Having become something of a junkie who overdoses on political and economic news, it is only natural that I try to help justify that time investment by scouring the news for tidbits that have professional relevance. Just this past week several things have come across my monitor that have made me reflect.
Land Use
Rethinking Sixty Years of Sprawl
There's no looking back now in the shift away from suburbs to a more sustainable urban model, writes Andre Shashaty, president of the Partnership for Sustainable Communities.
Salon.com
Boom in Utah Town
Growth is at a standstill in most western boomtowns, but not in well-planned, thriving South Jordan, UT. An expedited permitting process and good planning are given credit as catalysts for growth.
Desert News
Shift in Consumer Housing Preferences Favors Smart Growth
Consumer preference surveys indicate that total U.S. demand for large-lot, exurban housing will not increase, while demand for small-lot and attached housing in accessible, multi-modal locations will double during the next two decades.
Victoria Transport Policy Institute
The Road to Damascus, OR
The Portland, Oregon area is well known for preserving agricultural land separate from urban areas. In the new town of Damascus on the border of the growth boundary, landowners are seeking a way to mix the two.
The Oregonian
Smart Growth Program Vetoed
Texas Governor Rick Perry recently vetoed a bill that would have created a state level "smart growth" program.
New Geography
Rising Costs of Farmland Affecting Suburban Growth
As farmland prices skyrocketed, so did the cost of growing a suburb.
New Geography
Reductions in Vehicle Miles Traveled a Slow, Difficult Process
Two representatives of a committee charged with implementing reductions in VMT to meet California's SB 375 goals discuss the challenges.
The Planning Report
More Nature in the City? Maybe, Via Public Art
San Francisco, Houston, and Indianapolis are featuring public art installations that mimic and highlight nature in urban areas.
Next American City
Innovative Regional Government
Envisioning a form of government more efficient to strategically invest scarce local, state and federal dollars is at the heart of such a proposal.
Albany
Podcast: Top Planning Issues of 2008
6:15 minutes (5.78 MB)
2008 is over. Now, we take a look back at the year's top news in the world of urban planning and development to see what trends defined 2008 -- and what's to come in 2009.
Three Cheers for the Automobile
Former Congressman Ernest Istook discusses why the automobile is the ultimate manifestation of freedom, mobility, and personal choice, and argues for a re-allocation of public spending away from mass transit and other alternatives.
WorldNetDaily
California City Considers Banning Billboards
Following the example set by Sao Paulo, Brazil, the city of Encinitas, California is considering a plan to ban new billboard advertisements within the city.
The North County Times
Best Buy Refuses to Conform to Design Standards
Waynesville, North Carolina Mayor Gavin Brown is forced to give up on pedestrian-friendly design to save potential jobs from Best Buy.
The Smoky Mountain News
New Life for Ebenezer Howard's 'Garden City'
A campaign is underway in Wales to revive the "Garden City" concept, first brought to life in 1898. This time, supporters are claiming the radial, suburban plan is a sustainable alternative to cities.
Western Mail, Wales
Unprecedented Agreement Between Oil Company and Enviros
The agreement trades a massive open space donation and other terms for clearance to conduct exploratory drilling off the coast.
The Planning Report
Los Angeles' Brawl With Sprawl
Officials in Los Angeles were successful in implementing high-density growth policies to curb sprawl. However, a disconnect between culture, transportation policy, and the real estate market may have disastrous consequences.
The Economist
Two Things People Hate: Density and Sprawl
Wed, 03/26/2008 - 14:13
We’ve been conducting public meetings for years. And it used to be easier. Present the plan. Discuss the plan. Talk about how your plan is better for the neighborhood/community/city/region and provide the conclusion. But things have changed.
Planning the Long Tail
Mon, 11/26/2007 - 10:28
One of the more powerful concepts to come out of the information and services economy is the Long Tail.
A Planning Contrarian's Reading List
Thu, 11/15/2007 - 14:05
Transcontinental flights are a great time to catch up on reading, and a recent flight from San Jose to Chicago inspired this blog post. As I was reading book #1 (below), I realized that a number books have been published recently that have important things to say about cities although they might be dismissed too easily as reactionary, ideological, or simply not relevant to urban planning.
