Too High A Density Can Also Promote Sprawl

Densification is often promoted as a solution to sprawl, but too much density too quickly can also backfire.

1 minute read

February 9, 2004, 7:00 AM PST

By Chris Steins @planetizen


Martin Laplante offers his perspective from Ottawa, Canada, about how a a Smart Growth agenda that calls for too much density can backfire: "Having agreed to Smart Growth, suburban council members have since been voting to put most of the new density into already high-density older central neighborhoods. This causes more sprawl as young families in compact neighborhoods flee the vicinity of new highrises and escape the higher taxes that result from the upzoning."

Thanks to Chris Steins

Monday, February 9, 2004 in Planetizen

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