Part Four: Senior Research

Environmental Impact of Sprawl on Natural Habitats

Along with the effects of consumerism in Los Angeles, the most severe impact from sprawl is the deterioration of ecosystems. Thousands of plant and animal species, with nearly 300 plants and animals listed as endangered, inhabit the Los Angeles area. In the San Gabriel and San Fernando Valley, and in the Santa Monica Mountains and beyond are 3.5 million acres of coast, foothill, mountain, and high desert terrain, all sheltering 3,000 plant and animal species that occur no where else on Earth. (Center for Biological Diversity) These species are threatened by continuous urban and perimeter sprawl and it has been noted that there is not enough being done to protect southern California’s preserves and National Forests. “The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service do little to protect federally listed species and critical habitat from many harmful Forest Service activities, including roads, off-road vehicles, power lines, oil and gas, logging, and grazing.” (Center for Biological Diversity) As many environmental agencies as there are in California alone, it is hard to believe that “between 1997-2007, studies [have] suggested [that] both plant and animal species are dying at a rate not seen for millions of years.” (Miller 74) As studies show that animal and plant extinction is on the rise, it may be possible to connect the loss of natural habitats to sprawl.

Sprawl in southern California has caused the subdivision of land with the crisscross of roads and construction of buildings, forcing ecosystems to grow frail and divert animals to what little wild open space is left. The Santa Monica Freeway, also known as “The 10,” stretches from Santa Monica to the east coast in Florida. The portion of the 10 Freeway that bisects much of Los Angeles and eastward through the Inland Empire has imperiled many animals and natural habitats. “[A]nimals are being cut off and isolated...[T]hese animals need large, contiguous blocks of wild or semi-wild landscape, find themselves hemmed in by roads, golf courses and new neighborhoods.” (Miller 96) Even more telling is the fact that “[m]ore than one-third of the known species in the United States are considered in danger of extinction…[and] [s]prawl in California is [the] leading cause of species imperilment.” (Miller 168) With a number of plants and animals possibly lost due to sprawl, the ecological processes that occur in nature are being thrown into disorder, jeopardizing wildlife communities. Within the southern California landscape, the impediments that are created by humans and contribute so greatly to sprawl, redirect animals to unfamiliar ecosystems, and contribute to lower animal fertility rates, and possible extinction. The typical view of the American landscape is that its openness and vastness is such that it does not require any limitation on development. This view does not take into consideration the need for agricultural and recreational land and the need for open space to allow these animals, plants, microorganisms and other life forms to maintain natural systems and biological diversity.

Next Two Paragraphs of Senior Research Paper

Defining Sprawl in Los Angeles
Greater Los Angeles is viewed as the epitome of sprawl. That reputation began with events that occurred decades ago. Main elements of Los Angeles’ sprawl largely relate to World War II. Aspects of sprawl during this period include the following:
1. The automobile – A major American icon which provided an easy means for people to travel and made relocating to more rural locations possible. “Auto and truck travel have exploded in the United States since World War II. That explosion is the key force behind the energy consumption, air quality, and climate changes brought about by sprawl.” (Squires 24)
2. Freeway system – Mindful of the autobahn in Germany, President Eisenhower initiated a freeway system that was originally conceived for the military. This ultimately provided people the means to move freely, encouraging the construction of cookie-cutter homes and developments throughout the landscape.
3. Baby-boomers (Population increase) – Veterans returning from war wanted to settle down and raise a family. During this period in history, America saw a spike in births throughout the nation. The rise in population meant more homes, more roads, and more sprawl.
4. American suburban home – As personal and national wealth was on the rise during the 1950’s, families looked for affordable homes in suburbs outside of cities. Our government encouraged families to live in suburbs as a means to pay off war debts. (Miller 16)

These four elements in American history helped promote sprawl across the United States, with Los Angeles representing the more unconstructive side of that phenomenon.

Factors Influencing Sprawl Today
Three main reasons for sprawl today continue to be growing populations, increasing economic prosperity, and reliance on the automobile. Other features of sprawl include:
1. Leapfrog or scattered development – A form of development that is more inefficient use of land than sprawl. It skips over available land and claims large tracts for development. This process allows for cheaper land to be bought and developed, generally for a single purpose. The farther away the land is from major cities, the cheaper it will be, which is why leapfrog development is so appealing to developers.
2. Single-use development – A type of development that has a single purpose or use. Examples would be strip malls and single family suburban homes. On the other hand, an example of a development with multiple uses would be an apartment complex that has a parking garage, its living spaces, and a restaurant that serves the public.
3. Poor accessibility and automobile dependency – Dependency on automobiles has caused poor public accessibility to locations throughout Los Angeles and elsewhere in the United States. Existing public transportation does not allow for positive accessibility throughout a large and expansive developed landscape.
4. Fragmented open space between scattered developments – Land between developments causes zoning and regulation problems and turns the open areas into unsightly and unused space.
5. Lack of functional open space – Public space that does not meet the needs of its users. Pershing Square in downtown Los Angeles, for example, is usable, but the design and its users (generally homeless people) make it a poor functioning open space.
6. Lack of nearby conveniences – As developments are being pushed into more rural locations, the necessities of life are no longer conveniently located.
7. Increasing expenditures on infrastructure – As the population grows causing more sprawl, there will be an expected increase in expenditures by local governments.

Santa Monica Civic Center: Mixed-Use Residential Maritime Park

These are perspectives of my recent LA 403 design class for the master plan of the Santa Monica Civic Center. I selected the area at the corner of Ocean, Colorado, and Main St.

Concerns of the project are:
1. Functionality (how paths work, buildings relating to other public spaces, etc.)
2. Connecting with the community, the public, the ocean
3. Using art to tell the maritime story of Santa Monica
4. Mixed-Use purposes
5. Continuing Santa Monica sustainability plans

Eagle Rock Green Infrastructure Development

In my winter quarter of my final year at Cal Poly Pomona, our LA 402 studio was to design and formulate a story to tell through green infrastructure. I developed ideas of green design by recognizing that this area of Los Angeles is traffic riddled. Reasons being the lack of bike lanes, poor store fronts and social gathering spots, and the amount of car traffic that goes through the intersection of Eagle Rock Blvd. and Colorado Blvd. (has one of the highest influx of cars in LA County).

My design is for the streetscape of Eagle Rock Blvd. and Colorado Blvd. intersection, but stressing the fact that Colorado Blvd. would see the brunt of the design. The image below is of the streetscape of Colorado Blvd. looking east from Eagle Rock Blvd. and the accompanying plan view.

The median space contains light structures that recognize passing cars, which cause them to blink for a moment as cars move by. Once the light structure flashes based on the motion sensor within them, it will collect each moment as a form of energy to utilize in some manner.


My concept for the intersection of Eagle Rock Blvd. and Colorado Blvd. was to imply words that epitomizes my group's design and the story that I am trying to tell. I chose the following words and phrases: "Nature at Play" (my group's project name), "Community", "Energy", and " Eagle Rock". Below is the plan view of the intersection design.

The intention in the words help to unit at the center the idea of sustainability in a community willing and able to change to make a difference.