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), urban sprawl is identified as growth that spans beyond the realm of a community, causing residents to be more dependent on personal transportation instead of public options.CharacteristicsAccording to the Consortium for Atlantic Regional Assessment (CARA), urban sprawl characteristics include unlimited outward growth and “leapfrog development.”BenefitsBenefits of urban sprawl include the ability to accommodate growing communities and expand the reach of local resources into the outlying areas of the region.MisconceptionsUrban sprawl is not about building higher, or adding numerous skyscrapers to a community; it has more to do with building wide. Buildings are added to expand upon the boundaries of a community.
