This time, the scene of the anti-development ire is Santa Monica, where local advocates have qualified for the November ballot on initiative requiring a vote for any project building beyond the zoning code.
"The so-called 'Land Use Voter Empowerment' (L.U.V.E.) initiative, which would require a vote on nearly every new building over two stories, has qualified to be on the November ballot," reports Jason Islas.
A "no-growth group" known as Residocracy backs the initiative, though Islas reports that some of the group's political support on the Santa Monica City Council has already eroded. Islas quotes Councilmember Kevin McKeown to describe the political opposition to the ballot initiative: namely, that the ballot measure will suppress development and increase the amount of money developers spend on local elections. Jenna Chandler provides additional perspective on the story for Curbed LA.
The LUVE initiative echoes similar anti-development sentiment at work with the Neighborhood Integrity Initiative, proposed for Santa Monica's next-door neighbor in Los Angeles.
FULL STORY: NO-GROWTH “L.U.V.E.” INITIATIVE QUALIFIES FOR NOVEMBER BALLOT
Oregon Passes Exemption to Urban Growth Boundary
Cities have a one-time chance to acquire new land for development in a bid to increase housing supply and affordability.
Where Urban Design Is Headed in 2024
A forecast of likely trends in urban design and architecture.
Savannah: A City of Planning Contrasts
From a human-scales, plaza-anchored grid to suburban sprawl, the oldest planned city in the United States has seen wildly different development patterns.
Orlando Pledges to Improve Walkability
A city report highlights successes and failures in building safer transportation infrastructure and reducing VMT in 2023.
New York Transit Agency Launches Performance Dashboard
The tool increases transparency about the agency’s performance on a variety of metrics.
Washington Tribes Receive Resilience Funding
The 28 grants support projects including relocation efforts as coastal communities face the growing impacts of climate change.
City of Rochester
Boston Harbor Now
City of Bellevue
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Birmingham, Alabama
City of Laramie, Wyoming
Colorado Department of Local Affairs
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.