Urban Sustainability through Smart Growth: Intercurrence, Planning, and Geographies of Regional Development across Greater Seattle PDF
Preview Urban Sustainability through Smart Growth: Intercurrence, Planning, and Geographies of Regional Development across Greater Seattle
The Urban Book Series Yonn Dierwechter Urban Sustainability through Smart Growth Intercurrence, Planning, and Geographies of Regional Development across Greater Seattle The Urban Book Series More information about this series at http://www.springer.com/series/14773 AimsandScope The Urban Book Series is a resource for urban studies and geography research worldwide.Itprovidesauniqueandinnovativeresourceforthelatestdevelopments in the field, nurturing a comprehensive and encompassing publication venue for urbanstudies,urbangeography,planningandregionaldevelopment. Theseriespublishespeer-reviewedvolumesrelatedtourbanization,sustainabil- ity, urban environments, sustainable urbanism, governance, globalization, urban and sustainable development, spatial and area studies, urban management, urban infrastructure, urban dynamics, green cities and urban landscapes. It also invites research which documents urbanization processes and urban dynamics on a national,regionalandlocal level,welcomingcase studies,aswellascomparative andappliedresearch. Theserieswillappealtourbanists,geographers,planners,engineers,architects, policy makers, and to all of those interested in a wide-ranging overview of con- temporaryurbanstudiesandinnovationsinthefield.Itacceptsmonographs,edited volumesandtextbooks. Yonn Dierwechter Urban Sustainability through Smart Growth Intercurrence, Planning, and Geographies of Regional Development across Greater Seattle YonnDierwechter UrbanStudiesProgram UniversityofWashington,Tacoma Tacoma,Washington,USA ISSN2365-757X ISSN2365-7588 (electronic) TheUrbanBookSeries ISBN978-3-319-54447-2 ISBN978-3-319-54448-9 (eBook) DOI10.1007/978-3-319-54448-9 LibraryofCongressControlNumber:2017932633 ©SpringerInternationalPublishingAG2017 Thisworkissubjecttocopyright.AllrightsarereservedbythePublisher,whetherthewholeorpartof the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilarmethodologynowknownorhereafterdeveloped. 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Printedonacid-freepaper ThisSpringerimprintispublishedbySpringerNature TheregisteredcompanyisSpringerInternationalPublishingAG Theregisteredcompanyaddressis:Gewerbestrasse11,6330Cham,Switzerland Preface Likeotherurbanscholarsofglobalcity-regionsandthepolitics,plans,andpolicies oftheso-callednewcity-regionalism,Ithinkmoreattentionshouldbepaidtohow regional policiesandwiderdevelopmentpatternsinfluenceurban-scaleprocesses, andviceversa—includingthoserelatedto“local”sustainabilitygoals.Thecityof Seattle per se has long garnered attention for many impressive green initiatives, some of which are discussed at length in this book; but in my view Seattle is embedded within, and partially constituted by, a wider relational setting of hous- ing, labor, and transport patterns. These structural realities are critical in thinking throughhowurbangrowthcan(orcannot)bemadesmarterandthus,inprinciple, more ecologically, socially, and economically sustainable. In addition, smart growth is a regional planning theory, necessarily demanding a strong sensitivity tosupra-localdynamicsandrelationalquestionsacrossscalesofauthority. Accordingly, this book is not just about Seattle but the wider city-region, with empiricalattentionpaidtoothercommunities(or“nodes”)likeTacoma,Bellevue, Redmond, Fife, Spanaway, Snoqualmie, and so on. I believe that cities and their suburbs co-shape global city-regions. As they confront global problems they necessarily confront each other; they will “hang together,” to borrow Ben Frank- lin’s famous admonition, or they will “hang separately.” My theoretical (and geographical) engagement with the political science concept of intercurrence, suggested originally by my colleague, Charles Williams, has proven particularly helpful to me in thinking about the kinds of spaces that smart growth makes over political time—sustainable or otherwise. The discussion on offer will hopefully interest not only geographers and planners but also political scientists as well as urbanhistoriansand,moregenerally,studentsofsustainabilityasbothatheoretical problemandapracticalstrategy.Asanurbanstudiesscholar,Iengagewiththemes resonant in political economy, planning theory, historical institutionalism, critical urbangeography,andtheeconomicandpoliticalhistoryofcity-regions.Thereare philosophical and methodological limits to such interdisciplinary travels. But the gainsareworththerisks. v vi Preface Inexecuting(andjustimagining)thisprojectinthisparticularway,Iamindebt to my immediate colleagues, notably Charles Williams, Mark Pendras, Anne Wessells, Brian Coffey, Britta Ricker, and Ali Modarres, as well as to more distance colleagues on other campuses all around the world, including Tassilo Herrschel (UK), Andy Thornley (UK), Andy Jonas (UK), Roger Behrens (South Africa),EliotTretter(Canada),MuratYalc¸ıntan(Turkey),PaoloGiaccaria(Italy), StefanodiVita(Italy),andGerdLinz(Germany).Whateverfaultsthisbooksurely suffers, they are fewer than they would have been absent their positive influence. Sometimes this was through coauthoring previous research (e.g., with Pendras, Coffey, Modarres, Wessells, Thornley, Herrschel); at other times, it was a seren- dipitouscommentorobservationtheymadeinpassingaboutplanning,geography, sustainability, or political economy. I am particularly thankful for repeated con- versationsaboutTacoma,theregion,politics,labor,andpoliticaleconomywithmy friends,MarkPendrasandCharlesWilliams,thoughtheywouldhardlyagreewith everythingthatfollowshere. Finally,books about sustainabilityare books about future generations. And so, thisbookisaffectionatelydedicatedtomydaughter—lovely,inquisitive,amazing Amara,whoatjustsixandahalfyearsofagewantstoliveinaworldpopulatedby “a thousand million and twelve” elephants, dassies, meerkats...and one little bunnyonaboat. Tacoma,WA YonnDierwechter Contents 1 Introduction:Problem,Argument,Themes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1.1 ApproachingtheBottleneck. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1.2 IntercurrenceasDescription...andExplanation. . . . . . . . . . . . 3 1.3 RainWithoutThunder?GreaterSeattleasSmarter City-Region. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 1.4 StructureoftheBook. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 2 Review:GeoPoliticalEconomiesofPlanningSpace. . . . . . . . . . . . 13 2.1 Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 2.2 UrbanSustainability. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 2.2.1 TheState-ProgressiveTradition. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 2.2.2 TheGreen–RedRadicalDissentof Post-capitalism. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 2.2.3 TheLiberalCase:UnleashingMarkets onEcology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 2.2.4 ProgressiveRejoinder(s):From“Weak”to “Strong”Eco-modernization. . . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. 22 2.3 ShiftingPoliticalEconomiesofChange. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 2.4 SmartGrowth. . .. . . . . . .. . . . . .. . . . . . .. . . . . . .. . . . . .. . 25 2.4.1 NormativePlanningTheory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 2.4.2 SmartAspirations,TerritorializedSpaces. . . . . . . . . . . . 28 2.5 Conclusions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 3 Theory:ACity-RegionalGeographyofMultipleOrders. . . . . . . . 45 3.1 Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 3.2 AmericanPoliticalDevelopmentandUrbanGrowth. . . . . . . . . . 46 3.3 SmartGrowthandtheGeographyof“MultipleOrders”. . . . . . . 51 3.4 Conclusions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 vii viii Contents 4 Methodology:Mixed-MethodsResearchDesign. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 4.1 Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 4.2 “Abductive”ResearchEpistemology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 4.3 AnalyticalFramework:Questions,Claims,Data. . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 4.4 ModesofAnalysisandDiscursiveRepresentation. . . . . . . . . . . 69 4.5 Conclusions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 5 History:An(Un)sustainableGeo-HistoryofIntercurrence. . . . . . . 73 5.1 Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 5.2 ColonialismandtheOriginsofDispossession. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 5.3 PoliticalOrderI:SegregatedAccumulation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 5.4 PoliticalOrderII:ProgressiveState-Reformism. . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 5.4.1 FightingforRegionalTransitAlternatives. . . . . . . . . . . 91 5.4.2 The‘Environmentalization’ofGrowthPolicy. . . . . . . . . 95 5.5 PoliticalOrderIII:Justresiliency...ascounter-movement. . . . 100 5.6 Conclusions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 6 Plans:PolicyGeographiesofSustainableGrowth. . . . . . . . . . . . . 113 6.1 Introduction:ThePracticesofTheory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113 6.2 PlansasIntentionalPolicySpaces. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 6.3 LeveragingSmarterPatterns:GrowthPlansinSnoqualmie. . . . . 117 6.4 ForgingSustainableConnectivity:LightRail ExpansioninTacoma. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124 6.5 DesigningCompactness,Choice,andMix:Seattle’s YeslerTerrace. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131 6.6 EncouragingParticipatoryandEfficientRegulatory Processes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135 6.7 Conclusions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138 References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140 7 Home:ResidentialGeographiesofContained(Re)ordering. . . . . . 143 7.1 Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143 7.2 Sprawl,Containment,andSegregation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146 7.3 Exploring“SmartContainment”ThroughResidential PermitData. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148 7.4 AComparativeCity-RegionalOverview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150 7.5 Spaces:MappingSocio-SpatiallyVariegated SmartGrowth. . .. . . . . . .. . . . . .. . . . . . .. . . . . . .. . . . . .. . 157 7.6 OntheGround:Regional(Un)sustainabilitiesof SmartGrowth. . .. . . . . . .. . . . . .. . . . . . .. . . . . . .. . . . . .. . 167 7.7 SustainingSociety,SegregatingSmartness, SustainingSegregation?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170 7.8 Conclusions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175 References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175 Contents ix 8 Work:LaborGeographiesofSmart(er)Mobility. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179 8.1 Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179 8.2 LaborSpace:WealthandPovertyAcrossthe GreaterCity-Region. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181 8.3 ShiftingGreaterSeattle’sMobility:Transitin LaborSpace. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188 8.3.1 Conclusions. .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. 197 References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199 9 GeneralConclusions:Contributions,Limitations,Agenda. . . . . . . 203 9.1 RecapitulationsandContributions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203 9.2 LimitationsandChallenges. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207 9.3 AgendaandOngoingQuestions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209 References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210 Glossary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213 Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
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