United Nations Human Settlements Programme

P.O. Box 30030, Nairobi 00100, KENYA

Tel: +254-20 7623120, Fax: +254-20 7624266/7
infohabitat@unhabitat.org, www.unhabitat.org

1






|ann|ng Denser C|t|es |n the kkI Century
1oo|s for urban redeve|opment and |nf|||

LxperL Croup MeeLlng (LCM)
Zapopan (!allsco) Mexlco, 29-31 CcLober 2014

Draft














Concept Note

United Nations Human Settlements Programme
P.O. Box 30030, Nairobi 00100, KENYA
Tel: +254-20 7623120, Fax: +254-20 7624266/7
infohabitat@unhabitat.org, www.unhabitat.org

2

!"#$%&'()*!
1he clLy ls one of Lhe hlghesL plnnacles of human creaLlon. ConcenLraLlng so many people ln
dense, lnLeracLlve, shared spaces has hlsLorlcally provlded dlsLlncL advanLages, LhaL ls,
agglomeraLlon advanLages. 1hrough agglomeraLlon, clLles have Lhe power Lo lnnovaLe,
generaLe wealLh, enhance quallLy of llfe and accommodaLe more people wlLhln a smaller
fooLprlnL aL lower per caplLa resource use and emlsslons Lhan any oLher seLLlemenL paLLern.
Cr so Lhey could.

lncreaslngly, clLles are forfelLlng many of Lhe beneflLs LhaL agglomeraLlon has Lo offer. SLudles
of urban land expanslon have shown LhaL over Lhe lasL Lwo decades mosL clLles ln Lhe world
have become less dense raLher Lhan more and are wasLlng Lhelr poLenLlal ln ways LhaL
generaLe sprawl, congesLlon and segregaLlon. 1hese paLLerns are maklng clLles less pleasanL
and equlLable places ln whlch Lo llve. 1hey are also LhreaLenlng Lhe earLh's carrylng capaclLy.

urban reduced denslLles are of parLlcular concern ln counLrles wlLh hlgh raLes of urban
populaLlon growLh, where such Lrends lmply huge consumpLlon of land and resources: lL ls
esLlmaLed LhaL Lhey wlll Lrlple ln land slze lf presenL Lrend conLlnue by 2030 when Lhey wlll
have absorbed 1.6 bllllon new people. uesplLe slower populaLlon growLh, clLles ln
lndusLrlallzed counLrles are llkely Lo see a 2.3 Llmes growLh ln clLy land areas over Lhe same
perlod due Lo a more rapld decllne ln average denslLles when compared Lo Lhelr developlng
counLry counLerparLs.

1hls slLuaLlon ls of ma[or concern ln counLrles already marred by a large backlog of servlces,
prevalence of slums and weak lnsLlLuLlonal capaclLles as low denslLy seLLlemenLs make lL
cosLly and lnefflclenL Lo provlde servlces and lnfrasLrucLure, commuLlng becomes a huge
burden on resldenLs ln Lerms of Llme and cosL, and valuable naLural resources ln Lerms of land
and energy ae depleLed wlLh low producLlvlLy.

un-PablLaL has ldenLlfled Lhls lssue as one crlLlcal area of focus ln Lhe global urban
developmenL agenda and proposes a proacLlve approach , ls worklng Lo proacLlvely ldenLlfy,
analyse and dlssemlnaLe local and naLlonal approaches whlch address Lhese Lrends and
leverage denslLy for local developmenL and quallLy of llfe. A number of un-PablLaL
publlcaLlons reflecL on Lhe relevance of denslLy and denslflcaLlon for urban developmenL
1
and
polnL Lo Lhe beneflLs LhaL would accrue by addresslng lL Lhrough adequaLe naLlonal and local
pollcy and plannlng lnLervenLlon.


1
!"#$% '$(()"%* +," -"))% ./,%,012 3)4)"$56%5 7)%*6(189 un-PablLaL, 2012
!"#$% ':$%%6%5 +," ;6(1 3)$<)"*", un-PablLaL, 2012
= %)> *("$()51 ,+ ?@*($6%$#:) A)65B#,@"B,,< ':$%%6%52 C64) '"6%/6D:)*", un-PablLaL, 2013


United Nations Human Settlements Programme
P.O. Box 30030, Nairobi 00100, KENYA
Tel: +254-20 7623120, Fax: +254-20 7624266/7
infohabitat@unhabitat.org, www.unhabitat.org

3

lL ls un-PablLaL experlence LhaL such lnLervenLlons, when Lhey are gulded by solld urban
plannlng lnsLrumenLs, are based on reallsLlc flnanclal sLraLegles and are flrmly anchored ln
pollcy and legal frameworks can supporL Lhe developmenL of quallLy denslLy ln dlverslLy of
urban seLLlngs, and aL scale.

1hey demonsLraLe LhaL urban plannlng can provlde adequaLe land use for publlc spaces and
sLreeLs, organlsed ln an urban sLrucLure LhaL mlnlmlses LransporL, servlce dellvery cosLs and
LransacLlon cosLs for Lhe urban economy, opLlmlses Lhe use of urban land, and supporLs Lhe
proLecLlon and organlsaLlon of urban open spaces. 1hese sLraLegles lnclude denslflcaLlon, re-
developmenL of Lhe clLy and provlde condlLlons for effecLlve slum upgradlng, layouL of new
areas wlLh hlgher denslLles, brownfleld developmenL, bulldlng converslons, and urban
moblllLy efflclenL developmenLs.

1he LCM on lanned ClLy lnLenslflcaLlon/uenslflcaLlon organlzed by un-PablLaL ln
collaboraLlon wlLh Lhe SecreLarla de uesarrollo Agrarlo, 1errlLorlal y urbano (SLuA1u) and
MunlclpallLy of Zapopan ln Mexlco proposes a proacLlve urban plannlng approach Lo gulde
urban growLh, whlch ls lnnovaLlve, fasL, and pracLlcal, Lo maLch Lhe dramaLlcally lncreaslng
urbanlsaLlon Lrends. Such an approach can produce beLLer llvlng condlLlons and more
susLalnable urban paLLerns, lncrease value creaLlon and economlc lncluslon as well as provlde
a long Lerm lmpeLus Lo healLhy and susLalnable local developmenL. 1he LCM proposes LhaL
slmple and credlble lnflll/uenslflcaLlon plans should be consldered as a sLraLeglc urban
managemenL Lool LhaL creaLes value and expands local asseLs LhaL can lmprove urban
prosperlLy and compeLlLlveness. 1he LCM ls parL of an LCM serles promoLed by UN-nab|tat Lo
develop normaLlve guldellnes and gaLher workable efflclenL pracLlces Lo lnsplre Lhe plannlng
and pollcles for currenL urbanlzaLlon Lrends.
!"#$%!
ulfferenL urban reallLles are Lhe Loplc of Lhls LCM: lnefflclenL clLles wlLh obsoleLe urban
paLLerns and whlch are lnLeresLed ln gulded denslflcaLlon processes (whlch wlll requlre
changes of regulaLlon, provlslon or resLrucLuraLlon of publlc space, lncreased connecLlvlLy,
eLc.), clLles whlch have brownflelds (ln processes of economlc LransformaLlon for lnsLance)
whlch can be redeveloped for lncreaslng denslLy ln Lhe core urban area, flnally clLles LhaL
would llke Lo lncrease denslLles ln perlpheral areas.

urban redevelopmenL and denslflcaLlon ls ln Lhe lnLeresL of boLh Lhe prlvaLe and Lhe publlc
secLor, and can provlde a key opporLunlLy for urban resLrucLurlng, addresslng serlous urban
problems. Several slLe approaches and sLraLegles have been applled leadlng Lo denslflcaLlon ln
recenL urban LransformaLlons. MosL relevanL are 1Cu (1ranslL-CrlenLed uevelopmenL),
exchange of bulldlng rlghLs (or exchange for release of publlc space), land read[usLmenL,
speclflc regulaLlon or pro[ecL approaches for redevelopmenL, eLc. Also clLy wlde approaches
relaLed Lo llmlLlng urban expanslon have been used Lo lncrease denslLy lnslde Lhe clLy llmlLs.

United Nations Human Settlements Programme
P.O. Box 30030, Nairobi 00100, KENYA
Tel: +254-20 7623120, Fax: +254-20 7624266/7
infohabitat@unhabitat.org, www.unhabitat.org

4


1he LCM maln focus wlll be on addresslng low denslLles paLLerns ln LaLln Amerlcan clLles
whlch are rapldly Lransformlng wlLhln Lhe consLralnLs of exlsLlng sLreeL layouL and low
denslLles lnherlLed from lnapproprlaLe or lnexlsLenL plannlng, compounded by urban
segregaLlon and lnequallLy. Case sLudles and sLraLegles from clLles from oLher conLlnenLs wlll
be presenLed and dlscussed Lo provlde ample reference Lo posslble opLlons and Lools.
uurlng Lhe LCM Lhe followlng sLraLegles wlll be dlscussed:
LANNLD CI1 INIILL (SI1L SLCIIIC)
1he developmenL of vacanL or underuLlllsed land wlLhln an exlsLlng urban fabrlc, ofLen on a
pro[ecL base, can lnclude brownfleld developmenL, slum upgradlng, redevelopmenL and
bulldlng converslon. 1hey are almed aL addresslng lnefflclenL land use and Lo redress
sLrucLural connecLlvlLy and layouL problems. 1hey can help Lo achleve a sLrucLure LhaL
faclllLaLes urban moblllLy, reduce segregaLlon and lncrease urban asseLs.
lnflll plans can provlde, ln addlLlon Lo Lhe larger populaLlon accommodaLed and Lhe space for
economlc acLlvlLy, beneflLs ln Lerms of lmproved sLreeL llfe, enhanced urban safeLy, proxlmlLy
and walkablllLy. 1he lncrease of bulldablllLy lndexes and overall denslLles of populaLlon and
acLlvlLles always need Lo be supporLed by adequaLe publlc space, moblllLy, servlce neLworks,
and access Lo urban amenlLles. 1hls approach ls parLlcularly relevanL for clLles wlLh low
denslLles, funcLlonal and soclal segregaLlon and lnadequaLe connecLlvlLy. lmporLanL challenges
lnclude balanclng Lhe rlghLs of clLlzens and publlc prlorlLles and, slmllarly, balanclng publlc
prlorlLles wlLh prlvaLe developmenL poLenLlal.
IMkCVLD CCNNLC1IVI1 AND U8LIC SACLS (CI1 WIDL-SI1L)
urban publlc space lncludlng Lhe LransporLaLlon neLwork of rlghLs of way ls Lhe backbone of
Lhe clLy as lL supporLs moblllLy and overall funcLlonallLy, accesslblllLy and economlc
LransacLlons. Slnce Lhe avallablllLy of adequaLe publlc space boLh ln Lerms of quanLlLy and
quallLy allows people Lo llve ln dense areas and supporL denslflcaLlon lnlLlaLlves, a focus on
urban publlc space and connecLlvlLy ls crlLlcal Lo enable denslflcaLlon and Lo make lL llvable.
Such approach ls parLlcularly relevanL for clLles LhaL were badly planned or developed
sponLaneously llke slums and lnformal developmenL areas, and where publlc space provlslon
ls below adequaLe. lL needs Lo be supporLed by speclflc regulaLlons whlch enable Lhe sharlng
of lncreased values and prevenL or mlLlgaLe Lhe processes of genLrlflcaLlon.

kLGULA1LD DLNSIIICA1ICN (CI1-WIDL)
ln order Lo achleve clLy wlde resulLs ln Lerms of quanLlLy and quallLy, regulaLlon of bulldablllLy
rlghLs and lLs relaLlon wlLh servlce provlslon and Lhe creaLlon of publlc space ls need. Slmllarly
ploLLlng rules and Lhelr subdlvlslon or consolldaLlon may need Lo be enabled. When regulaLlng
for denslLy, Lhe upper Lhreshold ls of crlLlcal lmporLance and equlLable appllcaLlon of Lhe
regulaLlon may be an lssue. CfLen such lnLervenLlons requlre sLrong naLlonal level supporL ln

United Nations Human Settlements Programme
P.O. Box 30030, Nairobi 00100, KENYA
Tel: +254-20 7623120, Fax: +254-20 7624266/7
infohabitat@unhabitat.org, www.unhabitat.org

3

leglslaLlon and pollcy and can only be vlable ln conLexL where elLher Lhls exlsL or clLles have
sufflclenL delegaLed powers.

IN1LNSIIICA1ICN CI USLS
lnLenslflcaLlon of acLlvlLles ls Lhe prlnclple of provldlng urban dlverslLy and lL refers Lo Lwo
maln aspecLs: physlcal dlverslLy and soclo-economlc dlverslLy. Cn Lhe one hand, physlcal
dlverslLy refers Lo Lhe locaLlon of dlfferenL land uses and/or lncome groups lnslde a dellmlLed
area. Cn Lhe oLher hand, soclo-economlc dlverslLy refers Lo Lhe physlcal proxlmlLy of dlfferenL
soclo-economlc groups lnslde Lhls dellmlLed area ln order Lo creaLe a dynamlc communlLy. An
lnLegraLlon / lnLenslflcaLlon sLraLegy ls usually a componenL of a broader denslflcaLlon
sLraLegy, wheLher lL happens wlLhln Lhe exlsLlng clLy llmlLs (lnflll, redevelopmenL, eLc.) or as
parL of planned urban exLenslons.

1CCLS ICk Uk8AN kLDLVLLCLMLN1 AND INIILL
Achlevlng denslflcaLlon ls Lhe resulL of correcLly deallng wlLh lLs lnfluenclng facLors, some of
whlch can be dlrecLly handled, some lndlrecLly and oLher allow llLLle posslble acLlon.
2


1he above menLloned sLraLegles
need Lo be supporLed by dlfferenL
Lools ln Lhe realm of plannlng,
flnanclng and regulaLlons.

1he economlc raLlonale and
relevance of such lnLervenLlons
need Lo be accessed and
communlcaLed, and key lnfluenclng
facLors ln Lhe Lerms of markeL
demand, lnvesLors and consumers
preferences, and culLural aspecLs
need Lo be Laken lnLo accounL.

WlLhln Lhe dlfferenL Lypologles of lnLervenLlon, some deslgn sLraLegles for denslflcaLlon are:
rovlslon of mlx of land uses, houslng Lypologles, commerclal and servlce faclllLles
Lnhanced connecLlvlLy Lhrough provlslon of adequaLe publlc space
Access Lo publlc LransporLaLlon ln a safe and walklng scale area

ln Lerms of regulaLlon and leglslaLlon, Lhe some of Lhe speclflc Lools lnclude:
AdopLlon of leglslaLlon LhaL encourages buslness and [ob provlslon close Lo Lhe
resldenLlal areas

2
(Acloly 1996)

United Nations Human Settlements Programme
P.O. Box 30030, Nairobi 00100, KENYA
Tel: +254-20 7623120, Fax: +254-20 7624266/7
infohabitat@unhabitat.org, www.unhabitat.org

6

8ulldlng codes and sLandards LhaL enable denser edlflcaLlon
Slmpllfled ploL consolldaLlon or subdlvlslon wlLh provlslon for Lhe creaLlon of adequaLe
publlc space

llnanclal plans need Lo be drawn for each speclflc sLraLegy LhaL lncorporaLe:
Land value capLure, whlch can be achleved Lhrough several mechanlsms
8edlsLrlbuLlon of cosLs for lnfrasLrucLure and servlces
AffordablllLy and revenue creaLlon









UALIIING DLNSI1
uenslflcaLlon ls a complex process Lhrough whlch Lhe use of urban space ls lncreased,
(horlzonLally and verLlcally). As a resulL Lhe number of houslng unlLs and/or populaLlon
Lhreshold ls lncremenLed, as well as Lhe dlverslLy of Lhe uses and funcLlons. ln order for
denslflcaLlon Lo happen ln a planned, equlLable, and susLalnable manner, lL has Lo be sLraLeglc
ln lLs locaLlon and approprlaLe ln scale, whlle belng supporLed by sufflclenL provlslon of
lnfrasLrucLure and soclal servlces.
uenslflcaLlon can be a means of lmprovlng Lhe susLalnablllLy of Lhe clLy lf lL generaLes Lhe
followlng poslLlve LransformaLlons.
lncreased economlc acLlvlLy and [ob opporLunlLles Lhrough agglomeraLlon and
synergles
lncreased publlc LransporLaLlon feaslblllLy and accesslblllLy LogeLher wlLh reducLlon ln
car rellance
8educLlon of Lhe urban fooLprlnL and consumpLlon of non-renewable resources
LogeLher wlLh lncreased energy efflclency
ConLrlbuLlon Lo dlverslflcaLlon of llvlng sLyles, houslng provlslon and lncrease of soclal
lncluslveness and safeLy Lhrough quallLy mlxed-use areas

uenslflcaLlon need Lo be approached wlLh cauLlon ln clLles where denslLy ls already hlgh and lL
ls assoclaLed wlLh problems such as lnfrasLrucLure overload, overcrowdlng, congesLlon, alr
polluLlon, severe healLh hazards, lack of publlc and green space and envlronmenLal
degradaLlon. ln Lhese cases, Lo esLabllsh Lhe Lhreshold for denslLy ls of vlLal lmporLance for an
urban susLalnable developmenL.


United Nations Human Settlements Programme
P.O. Box 30030, Nairobi 00100, KENYA
Tel: +254-20 7623120, Fax: +254-20 7624266/7
infohabitat@unhabitat.org, www.unhabitat.org

7

1herefore LhroughouL Lhe dlscusslons, Lhe followlng Loplcs wlll complemenL Lhe dlscusslon:
SLakeholder engagemenL ln Lhe lmplemenLaLlon of urban denslLy
uaLa and lndlcaLors for denslflcaLlon
LnvlronmenL, cllmaLe change and denslflcaLlon
ulsplacemenL, genLrlflcaLlon and lncome segregaLlon
!"#$%&'($) !" $%& '&&$()*
lncrease undersLandlng of denslflcaLlon pollcles, sLraLegles, Lools, ln Lhe conLexL of urban
8edevelopmenL and lnflll and of Lhelr lmpllcaLlons for successful pracLlces and for lmprovlng
susLalnablllLy of clLles.
!"#!$%!& ()%#)%*
! ldenLlflcaLlon of key lssues relaLed Lo lanned ClLy lnflll/uenslflcaLlon.
! 8evlew of approaches and Lools Lo supporL local governmenLs on lnLenslflcaLlon/
uenslflcaLlon.
! Analysls of successful case sLudles, of urban lnLenslflcaLlon/uenslflcaLlon.
! ulscusslon of follow-up acLlvlLles Lo Lhe LCM Lo furLher promoLe
lnLenslflcaLlon/uenslflcaLlon approaches ln urban plannlng and re-developmenL.

!"#$%&%!"'$(
1he meeLlng wlll gaLher urban declslon makers who have responslblllLles for pollcy
formulaLlon on urban redevelopmenL and denslflcaLlon aL clLy and naLlonal level, pracLlLloners
wlLh experlence ln urban redevelopmenL and denslflcaLlon work, and researchers on Lhe
Loplc.


United Nations Human Settlements Programme
P.O. Box 30030, Nairobi 00100, KENYA
Tel: +254-20 7623120, Fax: +254-20 7624266/7
infohabitat@unhabitat.org, www.unhabitat.org

8

!"#$%"$#& () "*& +!"#!$%%&!
DA 1

09:00-09:30 Cpen|ng Sess|on: We|come to the LGM and Introduct|on (30'):
2apopan Mayor: nector kob|es e|ro
Ia||sco representat|ve: Dav|d Gomez A|varez
CNU-nab|tat: L|k|n Ve|squez
SLDA1U representat|ve
09:30-11:00

Sess|on 1: Inf||| and Dens|f|cat|on: resentat|on of the 1op|c (90')
resentat|on:
L|k|n Ve|squez (20')
Ios Chong (20')
11:13 -12:43 Sess|on 2: Des|gn|ng Denser C|t|es: Urban Iorm (90')
resentat|on:
Loe|z 8ourd|c (2S')
D|scussants:
A|e[andro Lcheverry (10')
Iernando de Me||o (10')
Cec|||a Mart|nez (10')
14:00 - 13:30 Sess|on 3: |ann|ng the transformat|on (90')
resentat|on:
C|d 8|anco (2S')
Case stud|es presentat|ons:
Mar|a 8uh|gas: 8arce|ona (10')
Iernando de Me||o: Sao au|o (10')
Loe|z 8ourd|c: Iohannesburg (10')
13:43 - 17:13 Sess|on 4: kegu|at|ng 1ransformat|on: Governance and Leg|s|at|on (90')
resentat|on:
Iernando de Me||o (2S')
Case stud|es:
Mar|a 8uh|gas: 8arce|ona (10')
A|e[andro Lcheverry: Mede|||n (10')
Loe|z 8ourd|c: Iohannesburg (10')

United Nations Human Settlements Programme
P.O. Box 30030, Nairobi 00100, KENYA
Tel: +254-20 7623120, Fax: +254-20 7624266/7
infohabitat@unhabitat.org, www.unhabitat.org

9

17:30 - 19:00 Sess|on S: I|nanc|ng Denser C|t|es (90')
Cpen|ng presentat|on:
Marco kam|ya (2S')
Case stud|es:
Mar|a 8uh|gas: 8arce|ona (10')
A|e[andro Lcheverry: Mede|||n (10')
Iernando de Me||o: Sao au|o (10')
DA 2

09:13 -10:43 Sess|on 6: Advocat|ng for Denser C|t|es: Mak|ng the Case (90')
resentat|on:
A|fredo n|da|go (2S')
Case stud|es presentat|on:
Mar|a 8uh|gas: 8arce|ona (10')
Iernando de Me||o: Sao au|o (10')
Loe|z 8ourd|c: Iohannesburg (10')
11:00 - 12:30 Sess|on 7: Nat|ona| Urban o||c|es for Denser C|t|es (90')
resentat|on: SLDA1U (2S')
D|scussants:
L|k|n Ve|asquez (10')
A|fonso Iracheta (10')
Cec|||a Mart|nez (10')
12:30 - 13:30 Sess|on 8: Conc|us|ons and |ook|ng forward (60')
Moderat|on:
L|k|n Ve|asquez
13:00 - 18:00 I|e|d V|s|t
DA 3

09:00-18:00 |ann|ng Stud|o w|th 2apopan Mun|c|pa||ty