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What is the Transect? The Transect is a categorization system that organizes all elements of the built environment on a scale from rural to urban. It is both a descriptive theory and a system of land use. The central notion is of a gradient of habitats, from wilderness to urban core. As one moves along the gradient, differences in design, ecology and social structure are apparent. When those differences are systematized into land use code, the Transect can become a comprehensive alternative to conventional sprawl zoning. Planning for character of place is enabled and supported because the Transect is organized around qualitative experience. Its potential lies in education and analysis, its easy translation into zoning categories, and the creation of "immersive environments". An immersive environment is one where all of the elements of the human environment work together to create something that is greater than the sum of the parts.  Environmental Background The concept of the Transect actually is rooted in environmental studies. The Transect is a standard tool used by ecologists to make sense of different ecosystems and natural habitats. It 1s a way of understanding nature by taking a slice of the landscape and examining how it changes, as a continuum. From the view of a natural scientist, a Transect study might move from the ocean to the beach and marshland, then low scrub pine forests, and then mature upland forest.
The fields of the environmental sciences have traditionally ignored humans and their activities. An early understanding of the Transect as applied to the built environment is found in the work of Ian McHarg and his influential book, Design With Nature. However, McHarg focused almost exclusively on determining areas of environmental quality to be preserved, not on the form or function of the built environment. The innovation of New Urbanism is to extend the Transect and continue it into the human environment. Applying the Transect to human environments suggests that we think not of human and natural environments in conflict with each other, but rather of ecosystems that are affected by humans, to a greater or lesser degree. The 6 Zones The New Urbanist Transect is a method of classifying the natural and built environments as a continuum of six conditions, ranging from rural to urban. Each point along the continuum has distinctive unifying characteristics that are reflected in street patterns and designs, building forms, urban design, relationships to the natural world, and public infrastructure. The value of the Transect is that it serves to locate any given place within a context in which all of the parts fit together harmoniously. For example, a rural street typically has no curbs or sidewalks and its buildings look like farmhouses or barns. An urban street, depending on the intensity of urbanism, may have curbs and gutters, regularly placed street trees, sidewalks, and building forms that include common walls, flat roofs, and cornices. Within a city or town, there is also a continuum; from the urban downtown core, to the moderate and then lower density residential neighborhoods, which exhibits a coherent but different set of characteristics in their streets, landscape, and building designs. Each Transect zoning category has detailed provisions for each neighborhood, for density, thoroughfare dimensions and design, block dimensions, the design of parks, appropriate building frontages, the mix of uses, building design, parking, and other aspects of the human environment. The Transect begins with two that are entirely rural in character: Rural Preserve (or T-1), which is made up of lands protected in perpetuity; and Rural Reserve (T-2), which includes areas of high environmental or scenic quality that are not currently preserved, but perhaps should be.
The transition zone between countryside and town is called the Neighborhood Edge Zone (T-3), which encompasses the most rural part of the neighborhood, and the countryside just beyond. The Edge is primarily single family homes. Although the Edge is the most purely residential zone, it can have some mixed-use, such as civic buildings; schools are particularly appropriate for the Edge. Next is the Neighborhood General (T-4), typically the largest zone. General is primarily residential, but more urban in character, having somewhat higher density with a mix of housing types and a slightly greater mix of uses allowed.
At the more urban end of the spectrum are two zones which are primarily mixed use: Neighborhood Center, or T-5. This can be a small neighborhood center or a larger town center, the latter serving more than one neighborhood. The Core or Downtown (T-6) serves the region, not only adjacent neighborhoods, and is typically understood as a central business district. Additionally, the inclusion of Special Districts, in addition the 6 zones, make allowance for auto-dependent activities, such as big box retail.
Converting the Transect System Into Zoning When these gradations are systematized into a zoning code, the New Urbanist Transect becomes a comprehensive alternative to conventional zoning. Use of the Transect allows proactive analysis, and assumes a strong process of public engagement and participation to identify existing Transect zones, as well as the desired characteristics for new development. Pennsylvania has made this much easier, with the addition of Article VII-A to the Municipal Planning Code. This new language now specifically provides for such New Urbanist zoning ordinances, and gives guidance for communities wishing to encourage such development. The Transect is beginning to be employed in regional planning around the nation. Duany Plater-Zyberk & Company (DPZ) recently used the Transect as the basis to create a plan and code for Onondaga County, New York, which includes the City of Syracuse and surrounding suburbs, villages, and countryside. Regional planning efforts by Torti Gallas & Partners, in Albemarle County Virginia and Okeechobee Florida are based entirely on the Transect. The Transect zoning concept can become easily the new paradigm for local land-use regulations, because it can be implemented through the familiar legal framework of Euclidian zoning districts. The zoning districts would be keyed to the desired Transect zones (edge, general, center, and core), plus various special districts needed to accommodate auto-dominated zones for heavy industry and big box retail. This zoning implementation is likely to become much more common, with the recent publication of the Smart Code, a Transect-based model zoning ordinance produced by DPZ. More information on this can be found at http://www.smartcode.org and the DPZ website, http://www.dpz.com |
