Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak recently proposed on Innovation Zones program that will allow tech companies to form separate governments.
"If you’ve got enough money, acres upon acres of undeveloped land and an 'innovative technology,' you soon could form a new local government in Nevada," reports Colton Lochhead for a paywalled article published by the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
If you lack a subscription to the Revie-Journal, the Associated Press also has the story. Companies would require a large portion of land to be granted the same authority as county governments in the state, which includes the ability to impose taxes, create school districts, and provide public service.
According to the Associated Press, the idea has yet to take legislative form, so the Innovation Zones program is still a long way from realization.
An article by Ray Dubicki picks up on the idea from Nevada and imagines the possibility of a similar program in Washington State, in the process offering a lot more insight and context for the idea as implemented int he past (company towns) and present (homeowners' associations).
FULL STORY: Bill would allow tech companies to create local governments
Mountain View Goes Big on Google Expansion, Approves 10,000 Housing Units
Could the approval of a massive redevelopment plan for Google property in the city of Mountain View pave the way for a new development-friendly approach to planning in the Silicon Valley and the greater Bay Area?
NASA Wants to Build 1,930 Rental Units in the Silicon Valley
NASA Ames wants to add a lot of housing to a 45-acre site at Moffett Field in the Silicon Valley. The new housing would give NASA employees more housing options in an expensive and impacted market.
Amazon Makes Seattle the Nation's Biggest Company Town
The company town seems like a relic of a previous era of American industry, but Amazon and Seattle are redefining the concept.
Planning for Congestion Relief
The third and final installment of Planetizen's examination of the role of the planning profession in both perpetuating and solving traffic congestion.
Minneapolis Housing Plan a Success—Not for the Reason You Think
Housing advocates praise the city’s move to eliminate single-family zoning by legalizing triplexes on single-family lots, but that isn’t why housing construction is growing.
New White House Housing Initiative Includes Zoning Reform Incentives
The Biden administration this morning released a new program of actions intended to spur housing construction around the United States.
Study: Most of Vancouver Is a ‘15-Minute City’
A large majority of Vancouver residents can access a grocery store in 15 minutes or less by bicycle or on foot.
Urban Design, Transport, and Health
The Lancet medical journal published a series of articles that explore how to evaluate and guide urban planning decisions to create healthy and sustainable cities. Live long and prosper!
Detroit Bike Share Celebrates Five Years
In its five years of operation, Detroit’s MoGo bikeshare has added electric and adaptive bikes to its fleet of more than 600 bikes.
Urban Planning Partners
Sandy City
Ada County Highway District
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Redwood City
City of Rohnert Park
City of Hot Springs
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.
Hand Drawing Master Plans
This course aims to provide an introduction into Urban Design Sketching focused on how to hand draw master plans using a mix of colored markers.
