AR 443A: Planning 3_Intro to Urban & Regional Planning Arch. Eduardo F. Bober, Jr.

Lecture Notes (Land Use/Development Determinants)

Land Use Determinants

Physical Determinants
The physical and natural features of the land may serve as one of the considerations in assessing the
land’s capability and suitability to support certain uses, and can be considered as determinants of land use
decisions.
1. Topography 4. Soil
2. Geology 5. Bodies of Water
3. Climate 6. Environmentally Critical Areas

Economic Determinants
The economic condition of the land and the surrounding area is an essential criterion in arriving at a
development decision. Examples to this are the following:
1. Land Value Location 5. Changes in Technology
2. Cost of Land Development 6. Changes in Money Supply
3. Increase/Decrease in Population 7. Changes in Planning Controls
4. Trends, Changes in Fashion and Tastes

Public Interest
Public action that seeks to assure livability and sound development in the city as land is put to urban
use. It involves the notion of control for public ends as they may be distinguished from private, economic
and social ends. Public interest values come into play in legalistic actions of formal government
organizations. This is referred to as "actions taken in the public interest." Among these concerns are:
1. Livability 4. Convenience
2. Amenity 5. Economy
3. Safety

There are other factors for consideration in deciding project developments but it must ensure that the
highest and best use* of land must be established and that the appropriate development be pursued.
*HABU – use in a manner that provides an optimum return to their operators and/or society.
- use for the purpose of which it has the highest comparative advantage or least comparative
disadvantage relative to other uses.

• Need for planning and other types of land development (real estate) due to population growth,
migration patterns, etc.
• Societal trends due to changing living patterns, changes in class structure, and changes in work
conditions and lifestyles.
- changes are brought about by new technology, e.g. use of mass transit systems, new
road systems, new forms of communication, etc.
• Changing values and attitudes
- Growing awareness and appreciation of healthier surroundings
- Requirements of people belonging to different social classes (suburban neighborhoods vs.
downtown neighborhoods)
• Income
• Central Place theory – population thresholds and market range
• Location Quotient – device in gauging the relative specialization of a region in selected industries