Question

Cities that have available space in surrounding areas, such as Los Angeles, are likely to experience upward growth rather than urban sprawl.

Answer 1

That statement is misleading. Available land around a city usually makes outward (horizontal) growth — i.e., sprawl — more likely, not vertical growth. Whether a place grows upward or outward depends on a mix of market forces, geography and public policy, not just the presence of empty surrounding land.

Why available surrounding land tends to encourage sprawl
- Cheap, buildable land on the urban fringe lowers the relative cost of horizontal expansion vs. building taller.
- Car-oriented transport networks and low-density zoning make single-family, outward development attractive and feasible.
- Lower regulatory hurdles at the fringe (vs. downtown infill) speed greenfield development.

When cities grow upward
- Land scarcity or sharply higher central land values (e.g., Manhattan, Hong Kong) make vertical construction economical.
- Zoning and planning that allow/encourage higher densities (upzoning, transit‑oriented development) push growth up.
- Strong public transit and walking-friendly urban form favor taller, denser development around nodes.
- Political choices that restrict peripheral growth (urban growth boundaries, protected open space) channel demand into infill and vertical development (Portland is an example).

Why Los Angeles is not a good example of “available surrounding space → upward growth”
- Historically LA had ample low-cost land and invested heavily in freeways and car infrastructure, which encouraged sprawling suburbs and low-rise development.
- LA does have geographic constraints (ocean, mountains) in places, but its metropolitan area still expanded outward into surrounding valleys and basins. Only where land and policy push density (downtown, near rail) has LA seen more vertical growth.

Implications and levers to favor upward growth
- Change zoning (allow taller buildings and denser housing, remove minimum parking).
- Invest in high-capacity transit and concentrate zoning around stations.
- Use growth boundaries, land-value capture, taxes or redevelopment incentives to make infill more attractive.
- Address community opposition (NIMBYism) and provide affordable-housing incentives.

Bottom line: available open land around a city tends to make sprawl more likely unless countered by strong economic incentives for density, constraints on outward expansion, and deliberate planning and policy choices.