High land prices in the Orlando area have helped encourage higher density development. Urban planners applaud the new trend, but some residents worry about the change in the region's character.
"Five years ago, Morrison Homes constructed no town-house communities in the Orlando area. Now, such multifamily developments account for 40 percent of the company's dwellings in Orange, Seminole and Volusia counties. Morrison officials expect that will jump to 70 percent next year."
"Economics may be driving the trend, but there's also the urgent need to accommodate a population that is expected to double to more than 7 million by 2050 in Central Florida. Planners must squeeze in these newcomers while still preserving environmentally sensitive lands that provide the region's drinking-water supply, lakes, springs and wetland wildlife habitats."
FULL STORY: How to cram 'em in

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

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SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.

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The EV “Charging Divide” Plaguing Rural America
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Judge Halts Brooklyn Bike Lane Removal
Lawyers must prove the city was not acting “arbitrarily, capriciously, and illegally” in ordering the hasty removal.

Engineers Gave America's Roads an Almost Failing Grade — Why Aren't We Fixing Them?
With over a trillion dollars spent on roads that are still falling apart, advocates propose a new “fix it first” framework.
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