Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to clarify the progress of shaping the compact residential urban area in an age of depopulation. To better understand the influence of Article 34-11 of the City Planning Act, that is a system to relax development regulation,Hirosaki-shi, Tsuruoka-shi, and Fukushima-shi were chosen as the case study cities. The author examined the population density change in 3 cities by using mesh data and, afterwards, analyzed evaluation of environment by residents at typical areas in Fukushima-shi. The results are as follows: 1) The population density in the urban core area decreased, but population density in certain other urban areas increased; 2) The proximity of large commercial facilities or medical facilities to the mesh had an influence on the population density change; and 3) In the case of designation of extensive 34-11 areas, village activity was not revived. These results suggest two things. One is that locating such facilities intensively in the urban core area is useful to shape the compact residential urban area. The other is that designated 34-11 areas should be limited to revive village activity and to shape the compact residential urban area.
