Demographia

Neo-Traditional Community Review
 Celebration:
Sprawling More than Suburbia
Orlando



  • Projected eventual population: 12,000 to 15,000.

  • Area: 9,600 acres, including green belt.

  • Very sparse development. At 1,000 population per square mile, Celebration is considerably less sparse than average suburban development. If US suburban development had been at Celebration densities since 1950, approximately 150 percent more land would have been developed from 1950 to 1990 --- 110 additional acres per hour.

  • Neo-Traditional Rating: 1.43 (substantially fails to achieve neo-traditional ideals) on a scale of 1 to 5.
EVALUATION BASED UPON NEO-TRADITIONAL IDEAL
Criteria Neo--Traditional Ideal Case Rating
Walkable Community Stores within walking distance (1/4 mile) of all residences. Most residences not within walking distance of stores. Donwtown area has ample parking. 2
Transit Oriented Development Automobile competitive transit service providing service to entire urban area No transit service 1
Housing Prices Mix of housing prices, including low cost housing. Housing prices well above median house price. 1
Density 7 housing units per acre minimum (12,000 per square mile) Estimated density at 1,000 per square mile, barely than 40 percent of the average suburban density developed in the United States since 1950. 1
Impact on Suburbanization Infill -- does not contribute to suburbanization Greenfield --- contributing to suburbanization 1
Balance of jobs and residences Community provides a balance of jobs and residences, reducing the necessity to commute by automobile Few commercial jobs: generally low wage retail jobs that could not support the high costs of home ownership in this development. 1
Market oriented development No subsidies or tax breaks No subsidies 3
Composite Rating 1.43
Rating System:

5: Substantially Exceeds Objective

4: Exceeds Objective

3: Meets Objective

2: Fails to Meet Objective

1: Substantially Fails to Meet Objective

Nothing in this review is meant to suggest that any neo-traditional development is not a desirable community. Most are well designed and attractive. To the extent that any such development fails to achieve neo-traditional (new urbanist) objectives is more than likely a reflection that the objectives themselves are impractical and largely unachievable in an environment that depends upon consumer choice in a free market.

(c) 2001 www.demographia.com --- Wendell Cox Consultancy --- Permission granted to use with attribution.
Demographia is "pro-choice" with respect to urban development.
People should have the freedom to live and work where and how they like.

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