One community in Georgia is making use of several masonry ordinances that require brick facades to try preserve the history and aesthetic appeal of the city.
Brad Leonard, planning director for Lawrenceville, Georgia, shares his city's strategy for creating a consistent and attractive urban design standard -- using masonry ordinances to encourage higher-quality brick construction.
"The council decided that, by beginning to require brick on the exterior of homes, they could increase property value since brick lasts longer than other materials and requires less maintenance...in March 1998, the city passed its first masonry ordinance, requiring that all four sides on single-family homes be brick in a certain zoning classification. It has since become our most sought after classification."
FULL STORY: Building a Sustainable Future in the "Crepe Myrtle City" Brick by Brick

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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The seventh year of the city's Vision Zero strategy also cut the number of people killed in alcohol-related crashes by half.

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Southern Californians Survey Trees for Destructive Oak Pest
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Tenant Screening: A Billion-Dollar Industry with Little Oversight. What’s Being Done to Protect Renters?
Reports show that the data tenant screening companies use is often riddled with errors and relies on information that has no bearing on whether someone will be a good tenant.
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.
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