Bedroom communities give up planning and peace for a temporary boost in tax revenues.
Despite having dozens of big box stores within a short drive, the city of Sandy, UT is considering rezoning 100 acres to allow a Super Wal-Mart and a Lowe's store on the site. The neighborhood and city only recently found out about the plan, and object to the developer only having to inform neighbors within 300 ft. "Consider the traffic, the congestion, the environmental impact of this. Does anyone seriously think it only affects people within 300 feet?" Although there is some early opposition, a representative of the developer said "The consumer is driving these things. People want them."
Thanks to Peter Christensen
FULL STORY: Mullen: Sandy becomes the latest big-box battleground

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

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.

Bend, Oregon Zoning Reforms Prioritize Small-Scale Housing
The city altered its zoning code to allow multi-family housing and eliminated parking mandates citywide.

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.

LA Denies Basic Services to Unhoused Residents
The city has repeatedly failed to respond to requests for trash pickup at encampment sites, and eliminated a program that provided mobile showers and toilets.
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