Revised zoning laws in the town of Amesbury, Massachusetts, look to finally get some development on long-ignored land by making it easier for developers to gain approval from planners.
"We want to encourage economic growth in this area because it's underutilized," said town planner Nipun Jain. "It's been zoned as an office park, but for more than 20 years, it's not seen any development."
"Consistent with the master plan, the zoning calls for development compatible with the scale and size of the surrounding residential neighborhood, Jain said."
"Through a three-year-old law, Chapter 40R, the state encourages the creation of smart-growth zones, where streamlined permitting is intended to attract dense residential or mixed-use developments near transit stations and in town centers, commercial districts, or other areas considered suitable under the law. In Amesbury, instead of having to seek a special permit, developers who build under Chapter 40R would only need site plan approval from the Planning Board."
FULL STORY: Zoning change gives builders more choices

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

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie