Moving communities that lie in high hazard areas seems logical, but someone has to pay the bill.
Residents of Hamilton, Washington are considering moving their town to higher ground. This community, located 80 miles northeast of Seattle has been repeatedly flooded by the Skagit River for more than a century. The most recent floods that forced rebuilding occured in 1990, 1995, 1996, 2003, and this year.
The Hamilton Public Development Authority estimates the cost to acquire 200 acres of land nearby will be $400 million, which they hope to raise from the state and federal governments.
Rather than move the town all at once, the transition to the new site would occur over a period of decades. As people moved from the old town their lots would simply cease to be developed and the land would remain part of the floodway.
Thanks to Jim Goetschius
FULL STORY: After More Than a Century of Soaking, Washington Town Mulls Move to Higher Ground

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.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

Adaptive Reuse Will Create Housing in a Suburban Texas Strip Mall
A developer is reimagining a strip mall property as a mixed-use complex with housing and retail.

Study: Anti-Homelessness Laws Don’t Work
Research shows that punitive measures that criminalized unhoused people don’t help reduce homelessness.

In U.S., Urban Gondolas Face Uphill Battle
Cities in Latin America and Europe have embraced aerial transitways — AKA gondolas — as sustainable, convenient urban transport, especially in tricky geographies. American cities have yet to catch up.
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
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont