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GEOG 346:
Urban and Regional Management
Course Outline (S13N01)
Office:
Phone (local):
Email:
Office Hours:
Instructor
Don Alexander
Bldg. 359, Room 215
2261 (If you are out of the local calling area, dial 1-888-920-2221, then 2261).
[email protected]
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11:30 to 12:30 pm
Classroom:
Bldg. 370, Room 243
Lectures:
Tuesdays and Thursdays 2:30 to 4 pm
Required Textbook:
Condon, Patrick M. 2010. Seven Rules for Sustainable Communities: Design
Strategies for the Post-Carbon World. Washington, DC: Island Press. Additional readings will be assigned
from time to time.
Highly Recommended: Towards Sustainable Communities: Solutions for Citizens and Their Governments
(Gabriola Island, BC: New Society Publishers, 2012; e-copy available through the library); Ecocities:
Rebuilding Cities in Balance with Nature (revised edition) by Richard Register (Gabriola Island, BC: New
Society Publishers, 2006; e-copy available through the library).
[Lectures and assignments will be on my web site: http:web.viu.ca/alexander2; there will be no Moodle or
Design2Learn.]
Course Description
This course will look at the current and emerging issues facing planners, citizens and others in managing
and organizing the cities and regions of Vancouver Island, and North America more broadly. It will touch
on climate change, peak oil, water/food and energy security, transportation, diverse and affordable
housing, a changing economy, demographic change, culture and place-making, and the role of nature in
the city and region.
Course Learning Objectives
By the end of the course, you will have a better grasp of
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the issues and stresses facing municipalities and regions
the impacts that urban development have on the global ecological and social justice crisis
some past and emerging paradigms for organizing urban and regional development
issues related to sprawl, density, land use mix, and transportation infrastructure
why “sense of place” is becoming increasingly important in urban and regional management,
and
the role of nature in an urban and regional context.
By the end of the course, you will also have improved your writing, speaking, research and analytical skills, as
well as your ability to present material in a graphically appealing format.
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To do well in the course, you should:
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demonstrate your understanding of the integral role of cities and regions in determining the
fate of global systems and cultures in the 21st century;
demonstrate your knowledge of some of the key variables that determine how communities
and regions function;
demonstrate your skills in analyzing these key variables;
demonstrate your ability to come up with creative solutions to urban and regional
sustainability challenges;
COURSE STRUCTURE:
The course will involve two one and half hour lectures per week, occasional guest speakers, videos, and class
discussion. In addition to the final exam, there will be three mini-assignments and a major project. The miniassignments will largely be conducted in groups in class and will involve analytical and creative skills. The
major project will involve looking at a case study that tries to successfully address issues raised in this course.
Course Schedule (subject to change)
Date
Week 1
(Jan. 8 &
10)
Lecture Topics
Introduction to
Urban and
Regional
Management;
Introduction to the
New Issues and
Imperatives
Week 2
(Jan. 15
& 17)
Peak Oil and
Energy Security;
Reducing Energy
Consumption and
GHGs in the
Building Sector
Week 3
(Jan. 22
& 24)
Changing
Economy; Culture
and Place-making
Discussion
Course Focus and Objectives
Discussion:

How have the issues and
imperatives of urban
regional management
begun to change?

What were they in the
past?

What is the nature of the
threats posed by climate
change and water security
issues?
Discussion:

What is peak oil and what
can municipalities and
regions do about it?

Why is the building sector
so important and what can
municipalities do to
influence it?

What are the implications
of peak oil for food security
and what can be done
about it?
Discussion:

What significant changes
are occurring in the
economy and what are the
implications for cities and
regions?

Why are culture and sense
of place so important in the
21st century city?
Readings/Assignments

See FCM at
http://www.fcm.ca/home/programs/pa
rtners-for-climate-protection/aboutclimate-change.htm

See IPCC brief at
http://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/presentations/
poznan-COP-14/diane-urge-vorsatz.pdf

See Lankau at
http://eau.sagepub.com.ezproxy.viu.ca
/content/22/1/157.full.pdf+html (you
will have to log in to VIU Library)

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Chapter 1
See on-line article at
http://postcarboncities.net/node/4032
http://postcarboncities.net/blog/daniel
-lerch/showing-leadership-peak-oil
Chapter 2 of Resilient Cities by
Newman, et al. (see bib.; available as
on-line resource at the VIU Library)
See
http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsw
eek/2008/03/20/what-does-your-citysay-about-you.html
Chapter 6 of Newman and Jennings
(see bib.; available as on-line resource
at the VIU Library)
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Week 4
(Jan. 29
& 31)
Demographic
Change (age,
multiculturalism);
Citizen
Participation
Week 5
(Feb. 5 &
7)
The Streetcar City;
Sustainable
Transportation
Week 6
(Feb. 12
& 14)
The
Interconnected
Street System
Week 7
(Feb. 19
& 21)
Mixed Uses and a
Five-Minute Walk
Feb. 26
& 28
Week 8
(Mar. 5
& 7)
No classes
Week 9
(Mar. 12
& 14)
Diversity of
Housing Types
Week 10
(Mar. 19
& 21)
Interconnect-ed
Natural Areas;
Integrating Nature
and the Built
Environment
Jobs and
Affordable
Housing
Discussion:

What are the major
demographic changes that
will pose challenges for
municipalities and how can
they cope with these?

How can citizens be
effectively involved in local
decision-making?
Discussion:

Does the concept of the
streetcar city apply to
Nanaimo?

Given the city’s current
layout, how could one
promote more sustainable
transportation?
Discussion:

How does one assess the
degree of interconnection
in general and in
Nanaimo’s case?

Where is this most closely
approximated in Nanaimo?

What can be done to
enhance land use mix and a
tightly-knit pedestrian shed
Study Days

Discussion:

How well-integrated are
jobs and housing in
Nanaimo, and what can be
done to enhance that
integration?

What are some successful
strategies for enhancing
the availability of
affordable housing?

Is the housing stock in
Nanaimo diverse, and
compared to what?

What are the barriers to
and opportunities for
creating more diverse
housing stock?
Discussion:

Can we imagine a city in
which nature and human
creations are closely
intertwined?

What would that look like?
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How can urban regions be
healthy environments both
for humans and for nonhuman species?
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See Canadian Urban Institute at
http://www.canurb.com/sites/default/f
iles/reports/RePositioning%20Age%20Friendly%20Co
mmunitiesOpportunities%20to%20Take%20AFC%
20MainstreamJune%2029%202011%20version.pdf
possible video
Chapter 2
See VTPI web site (see bib.)
outline for major project due
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Chapter 3
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Chapter 4
possible field trip
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Chapter 5
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Chapter 6
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Chapter 7
See Arendt 1996, pp. 124-135
(in bib.; available as on-line resource at
VIU Library)
See International Living Building
Institute: http://living-future.org/lbc
and http://inhabitat.com/vandusenbotanical-centre-to-be-canadas-firstliving-building/

4
Week 11
(Mar. 26
& 28)
Week 12
(Apr. 2 &
4)
Week 13
(Apr. 9 &
11)
Smarter, Green
Infrastructure
Presentations on
major projects
Wrap-up and
Review
Discussion:

How can we address the
current “infrastructure
deficit”?

How can we deploy
infrastructure to lessen our
ecological footprint and
even restore ecological
functioning?
Case studies that illustrate strategies
and tools for transforming our cities
and regions
Wrap-up and Review
Discussion:

How will cities and regions
of the future manage
themselves differently than
today?
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See
http://www.fcm.ca/home/issues/infras
tructure/the-great-canadianinfrastructure-challenge.htm
Chapter 8
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
Conclusion
Major projects due
Final Exam (Date
TBA)
Course Website:
The course website will not be on Moodle. The website (see URL above) will contain lecture notes,
assignment instructions, and other relevant material.
Evaluation:
Attendance and Participation
Three Mini-Assignments (10%
each)
Major Project (inc. 5% for outline)
Final Exam
15%
30%
throughout
throughout
30%
25%
April 4; outline due February 5
TBA
Attendance and Participation:
You are expected to show up in class on time and to participate in class discussions. This takes some
degree of preparation to do effectively, including doing the week's readings before class, reflecting on the
readings and on topics discussed in previous classes, and maybe even examining some of the optional
readings or finding new ones that pertain to the topics being discussed that week.
In class discussions, I request that you respect the ideas, thoughts, and opinions of others, including mine.
Respect does not necessarily imply acceptance. I have my own biases, but I do not expect you to share
them. In fact, independence of thought and critical thinking will contribute to you getting a high mark in
the course. Discussions are intended to provoke discussion and debate, and you should show a readiness
and willingness to share and support your ideas, feelings, and thoughts on a wide range of issues.
Participation Assessment Criteria:
1.
Attendance
Always
2.
never
fair share
little or none
Amount of Contribution to Class
Outstanding
3.
mostly
Cognitive Element (knowledge, logic, creativity, question-asking)
5
Logical, thorough
Imaginative
4.
orderly, fairly thorough
competent
Expressive Element (clarity, fluency, concision)
Brief, clear, interesting
5.
disjointed, cursory
unimaginative
wordy, confused, tedious
Affective Element (enthusiasm, co-operation)
Enthusiastic, sharing
lacklustre, domineering
Laptop/Phone Policy:
Laptops will be allowed in class. However, if they start to be used for doing Facebook, surfing the net
(other than to get information to support class topics), or messaging, their use will be stopped. Please turn
off your cell phones or put them on vibrate when you enter class. If you absolutely need to take a call
during class, please exit the classroom as quietly and unobtrusively as possible. Cell phones and laptops
are not permitted during exams.
Major Project
The major project will be worth 30%, with 5% for an outline due in Week 4. The project will consist of a
case study where a city, town or urban region is implementing strategies and tools for addressing one or
more of the issues covered in this course. You will identify the issue(s) addressed, how the jurisdiction
came to engage with them, the strategies and tools used, and evaluate their accomplishments to date. You
will also discuss what you see as the strengths and weaknesses of the approach undertaken, as well as
specific opportunities and challenges revealed. More detailed instructions will be available shortly, along
with additional resources.
NOTE: Whenever submitting written work, always parenthetically reference your sources, preferably using
either APA style or University of Chicago [see http://libguides.viu.ca/citing]. Also: print all assignments doublesided or use scrap paper.
Late Assignments
ONLY authorized medical reasons (i.e., a doctor's note) or immediate family tragedy will be accepted as
reasonable cause for missing an exam or handing in an assignment late. NO substitute assignments or
exams will be accepted in this course, nor will plagiarism be tolerated. For VIU’s policy on academic
integrity, see www.viu.ca/policies/policy.asp?rdPolicyNumber=99.01. Dissatisfaction with any grade
received on an exam or an assignment must be lodged with me within 48 hours of receiving it. The policies
of VIU will govern any further appeals regarding grades.
NOTE: Students with documented disabilities requiring academic and/or exam accommodation should
inform me and contact Disability Services, Building 200, or call 740-6446.
In the event of a snowstorm or other extreme weather event, I will try to send out an e-mail if class is
cancelled, but always check the VIU homepage for a closure notice. The information there takes priority.
Grading Scheme
A+
90-100%
Outstanding performance
A
85-89%
First-class performance
A-
80-84%
Excellent performance
B+
76-79%
Very good performance
B
72-75%
Good performance
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B-
68-71%
Average performance
C+
64-67%
Fair performance
C
60-63%
Below average performance
C-
55-59%
Passing performance
D
50-54%
Marginal performance
F
Below 50%
Failing performance
Recommended Reading and Reference List
Alexander, Christopher, et al. 1977. A Pattern Language: Towns, Buildings, Construction. New
York: Oxford University Press.
Alexander, Don, Ray Tomalty, and Mark Anielski. 2004. BC Sprawl Report: Economic Vitality and
Livable Communities. Vancouver: Smart Growth BC.
Arendt, R. 1996. Conservation Design for Subdivisions. Washington, DC: Island Press.
Beatley, Timothy. 2010. Biophilic Cities: Integrating Nature into Urban Design and Planning. Washington:
Island Press.
Beatley, Timothy. 2004. Native to Nowhere: Sustaining Home and Community in a Global Age.
Washington: Island Press.
Bish, Robert L. and Eric G. Clemons. 2008. Local Government in British Columbia [4th ed.]. Richmond, BC:
Union of BC Municipalities. [available on-line at
www.northernrockies.ca/assets/City~Hall/PDFs/Local_Government_in_BC.pdf
Blais, Pamela. 2011. Perverse Cities: Hidden Subsidies, Wonky Policy, and Urban Sprawl. Vancouver: UBC
Press.
Buholzer, William. 2001 (and updates). British Columbia Planning Law and Practice. UK: Lexis Nexis/
Butterworths.
Bunting, Trudi, Pierre Filion, and Ryan Walker (eds.). 2010. Canadian Cities in Transition: New Directions in
the Twenty-first Century. Don Mills, ON: Oxford University Press.
Campbell, Scott. 1996. “Green Cities, Growing Cities, Just Cities?” American Planning Association Journal
62, no. 3: 296-312.
Duany, Andres and Jeff Speck (with Mike Lydon). 2010. The Smart Growth Manual. New York: McGrawHill.
Florida, Richard. 2008. Who’s Your City: How the Creative Economy is Making…. New York: Basic Books.
Gilbert, Richard and Anthony Perl. 2010. Transport Revolutions: Moving People and Freight Without Oil.
Gabriola Island: New Society Publishers.
Harcourt, Mike, et al. 2007. City Making in Paradise. Vancouver: Douglas and McIntyre.
Hayden, Dolores. 2004. A Field Guide to Sprawl. New York: W.W. North & Co.
Hodge, Gerald and David Gordon. 2007. Planning Canadian Communities: An Introduction to the
Principles, Practice and Participants [5th ed.]. Scarborough, ON: Nelson College Ltd.
Hodge, Gerald and Ira M. Robinson. 2001. Planning Canadian Regions. Vancouver: UBC Press.
Jacobs, Jane. 1961. The Death and Life of Great American Cities. New York: Vintage.
James, Sarah and Torbjorn Lahti. 2004. The Natural Step for Communities. Gabriola Island, BC:
New Society Publishers.
Kunstler, James Howard. 1996. Home From Nowhere: Remaking Our Everyday World for the
Twenty-first Century. New York: Simon & Schuster.
Kunstler, James Howard. 1993. The Geography of Nowhere: The Rise and Decline of America’s
Man-Made Landscape. New York: Simon & Schuster.
LeGates, Richard T. and Frederic Stout (eds.). 2000. The City Reader [2nd ed.]. London:
Routledge.
Lerch, Daniel. 2008. Post-Carbon Cities: Planning and for Climate and Energy Uncertainty. Santa Rosa, CA:
Post Carbon Institute.
LeSalle, Janeane and Mark Holland. 2010. Agricultural Urbanism: Handbook for Building Sustainable Food
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and Agricultural Systems in 21st Century Cities. Vancouver: HB Lanarc.
Leung, Hok-Lin. Land Use Planning Made Plain (2nd ed.). 2003. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.
Leung, Hok-Lin. 2003. Land Use Planning Made Plain [2nd ed.]. Toronto: University of Toronto
Press.
Lorinc, John. 2006. The New City. Toronto: Penguin Canada.
McHarg, Ian. 1971. Design With Nature. New York: Doubleday: Natural History Museum Press.
Moe, Richard and Carter Wilkie. Changing Places: Rebuilding Community in the Age of Sprawl.
New York: Henry Holt & Co.
Newman, Peter, Timothy Beatley, and Heather Boyer. 2009. Resilient Cities: Responding to Peak Oil and
Climate Change. Washington: Island Press.
Newman, Peter and Isabella Jennings. 2008. Cities as Sustainable Ecosystems: Principles and Practices.
Washington: Island Press.
Rybczynski, Witold. 2000. A Clearing in the Distance: Frederick Law Olmsted and America in the
Nineteenth Century. New York: Simon Shuster.
Soderstrom, Mary. 2006. Green City: People, Nature and Urban Life. Montreal: Vehicule Press.
Spirn, Anne Whiston. 1984. The Granite Garden: Urban Nature and Human Design. New York:
Basic Books.
Stein, Jay M. 1995. Classic Readings in Urban Planning: An Introduction. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Stephani, Carl. J. and Marilyn C. Stephani. 2011. Zoning 101: A Practical Introduction. n.p. CreateSpace.
Tomalty, Ray and Don Alexander. 2005. Smart Growth in Canada: Implementation of a Planning
Concept. Ottawa: Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.
Wates, Nick. 2006. The Community Planning Handbook. London: Earthscan.
Wheeler, Stephen M. and Timothy Beatley (eds.). 2004. The Sustainable Urban Development
Reader. London: Routledge.
Journals
Alternatives Journal
Local Environment
Municipal World
Plan Canada
PlanningWest
Web Sites
About Planning Directory
[http://www.about planning.org/directory.html]
American Planning Association (see on-line journal, Planning, recent conference proceedings at
http://www.planning.org, and their handbook on farmland preservation strategies)
Canadian Institute of Planners
[http://www.cip-icu.ca/English/aboutplan/]
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
[http://www.cmhc.ca]
Canadian Urban Institute
[http://www.canurb.com]
Center for Livable Communities
[http://www.lgc.org/center/]
Congress for the New Urbanism
[http://www.cnu.org/index.cfm]
Cyburbia
[http://www.cyurbia.org/]
Design for Sustainability
[http://www.dcs.sala.ubc.ca/]
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Dynamic Cities
[http://www.dynamiccities.org]
Ideas Into Action: The University of British Columbia and the 2006 World Urban Forum, Vancouver
Working Group Discussion Papers
[http://www.ahva.ubc.ca/WUF/papers/index.html]
Lincoln Institute for Land Policy (see particularly “Visualizing Sprawl”)
[http://www.lincolninst.edu/index-high.asp]
New City Institute
[http://www.newcity.ca]
New Urban News
[http://www.newurbannews.com]
Planetizen
[http://www.planetizen.com/]
Planners Web
[http://www.plannersweb.com/]
Smart Growth Online
[http://www.smartgrowth.org/default.asp]
Techniques of Urban Sustainability: Urban Villages (by Jeff Kenworthy)
[http://www.sustainability.murdoch.edu.au/casestudies/Case_Studies_Asia/urbvill/urbvill.htm]
Union of BC Municipalities
[http://www.civicnet.bc.ca/]
Urban Land Institute
[http://www.uli.org/DK/index.cfm?CFID=413390&CFTOKEN=67735548]
Victoria Transportation Policy Institute
[http://www.vtpi.org]
[MANY MORE RESOURCES CAN BE PROVIDED UPON REQUEST]