The Rocky Mountain West, an area where people were content to let others do what they pleased with their land, is moving towards increasing growth controls as the region's population explodes.
"'Plan' and 'zone' used to be treated as other four-letter words uttered in some parts of the West, but as waves and waves of newcomers fill up subdivisions that are popping up all over the region, land-use efforts are gaining ground in new areas of the West and are being revamped in areas that have had such plans in place for decades.
The desire for suburban living that arose in the 40s and 50s has turned into the desire for a place of one’s own, usually in exurbs."
Efforts in Idaho, Colorado and Montana are all trying to cope with the growth in suburban and exurban communities that are increasingly dotting the landscape.
FULL STORY: Population Gains Eat Up Available Land in the West

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

Defunct Pittsburgh Power Plant to Become Residential Tower
A decommissioned steam heat plant will be redeveloped into almost 100 affordable housing units.

Trump Prompts Restructuring of Transportation Research Board in “Unprecedented Overreach”
The TRB has eliminated more than half of its committees including those focused on climate, equity, and cities.

Amtrak Rolls Out New Orleans to Alabama “Mardi Gras” Train
The new service will operate morning and evening departures between Mobile and New Orleans.
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