83
Another dimension of land use control is rural planning. Designating an area as
an Agricultural Promotion Region (APR) is the measure with most impact. APR is
basically a zoning for promoting agriculture in rural areas. When applied to periurban areas, though, farmland protection takes on a more significant role. Once an
area becomes APR-designated, the productive farmlands inside APR are protected
which, in principle, may not be changed to any other land use (Fig. 4.30). Protected
farmland is crucial for farmers who want to continue agriculture near cities. Rice
farmers especially can conserve irrigation systems by designating protected farmland. The bottom-right illustration of Fig. 4.30 shows the implementation of APR
and protected farmland in Funabashi. Comparing the ADS and APR systems
reveals that these two systems are like two sides of a coin. Overlapping designation
of UCA and APR is the strictest control of land use, whereas sole designation of
UCA permits urban-rural mixture.
4.5.3 Productive Green Land
Although UPA is an area for urban development in theory, small farmland patches
can be found in UPA and this makes a unique landscape which is a farmlandresidential mix. Most such farmlands are protected as Productive Green
Fig. 4.30 Implementations of the land use policies (Location: Funabashi, Chiba, Japan).
(© Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and (Top illustrations) © 2017 Google, ZENRIN
(Bottom aerial photos))
4 The Value of Grey
Another dimension of land use control is rural planning. Designating an area as
an Agricultural Promotion Region (APR) is the measure with most impact. APR is
basically a zoning for promoting agriculture in rural areas. When applied to periurban areas, though, farmland protection takes on a more significant role. Once an
area becomes APR-designated, the productive farmlands inside APR are protected
which, in principle, may not be changed to any other land use (Fig. 4.30). Protected
farmland is crucial for farmers who want to continue agriculture near cities. Rice
farmers especially can conserve irrigation systems by designating protected farmland. The bottom-right illustration of Fig. 4.30 shows the implementation of APR
and protected farmland in Funabashi. Comparing the ADS and APR systems
reveals that these two systems are like two sides of a coin. Overlapping designation
of UCA and APR is the strictest control of land use, whereas sole designation of
UCA permits urban-rural mixture.
4.5.3 Productive Green Land
Although UPA is an area for urban development in theory, small farmland patches
can be found in UPA and this makes a unique landscape which is a farmlandresidential mix. Most such farmlands are protected as Productive Green
Fig. 4.30 Implementations of the land use policies (Location: Funabashi, Chiba, Japan).
(© Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and (Top illustrations) © 2017 Google, ZENRIN
(Bottom aerial photos))
4 The Value of Grey