전략적 투자의 관점에서 본 근린단위 도시계획의 적정규모화 실현방안에 관한 연구 : 미국 Youngstown시를 대상으로

인구감소 도시에 적용할 근린단위 도시계획의 적정 규모화 방안을 연구한다.

The phenomena of population decline and urban shrinkage have led to various challenges, including an increase in vacant houses and abandoned infrastructure, urban hollowing, slum formation, and the deterioration of the physical environment. These issues have also resulted in economic decline, such as worsening local government finances and a drop in real estate values. In response to these urban problems, a new urban planning paradigm, the "smart shrinkage theory," has emerged. This theory advocates for adjusting the urban built environment to accommodate a reduced population.

To realize this concept, many countries have long studied and implemented diverse urban planning and policy measures. Among them, the United States has adopted a "right-sizing strategy," focusing on rapidly declining industrial cities. This study examines strategic investment as a critical element in the implementation of right-sizing strategies, which aim to stabilize urban conditions by reducing the built environment to align with future population demands. The research categorizes the planning and implementation processes of right-sizing strategies into three stages, identifying strategic investment elements at each stage.

The structure of this study is as follows: Chapter 1 outlines the research background, objectives, scope, and methodology. It also differentiates this study from prior research through a review of the existing literature. Chapter 2 explores the concept and background of urban shrinkage and the smart shrinkage theory, which has been discussed domestically and internationally as a response to this phenomenon. The chapter also defines the concept of the right-sizing strategy in the United States, focusing on strategic investment as one of its key implementation elements.

Furthermore, it examines the concepts of neighborhoods and neighborhood-level urban planning, analyzing domestic and international cases to reaffirm the necessity of this research. Chapter 3 investigates the city of Youngstown, Ohio, the primary case study for this research. It details Youngstown's urban decline and the right-sizing strategy employed to address this decline. Chapter 4 builds on the findings from Chapters 2 and 3 to analyze the realization strategies of right-sizing through neighborhood-level urban planning from the perspective of strategic investment. The analysis divides the realization strategies into three stages: preparation, planning and design, and implementation.

For each stage, it identifies specific strategies, including the evaluation of urban conditions for efficient financial investment during the preparation stage, the establishment of neighborhood-level urban plans based on these evaluations, and the prioritization and allocation of resources during the implementation stage. Finally, Chapter 5 summarizes the findings, highlighting the implications of right-sizing strategies through neighborhood-level urban planning for Korea. The study concludes by outlining its limitations and suggesting directions for future research.

Through the analysis presented in Chapter 4, this study identifies strategic investment elements across all three stages of neighborhood-level urban planning. In the preparation stage, urban conditions were objectively assessed using various indicators to ensure efficient financial investment. These assessments were conducted at the census tract level to enable small-scale planning. In the planning and design stage, analysis of housing market indicators informed the delineation of planning areas. Plans were tailored to the characteristics of each neighborhood, presenting customized solutions to address specific local challenges.

Lastly, the implementation stage involved prioritizing and listing the proposed right-sizing strategies to systematize the allocation of resources. By taking proactive measures in the most critical areas, this approach enabled rapid resolution of pressing issues within neighborhoods, achieving significant outcomes with minimal resources in a short timeframe. By examining and analyzing these international cases, this study aims to derive insights for efficiently implementing right-sizing strategies in future small-scale urban plans developed in Korea.