Quote:
Originally Posted by GenWhy?
I know "sprawl" has many identities, but I do think equating sprawl with only low-density detached homes is an oversimplification. Dense mono-culture housing subdivisions are still "sprawl". They still perpetuate the core issue with modern subdivisions, and these more-dense versions actually seem to intensify the run-off effects (continuing car dependence to employment locations and traffic congestion).
As an "anti-sprawl" person myself, the core issue within a subdivision and the bleed effect it has on local communities and cities, are tied into its mono-culture zoning and zoning segregation. While the linked subdivision has a great main street with apartments in the upper floors along Preserve Drive, these are still simply low-end service retail and the area still relegates major service retail (grocery stores, recreation centres, offices) to the corners of the community surrounded by a surface parking lot.
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Sure, but how to you really fix that? The reality is that most western nations still rely on the car.
Densities like that pictured in North Oakville (especially after build-out) are actually quite transit supportive and will result in better transit modal shares than you may expect. It's not going to be 80% or anything, but "old school" sprawl is like 2% transit modal shares.. the new stuff will be closer to 15%. The areas are also dense enough that a lot of trips are walkable, if not all. Driving in an area like North Oakville is limited to going to work and major shopping. Old School suburban areas need car trips for the park, schools, local commercial needs, etc.
I live in an old school suburban area and need my car to literally do anything other than walking to a small local park with a playground and basketball court. That really isn't the case in new greenfield areas, parents walk their kids to school, to the dentist, to the barber, walk to the local coffee shop, to the park, etc.
Sure they still typically drive to work (though not always, particularly lower income households in the densest housing forms) and to get groceries. But those trips are actually relatively limited in total percentage of trips. And honestly, areas like North Oakville have their primary commercial areas still surrounded by high-density uses (with more coming
here) which means a lot can still walk.
Also - the area is right on Oakville's frequent bus corridors so transit service is surprisingly decent in general. A higher-order transit corridor would be useful in driving down auto modal shares even further, but it is what it is.