Changes that Need to Make in Columbus Ohio as a Community - Research Proposal Example

Position Paper Changes that Need to Made in Columbus Ohio as a Community Introduction The capital of the of Ohio is Columbus, situated atthe eastern edge of the Midwest. In 1812 an Act of the Ohio General Assembly established the site for the capital city, and by 2000, it was the fifteenth largest city in the country. The Midwest is a region of planned towns (Sisson et al, 2007). The city’s physical site and relative geographic situation with respect to other cities and regions determined the success of the community. In the initial settlement of the city both site and situation were important factors, contributing to the speculation in land as a way of life and as a means of accumulating wealth. The city’s site and situation influenced the growth and prosperity of Columbus, helping it to emerge successfully as Ohio’s new capital city, and shaping the development of the central Ohio region (Hunker, 2000). Thesis Statement: This paper takes the position that changes for community improvement in Columbus, Ohio will need to address the environmental impacts resulting from atmospheric pollution generated over time by a number of industries and the trash burning power plant and sewage treatment facility. The role of wind direction in shaping the way Columbus neighborhoods developed, the pollution caused by soot and smoke from the railroads throughout the city will be identified; and resolution of the issues will be investigated. Problems associated with the location of malls towards the north of the city, and commercial units and institutions away from easy access by the communities, will be considered. The necessary changes that will have to be implemented for improving community well-being will be discussed. Discussion Through implementing experimental models, and applying vision, professional skills and organizations the early settlers shaped America’s urban and suburban future (Sisson et al, 2007). Gradually, the elemental factors of site including geology, topography, water resources, weather, climate and wind direction, which formed the basis for earlier development in Columbus, Ohio, started adversely impacting the growth and beneficial environment of the community. Significantly, however, in recent decades there has been enhanced and stable political activity in the region and rising impact of urban renewal upon the city particularly in the core area. The effects of desegregation upon individual school districts and the region as a whole; and the increasing vigor of neighborhood groups in shaping their own development and destiny is resulting in “Columbus’ role as one of the nation’s dynamic growth centers” (Hunker, 2000: 170). Opposing the above perspective regarding positive community progress in Columbus, research evidence will support the position of this paper that further changes are required to be implemented, for improved results and community well-being. Physical Factors Related to the Site of the City The relative importance of the site is a situational or locational factor, in relation to other regions adjacent to it. Integral features of site are weather and climate. Besides these, the unique physical qualities of the land may also affect the development of the city and region. These are the “land surface and topography, underlying geologic structure, the varied rocks and minerals of which it is composed, its surface and subsurface waters, and the flora and fauna” (Hunker, 2000: 11). These features play a significant role in the community’s development. The specific site characteristics of the Columbus region are that the geology and topography of the city has evolved on the central Ohio till plain. The comparatively flat glacial till plain cut by the several parallel north to south flowing streams spanning east to west, is a key factor in permitting the development of the low density city that Columbus has become; with historically easy access from every direction to and from the Downtown. The till or glacial drift has provided the basis for later development of area soils. The subsurface sedimentary rock layers and the overriding glacial deposits have provided the basis for a variety of economic activities, including the production of limestone, sand, gravel and shale which are used in road-building, construction and glass industry utilizing the sand and natural gas from the gas fields of east-central Ohio (Hunker, 2000). Water resources are in the form of reservoirs of groundwater formed by glacial action which also form surface streams. Also because of its annual precipitation the central Ohio region is a well-watered site. The groundwater is not only a source of water for residential and industrial wells, but a potential source of water for greater development in the region. Moreover, the Hoover Dam accounts for 60% of the water source for the city. Even so, there is concern about future water supply. Other alternative sources to up-ground water reservoirs may be at greater cost to society (Hunker, 2000). The Significance of Zoning It is important to note that dividing the city into several zones was implemented for the purpose of protecting the interests of the community. Zoning regulates private land use by controlling density in residential areas to protect them from noisome or undesirable intrusions, and to direct growth and development usually as part of a comprehensive planning scheme. In Comubus, Ohio both building codes and nuisance law together, made zoning necessary. Building codes set standards for construction, and nuisance laws prohibited certain property uses, such as tanneries or slaughter houses, from residential areas or even from whole cities. Combining the two principles, zoning codes divided the entire city into districts or zones and designated the codes for all properties in each district (Sies & Silver, 1996). From the 1920s to the 1960s, the two primary purposes of zoning was to protect residential areas and to direct growth and development. In the planning of the city, zoning could lay guidelines to industrial, commercial and residential development to areas where it would be most beneficial and least harmful to the city. Zoning aided the spread of businesses by keeping industrial establishments out of the areas exclusive for retail units, and made land attractive for long-term investment rather than short-term speculation. From the 1960s, it was felt that zoning was not conducive to city planning and development, and it had lost its earlier concern for protecting low-income and working class neighborhoods, serving either land’s income producing potential or the upper income suburb (Sies & Silver, 1996). Pollution Caused by Facilities and Exacerbated by Wind Direction The effects of the prevailing westerly and south westerly winds have had a long history, particularly in South Columbus. Through bad planning the south Columbus community has had a succession of unfortunate atmospheric related experiences that are directly related to the west to east movement of the air masses passing through the region. Today it suffers from environmental problems resulting from atmospheric pollution generated by railway engines, industries and other facilities (Hunker, 2000). The early causes of pollution were the railroads with their steam engines and a network of railroads throughout the city, resulting in a large part of Columbus being exposed to soot, dirt and noise of the railroads. Major railroad yards and shops necessary to the maintenance of the rolling stock were close to parts of the city. Not only in South Columbus, but through the city, several communities were impacted by the soot and smoke. These conditions were tolerated because the rail industry generated several jobs and because society relied on rail traffic and was still unprepared to address the problem. South Columbus was also the location for several heavy industries especially iron and steel which developed in the last quarter of the nineteenth century, due to the raw material resources of south eastern Ohio. A strong link existed among the “raw materials, industry, railroads, and the resident population of manufacturing workers who lived in the area” (Hunker, 2000: 22). Besides problems associated with the railroads and manufacturing industries, there are increasing pollution levels caused by the location of sewage treatment facilities, a rendering plant, major waste disposal sites, and the city’s trash burning power plant just west of the Scioto river, and adjacent to the southwest side of the city. In spite of statistical proof of the prevailing nature of the westerly and south westerly winds, a private rendering plant was constructed there. Further, the location of public facilities without any consideration of the smoke and odors from these facilities upon the residents of the city’s community, is difficult to comprehend. The climatic element of wind is a significant feature in determining how the community should develop, since physical forces of the environment can influence community well-being over time. As in South Columbus, in the far north of the city, there are communities located down-wind from a brewery and a large paper plant in Chillicothe, from where the pollution spreads far, up the Scioto valley during particular atmospheric conditions (Hunker, 2000). Changes that are Required to be Made in Columbus, Ohio, as a Community By 1998, Columbus had become one of the five urban areas in the nation to have experienced the greatest growth in congestion, especially in the core area of the city. “With the interstate highways I-70 and I-71 cutting through the heart of the region and with the increase of traffic moving within the city on I-270 and I-670, the traffic congestion is adding increasingly to the pollution levels and inconvenience in the city. Hence, the development of an efficient highway system has become crucial to the well-being in the community. The changing geography in the region would be due to the new traffic regulating systems (Hunker, 2000). Columbus experiences another problem that is typical to other cities also, relating to the construction of large malls in peripheral areas. In the city’s northern area, a congestion of malls has been created. Altering the Interstate Highway System which moved regional traffic quickly through the area, new privately financed roadways cater to the malls. Instead of increasing access and freedom, the system “causes congestion and overcrowding on a large scale” (Hunker, 2000: 205). The problems faced by the Downtown nearly sixty years ago, are now occurring towards the north part of the city. To reduce overcrowding caused by the presence of malls, these facilities should be evenly distributed close to residential areas so that residents’ access is easier, and pollution levels caused by long drives in vehicles can be reduced. For system-wide change in community capacity building to be applied in a fluid way, different models and tools need to be used. Structured implementation of policies based on patterns and principles for reducing congestion and pollution are required. The change process may be both structured as well as allowed to evolve freely with the community connecting to its history and its strengths (Fieldnotes, 2005). The community authorities should establish facilities and industrial units on the east of the city, so that they are away from the direction of the westerly and southwesterly winds. The unique physical qualities of the land, the limestone available as raw materials for construction, the sand for glass manufacturing, and the water resources can be used for establishing production plants in segregated zones away from the community, towards the east and away from the wind direction, to reduce the danger of pollution. Similarly, malls and commercial zones should be established close to the community areas, to reduce vehicular traffic, but should remain in zones segregated from the privacy of residential areas. Further community capacity building through construction of residential localities in suburbs facing away from the direction of the westerly and southwesterly winds would help to eliminate the possibility of pollution from the industrial areas. Similarly, reduction of pollution and traffic by railroads using steam engines can be drastically reduced by introducing an underground network of trains connecting all parts of the city, between the communities. The industrial growth in the area economy several decades ago, encouraged efforts to expand manufacturing activity in the region. However, at that time, it was not realised that both nationally and locally there was transition to a society and economy in which the service sector in the form of “government, service sector, retail, wholesale trade, finance, insurance, real estate, research and development, transportation and communication” and others were impact changes both in the workplace and in community living (Hunker, 2000: 205). One of the advantages of a large, growing urban region such as Columbus is that with the presence of major universities and research and development establishments there is immense potential for application of creative new ideas through inventions and innovations; and adaptations to technological change. Columbus, Ohio has an advantage that is not experienced by many older industrial cities in the East and Midwest. Because its suburbs do not completely surround the city, it could grow by annexing outlying land. However, some of the suburbs could not expand since other suburbs or the city itself hemmed them in. Consequently those areas that could not expand experienced very little development in the post-war era, whereas the city and the growing suburbs spread out with new subdivisions. “Thoeretically both Columbus and the suburbs could use their zoning codes to direct and control new growth and development” (Sies & Silver, 1996: 220). The spread of urban sprawl, by expansion of suburbs and development of new fringes of the city, though beneficial for reducing congestion in the inner city, can result in greater vehicular traffic towards the work centers of the city (Gillham & MacLean, 2002). To counteract this problem, easily accessible public transportation such as underground trains would reduce the number of vehicles on the road, and the consequent pollution levels. In the post-war period, the city of Columbus undertook zoning of all newly annexed land for the most restrictive single-family housing. This low-density single-family zoning even applied to land bordering major arterial roads, which might be expected to develop for commercial purposes. They made no provisions for office buildings, shopping centers or aparment complexes in outlying areas. If a proposal was submitted by developers, the city then rezoned the land to match the city’s development. Thus, developers decided the locations of office buildings, stores, apartments or different types of single-family housing, as they had done before the existence of zoning. In parts of the city already developed as in downtown area, the council rezoned residential or apartment areas for reconstruction or for commercial purposes (Sies & Silver, 1996). Other parts of the city, just beyond the core where low and moderate income households lived in one or two-family homes or older apartments, there were commercial intrusions or expanding institutions. In older but stable middle income areas more than three miles from the city’s center, zoning changes applied to land or buildings only along the major streets. Thus, neighborhoods where people owned and occupied their own homes changed little while land use in older rental areas became increasingly dense and intense, and any new development could be acquired. In the suburbs with upper and middle-income community, no changes were undertaken. Here the small commercial district was not permitted to expand (Sies & Silver, 1996: 226). In innercity areas with a predominance of black populations in lower income housing, development to raise the living conditions of the residents is vitally required. The results of a research study conducted by Alex-Assansoh (2004) indicate that the the black urban church continues to be relevant in helping to reduce inner-city problems associated with community development. This is because black churches in cities with well defined mayoral forms of government may have a lot more access to political actors and institutions than in urban areas with other forms of government. It is clear that congestion in older rental areas should be reduced, locating the commercial facililties and expanding institutions in a distributive way, covering the middle-income and higher-income community areas. Racially restrictive legal deeds used by developers to ensure a predominantly white resident population in the high-income suburbs, should be changed to ensure access to all races. Further, to increase a sense of community which is usually lacking in suburbs, and for enhancing civic engagement and social activity (Gillham & MacLean, 2002) group activities and programs for residents should be inclusive and accessible to all. Conclusion This paper has highlighted the changes that need to be made in Columbus, Ohio as a community. The position of this paper was that the development of Ohio as a community needed further changes to be implemented for community well-being, such as using its unique natural resources for increased development of manufacturing industries, for improving economic growth. Further, relocation and distribution of commercial and institutional centres for easy access from all parts of the city’s community areas, for reducing road traffic and pollution levels. Similarly, pollution to communities caused by wind direction can be eliminated by locating industries, sewage treatment facilities and waste disposal sites away from the south Columbus neighborhood. Also, developing underground train networks would radically reduce the pollution caused by steam engines in the city (Hunker, 2000). Aspects of the physical environment and unique physical characteristics of the region affect the perception and enjoyment of community. The various changes that are required to be made to improve Columbus, Ohio as a community, are vital for the well-being of the city’s residents (Hunker, 2000). Further, increasing the number of easily accessible playgrounds and parks for the use of children and the elderly respectively, would raise the quality of life of these sections of the population. References Alex-Assensoh, Y.M. (2004). Taking the sanctuary to the streets: religion, race, and community development in Columbus, Ohio. Source: Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 594: 79-91. Fieldnotes. (November, 2005). Sowing seeds of change in Columbus, Ohio. Based on an interview with Phil Cass. A Newsletter of the Shambhala Institute, Issue 10. Retrieved on 18th February, 2009 from: http://www.aliainstitute.org/resources/sowing_seeds_of_change.pdf Gillham, O. & MacLean, A.S. (2002). The limitless city: a primer on the urban sprawl debate. Washington, D.C.: Island Press. Hunker, H.L. (2000). Columbus, Ohio: a personal geography. The United States of America: Ohio State University Press. Sies, M.C. & Silver, C. (Eds.). (1996). Planning the twentieth century American city. The United States of America: The Johns Hopkins University Press. Sisson, R., Zacher, C.K. & Cayton, A.R. (2007). The American Midwest. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. Read More