Central Washington University

GEOG 405

Advanced Topics in Land Use Planning:

Planning the New West

Thursday Evening Seminar 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Black Hall Room 137

Instructor: Dr. Robert Kuhlken
Office: Lind Hall Room 118B
Office Hours: Thursday 8:00 AM - NOON
Phone: 963-2795
E-mail: kuhlkenr@cwu.edu

Please note: This course carries the prerequisite of GEOG 305.

Required Texts:

The Eagle Bird:

Mapping a New West
by Charles Wilkinson

Old Fences, New Neighbors

by Peter R. Decker

Paradise Paved:

The Challenge of Growth
in the New West
by Raye C. Ringholz

Better Not Bigger:

How to Take Control
of Urban Growth
and Improve Your
Community
by Eben Fodor

Now available in the CWU bookstore,
and at Jerrol's bookstore.

About this course

Geography 405 moves ahead from the basic understanding of land use planning gained in GEOG 305 and focuses in on selected topics in urban and regional planning. This quarter we will look at the rapid transformations in landscapes and lifestyles in the American West, and how communities across the region are coping with land use change and the forces of development.

CLASS SCHEDULE

This three credit hour class will meet as a seminar each Thursday evening from 6:00 to 8:30.

STUDENT EVALUATION

There will be no midterm or final exam in this course. Instead, each student is expected to keep up with the reading assignments and to fully participate in class discussions. Each student will be evaluated on the basis of her/his world wide web project; book review; leading a discussion; and general class participation.

World Wide Web Project
You will be expected to construct a web page that deals with issues of land use planning in a place that interests you. You will be given some hands on training in web page creation using Netscape, and an idea of what such a page might look like. Here are instructions for creating web pages and securing your space on the CWU server. Or you may publish your assignment as a web page to any server where you might have alloted space (hotmail, angelfire, etc.). To complete this assignment, simply e-mail me by Tuesday May 29, the single URL of YOUR web page after publishing it.

Book review
Each student is responsible for reading a book pertaining to the course material and writing a scholarly book review. The review of your chosen book should be at least three but no longer than five computer-printed pages in length. You will hand in a printed hard copy for grading purposes and will also publish your book review on your web page.

Discussion leadership
Each student will be assigned particular chapters in our texts to explicate. You are to carefully take notes on your assigned reading, and on your scheduled day be prepared to lead a class discussion, concentrating on the points and issues brought to light in that particular selection.

Class participation
Each student is expected to complete the reading assignments prior to the class period for which they are assigned, and to fully participate in discussions relating to our texts. In addition, various research projects may be conducted during the course of the quarter which will be considered as participatory activity.

Field trip
We will be taking a field trip to Portland, Oregon. This will entail a Friday night stayover and all day Saturday - you will need to reserve a room or hostel accomodations at Edgefield. More information will be available in class.

Final Evaluation
Web Project 100 points
Book review: 50 points
Discussion leadership: 50 points
Class participation: 100 points
Total possible: 300 points

GEOG 405

Advanced Topics in Land Use Planning:

COURSE OUTLINE & REQUIRED READINGS

March 29 Introduction: Realizing the New West

April 5 Learning the lay of the land

Readings: Wilkinson: Preface, pp. xi-xv Chapter 1, pp. 1-5 Chapter 2, pp. 7-19 Chapter 5, pp. 63-74 Chapter 8, pp. 101-127 Chapter 9, pp. 129-156

April 12 Boom Towns

Readings: Ringholz: Preface, pp. ix-xiii Introduction, pp. 1-19 Chapter 1, pp. 21-40 Chapter 6, pp. 158-195

April 19 Water as a limiting factor in the West

Readings: Wilkinson: Chapter 4, pp. 43-61 Ringholz: Chapter 2, pp. 41-63

April 26 Pacific Northwest rural planning issues

Readings: Wilkinson: Chapter 3, pp. 21-41 Chapter 6, pp. 75-88

May 3 Rural transformations: Colorado case study

Readings: Wilkinson: Chapter 7, pp. 89-99 Ringholz: Chapter 4, pp. 93-112 Decker: entire text

May 10 Old Economies, New Lifestyles, Growth Management

Readings: Ringholz: Chapter 5, pp. 113-157 Wilkinson: Chapter 11, pp. 181-198

May 17 Pacific Northwest urban planning issues

Readings: Fodor: entire text

May 18-19 Portland Field Trip

May 24 Gateway Communities

Readings: Ringholz: Chapter 3, pp. 65-92 Wilkinson: Chapter 10, pp. 157-180

May 31 Course Conclusion

Some additional links you should find useful:

Readings: Wilkinson: Preface, pp. xi-xv
Chapter 1, pp. 1-5
Chapter 2, pp. 7-19
Chapter 5, pp. 63-74
Chapter 8, pp. 101-127
Chapter 9, pp. 129-156

Readings: Ringholz: Preface, pp. ix-xiii
Introduction, pp. 1-19
Chapter 1, pp. 21-40
Chapter 6, pp. 158-195

Readings: Wilkinson: Chapter 4, pp. 43-61
Ringholz: Chapter 2, pp. 41-63

Readings: Wilkinson: Chapter 3, pp. 21-41
Chapter 6, pp. 75-88

Readings: Wilkinson: Chapter 7, pp. 89-99
Ringholz: Chapter 4, pp. 93-112
Decker: entire text

Readings: Ringholz: Chapter 5, pp. 113-157
Wilkinson: Chapter 11, pp. 181-198

Readings: Ringholz: Chapter 3, pp. 65-92
Wilkinson: Chapter 10, pp. 157-180