Effective planning processes offer immense financial savings, and there's never been a more pressing need for both. The state of Washington is setting out to prove the planning dividend.
Washington State legislators are expected to consider an update the state's landmark Growth Management Act (GMA) for the first time since its adoption 30 years ago.
Ray Dubicki provides insight about what to expect from the process during what is expected to be a tense and consequential legislative session, with crises of public health and fiscal solvency headlining the session.
According to Dubicki, however, the state has been at working preparing for the GMA update for years already, including a technical effort underway for several years to identify gaps in the GMA." A group of stakeholders and active GMA users highlighted issues with the Act. Now they are bringing legislation to this constrained session that will fundamentally change the way planning, growth, and conservation function in Washington," according to Dubicki.
The background work led to a request from state legislators to pursue a comprehensive overhaul of the GMA, rather than a steady stream of incremental changes. A report called "A Road Map to Washington's Future" was published in June 2019 and is in the process of being translated into legislation.
With this background in hand, Dubicki points out a couple of areas where the GMA update could fundamentally change the interaction between the state and local governments on matters of planning. The article includes a lot more detail on the concepts of safe harbor, net ecological gain, and adaptive planning as informative of the larger mission of the GMA update.
FULL STORY: Five Concepts That Will Change Planning and Growth Management in Washington
Zoning Reform: New Politics, Same Old Challenges
The political will for zoning reforms has never been stronger. The traditional opponents of development, however, are still finding ways to push back.
California Continues its Housing Policy Reinvention
It’s no longer business as usual in California when it comes to planning and developing housing.
South L.A. Townhall Opposes SB 1120 Statewide Upzoning Bill
L.A. City Councilmembers Herb Wesson and Paul Koretz register opposition to SB 1120, calling the bill an attack on the residential integrity throughout the state of California.
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