2.2 ‘QUALITY OF LIFE’ IN URBAN AND REGIONAL PLANNING ASPECTS

In my opinion, QOL in Urban and Regional Planning aspects means the sustainability of urban development in making the Acceleration to the Transition to Sustainable Communities and Societies includes the guarantee to a good quality of life for citizens over the long term, ensuring social inclusion, accessibility like transportation systems, public amenities, urban transparency and environmental sustainability for the city and metropolitan area. If an individual or a community felt the good quality of life, it means they get enough degree of Quality Of Life.

As an example, integration of traffic management, transportation and land-use planning in Curitiba’s, 1970s allowed the city to meet strategic objectives which sought to minimize downtown traffic, encourage social interaction by providing more leisure areas and pedestrian zones in the center of the city, and encourage the use of public transport and cycling in order to achieve an environmentally healthy city. What have just done can make higher level of Quality Of Life in physical aspects.

In my opinion QOL in planning can be measured by measuring the differences of “standard of living”. As an example, the differences people in rural areas, small towns aa people live in big cities and metropolitan area. With the level of planning and development of small towns that lower rather than in cities. The development made does not good enough like the accessibility, public amenities, and other development. It directly effects the standard of living there and also effects Quality Of Life to people who live in rural area. It also vice- versa happened in big cities where as their Quality Of Life are higher.

Planners plays an important role in managing the growth of cities to achieve the sustainability to society and communities, in applying tools like zoning to manage the uses of land, and growth management to manage the pace of development. These managing include planning, efficient land use, efficient transportation network such as less automobile use with better access, efficient resource use to control an environment, less pollution and waste, good housing and living environments, a healthy social system, sustainable economics, community participation and involvement, and preservation of local culture. All of aspects above have to be taken seriously to ensure that community get good QOL.

The challenge urban planners facing today’s lies in the implementation of targeted policies and programs, and the need to modify existing urban and regional to achieve the goals of sustainability to achieve QOL in planning .