Final answer:
An Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) is a planning tool used by local governments to control and manage urban growth within a designated area. UGBs can preserve agricultural and natural lands, encourage compact development, and result in infrastructure cost savings. However, they can also lead to increased housing costs, development pressure outside the boundary, and challenges for economic growth.
Step-by-step explanation:
UGBs are typically physical boundaries, such as a line or buffer zone, that separate urban areas from adjacent rural or undeveloped areas.
Three pros of implementing UGBs include:
- Preserving Agricultural and Natural Lands: UGBs can help protect farmland, green spaces, and environmentally sensitive areas from development and urban encroachment.
- Encouraging Compact Development: UGBs can promote denser and more sustainable urban development patterns by encouraging infill development and limiting urban sprawl.
- Infrastructure Cost Savings: UGBs can help reduce the costs associated with extending infrastructure (such as water, sewer, and transportation) into undeveloped areas, by focusing development within existing urban areas.
Three cons of implementing UGBs include:
- Increased Housing Costs: UGBs can contribute to higher housing costs, as the limited supply of land within the boundary can drive up land and housing prices.
- Development Pressure Outside the Boundary: UGBs can lead to increased development and urban sprawl in areas just outside the boundary, as developers seek alternative sites for growth and development.
- Challenges for Economic Growth: UGBs can pose challenges for economic growth and employment opportunities, as limited land availability within the boundary can make it more difficult for businesses to expand or locate within the area.