Is innovation the only important factor in a successful urban strategy?
Proponents of the "creative class" suggest that "the key to urban resurgence" lies in attracting creative and innovative people to cities. Joel Kotkin and Fred Siegel argue that "the latte quotient is a bad strategy for building middle-class cities". The authors believe that placing too much emphasis on attracting the "creative classes" is no panacea for solving the more mundane problems that plague cities. Creativity and innovation are important, but these elements alone are not sufficient to form an urban strategy. Cities that prospered from the dot com trend are now suffering as they lose jobs and residents. Perhaps the key to urban renewal is not 'coolness' so much as 'livability'.
Thanks to Zvi Leve
FULL STORY: Too Much Froth

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Map: Where Senate Republicans Want to Sell Your Public Lands
For public land advocates, the Senate Republicans’ proposal to sell millions of acres of public land in the West is “the biggest fight of their careers.”

Restaurant Patios Were a Pandemic Win — Why Were They so Hard to Keep?
Social distancing requirements and changes in travel patterns prompted cities to pilot new uses for street and sidewalk space. Then it got complicated.

DC Area County Eliminates Bus Fares
Montgomery County joins a growing trend of making transit free.

Platform Pilsner: Vancouver Transit Agency Releases... a Beer?
TransLink will receive a portion of every sale of the four-pack.

Toronto Weighs Cheaper Transit, Parking Hikes for Major Events
Special event rates would take effect during large festivals, sports games and concerts to ‘discourage driving, manage congestion and free up space for transit.”
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)