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Alternatives for Coastal Development: One Site, Three Scenarios
Why Develop Alternatives?
Changes Over TimeThe need for coastal communities to consider a variety of development scenarios is only going to increase as coastal population densities continue to grow. Currently, more than half of the United States' population lives in the 640 counties covering the areas in which major rivers and streams flow into the oceans and Great Lakes. Between 1970 and 2000, population increases to the finite land area of those counties increased their overall population density from 123 to 167 people per square mile. Nearer to the shore, population densities are higher. In areas adjacent to the coast, the population density is over 230 persons per square mile – three times that of the nation as a whole. (Colgan 2003) This project's coastal study site, Camden County, Georgia, experienced a 44.7 percent population increase from 1990 to 2000, and Georgia is not alone (U.S. Census Bureau 2003). Today, almost one-half of the nation's new construction occurs in coastal areas, and over the next 15 years, coastal populations are expected to increase by approximately 27 million people (Pew Commission 2002). Land use trends of coastal Georgia shown in the interactive time series of satellite images below display vegetated lands successively converted to development. National statistics indicate that a time series of satellite images for your coastal area would likely tell a similar story. View the Changes
References and ResourcesBeach, Dana. 2002. Coastal Sprawl: The Effects of Urban Design on Aquatic Ecosystems in the United States. Pew Oceans Commission Science Report. 32pp. Colgan, Charles S. 2003. "The Changing Ocean and Coastal Economy of the United States." A briefing paper for conference participants at the National Governor's Center for Best Practices Conference, Waves of Change: Examining the Role of States in Emerging Ocean Policy. October 22, 2003. 18pp. Georgia Quality Growth Partnership (GQGP) – Providing local governments and citizens with the tools and knowledge to transform the way we define, create and sustain high quality Georgia communities. U.S. Census Bureau State and County QuickFacts. Dec. 2003 U.S. Census Bureau State and County QuickFacts. United States: Population, Percent Change, 1990 to 2000. Dec. 2003.
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Providing for residential growth, fostering economic development, and protecting natural resources requires a delicate balance between the built and nonbuilt environment. A variety of factors come into play, including land values, the abundance of natural resources, real estate market trends, demographics, local ordinances, and community character. Coastal communities need tools to help them analyze, visualize, and make decisions about growth and development along the coast. This need is the basic premise behind the development of "Alternatives for Coastal Development." Featuring coastal Georgia as its example, this project illustrates results and provides information applicable to any coastal area.
In the 30 years between 1970 and 2000, the number of people living in U.S. coastal watershed counties increased to over 34 million – the total population of California.
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