PL599 : The Class : Communities & Growth : Natural Interfaces : Natural Interfaces

Wherever new development takes place, it has an in interface with the natural environment. Sometimes it is not very apparent, say one lot out of 200 in a subdivision, but the foundation intersects, does it not? Planning needs to be aware of what interfaces occur within the community and the effects of the environment on the community and vice versa. Most people can easily come up with urbanization's impact on animals. (In the Prescott paper someone from Williamson Valley called in a mountain lion attack on his dog - Officials concluded it was a javelina...) How many bring up additional paving or building and the 100 year flood plain possibly changing downstream? The fire hazards of living in the woods - next to public access places? Septic leaks and groundwater pollution? Nonpoint source pollution and runoff? Or just plain old loving the land to death - overuse? Communities impact each of these, especially in growth situations. We need to be aware. Included in these readings are fire interface information, greenways, and sites for Arizona Department of Water Resources AMA and Forest Service NEPA information. Growth does impact, and so we have regulations (AMA, NEPA) Think about the winter inversions in Phoenix and how it impacts air quality. What happens when air quality doesn't meet EPA standards? What about pollution infiltration into wells? These standards can have real consequences for communities: slower growth, no growth, immediate standards overhauls, bonding to fix dire problems NOW. We can plan better for these impacts and mitigate them to varying degrees.

And of course, after these past several summers, the urban-wildland interface has come to the fore in our minds. The impacts of public lands and communities adjacent to each other.... The encroachment of homes intp fire prone areas and away from water sources. With the big fire seasons happening more frequently insurance businesses are beginning to modify coverage. A notice went out late last summer from a major insurance company giving the firewise web site and stating that unless homes were firewise, they were at risk for not being covered in the event of a wildfire. Other companies are looking at cancelling coverage in fire prone areas.

Remember even as we seek our paradise, each one of us impacts the natural environment, whether it is encroaching on the desert, living in natural disaster risk areas (that we refuse to see as risky), or just using resources. Until each person actually understands the impact they have on the entire system planning will have its tasks cut out for it. One of the problematic areas is in private rights versus public good. What is the public good? Is it in the public's interest to protect ranches (habitat) or open space rather than just sell it off for the highest economic gain? Or public versus public good. Think about the state trust lands here in Arizona. The revenue from the land goes to beneficiaries, including the K-12 system. Lands are leased or sold based on highest and best use. Right now that is highest economic gain excepting the use of the Arizona Preserve Initiative. (Changes made to a state's enabling legislation can allow for lands to be taken from the trust- this is an issue under review in Arizona) Saving open space and habitat lands out of the beneficiaries' trust lands brings up the questions of who makes up the revenue lost, for how long and at what rate? Which public good is most necessary? wanted?

Things to think about…

The impacts of urbanization on your local area' natural interface.

Positives of community growth on the natural interface and positives of the natural interface area on community growth.

How are communities affected by the natural environment. What planning changes have been made because of the natural environment?

How the community is impacted when people knowingly develop/move into environmentally risky interface areas (floodplains, fire risk). What should be the community's role in planning?

To complete this Topic successfully, please complete the following activities in the order shown below:

TEXTBOOK READING: Reading

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