Less Asphalt At Shopping Centers

"Leaders in Raleigh, Cary, Durham and Chapel Hill are hoping to encourage developers to move away from traditional, spread-out strip shopping centers and instead build places with pedestrians in mind. Though the details differ from place to place, the towns recently have proposed or adopted measures with the goal of creating retail centers where people enjoy gathering as much as shopping.Planners picture families lingering at picnic tables or outdoor cafes, couples sitting on benches, shoppers wandering past windows of colorful merchandise. And less emphasis on parking, parking, parking."