Studies on the Transformation of Land Use Ordination due to Urbanization in Relation to Natural Conditions and Zoning Procedure

Abstract

Land use ordination in urban fringes has been transformed with the advance of urbanization in the recent decades. The tendency of land use location and changes has historically related with natural conditions. However, ignorance of such conditions in recent urbanizing and zoning processes has brought may serious problems on both residential and agricultural environment.
The purpose of this study is to understand the land use ordination and its transformation processes. In particular, the relationship among land use changes, natural conditions and land use control techniques (zoning procedure) is considered. As a result of this consideration, a desirable zoning procedure is proposed.
Two case study areas in Saitama Prefecture are selected; i.e. 1) southern part of Koshigaya-shi as a case on lowland conditions and 2) southern part of Kawagoe-shi as a case on uplands, both of which are located in the urban fringes of the Tokyo Metropolitan area.
On lowland area, housing development has expanded on unsuitable wet lowlands. Densely built-up area has been formed and housing lots are generally small. The area is also dangerous for natural disasters, such as floods and earthquakes. Therefore, both residential and open space quality are low. In zoning procedure, the characteristics and the distribution of natural conditions should be sufficiently taken into consideration.
On uplands area, few problems in housing development have been caused because of the high standard of land use potential of terrace surface distributed widely in this area. Here, open space quality is also high. In zoning procedure, however, the urbanizing promotion area should be limited to prevent the spread of unorganized urbanization