A new plan under development in Montgomery County, Maryland plots a course change for the famously suburban county.

Dan Reed reports on the Thrive Montgomery 2050 plan, which is accepting public feedback through December 2020. Here's how Reed summarizes the planning effort:
Over the past year, Montgomery County planners have been trying to find solutions, and put them together in Thrive 2050, an ambitious document for how the county should grow and change over the next thirty years. Thrive wouldn’t actually change laws or policies: Planning Board chairman Casey Anderson called it a “plan for other plans,” helping leaders make laws or policies in the future. The plan’s big themes include racial justice, affordable homes, and more transportation options.
According to the insights and historical background offered by Reed, the county has a history of quick growth, but planners will need a new approach than the one implemented by Harland Bartholomew in the 1960s to deal with the 200,000 people expected to move to the county in the next 20 years. The big idea of Thrive 2050 is to replace the old "Wedges and Corridors" approach of the 960s with a new "Complete Communities" approach that is, as you might expect, a local version on the 15-minute community model catching on around the world.
"Opening up single-family zoning to allow 'missing middle' homes, like duplexes, townhomes, and small apartment buildings, would give people more housing options that fit their budget and needs," explains Reed. "Building out the Bus Rapid Transit network Montgomery County approved in 2013 would give people an option for longer trips."
According to Reed, the Thrive 2050 plan has already provoked some passionate opponents, who fault the plan's vision of relaxed zoning restrictions in single-family neighborhoods.
FULL STORY: MoCo is working on a plan to tackle racial equity, public health, and climate change

The Slow Death of Ride Sharing
From the beginning, TNCs like Lyft and Uber touted shared rides as their key product. Now, Lyft is ending the practice.

In Most U.S. Cities, Archaic Laws Limit Roommate Living
Critics argue laws preventing unrelated adults from living in the same home fail to understand the modern American household.

Ten Signs of a Resurgent Downtown
In GeekWire, Chuck Wolfe continues his exploration of a holistic and practical approach to post-pandemic urban center recovery, anchored in local context and community-driven initiatives that promote livability, safety, and sustainability.

California Moves to Limit Autonomous Trucks
A bill passed by the State Assembly and moving on to the Senate would require autonomous semi trucks to have a trained human operator in the vehicle.

Minnesota Budget Includes Significant Transit Investments
After a contentious debate, the state legislature passed a budget that changes how transportation projects are funded and supports increased transit service in the state.

Proposed Land Value Tax Plan in Detroit
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan proposes hiking property taxes for vacant land and buildings while lowering the rate for occupied homes and businesses in a split tax plan he contends will resolve many of Detroit's blight and high property tax woes.
San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency
City of Orange
City of Charlotte - Charlotte Area Transit
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Montrose County
Wichita-Sedgwick County Metropolitan Area Planning Department
City of Lomita
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.