Land Use

            The new development on the Griffin Memorial Site should continue efforts to promote the quality of life as well as stability of the currently nearby community. Within the disciplines of urban planning and design, Jane Jacobs’s publication on The Death and Life of Great American Cities encouraged a radical re-thinking of how to improve “walkability” and encourage pedestrians and cyclists; what makes a healthy community; and what are the benefits of walking and cycling for citizens. I profoundly believe that developing multifamily mixed-land use community will not only make the Griffin Memorial Site more self-sufficient, but also effectively increase the number and activity of people on the street.        

   

            The multifamily mixed-land use development will serve different income levels, family structures and ownership. In particular, the development objective is to create a transit-oriented community that is walkable, mixed-income, racially diverse, and offers a spectrum of housing options. On the other hand, Khafif (2012) proves that rapid growth of low-density community continues along the edges of US metropolitan areas and development continues to consume increasing amounts of land and resources. In addition, the financial burden of low-density community is three times higher than in core urban areas with higher population densities (Khafif, 2012). Therefore, the combination of increasingly land, energy, and municipal revenue consumption will irrefutably lead to a crisis without precedent through human history (Khafif, 2012).                      

 

            As we are aware of the benefit of developing multifamily mixed-land use, we should get started to select the development location as well as introduce renewable energy technology for the community.  The study shows 98 percent of Oklahoma experiencing severe dry conditions. Therefore, the multifamily developers have to utilize strategies for water use reduction. In particular, it is significant to consider developing the stormwater collection infrastructure that is integrated with the Griffin Memorial Site. For instance, the cistern could be introduced in order to store the rainwater, which might be able to flush toilets in the multifamily areas. The water use reduction strategies can considerably reduce the water shortage pressure on the nearby community and improve the sustainability of the Griffin Memorial Site. In addition to use water use reduction strategies for the new development, solar energy management technology should also be utilized. In conclusion, developers are obligated to adopt technologies and strategies that are aimed at enhancing the sustainability in the current community as well as improving health in the new community development.