Though Washington State's property-rights initiative failed to pass in November, opponents and supports are trying to work together to address some of the concerns of land owners who feel the current regulations are too strict.
"As they campaigned successfully against property-rights Initiative 933 this fall, many opponents acknowledged the measure's backers had a valid point - that growth-management rules can impose hardships on some landowners. They vowed to do something about it after the election.
Now some of them have unveiled more-detailed proposals. Several focus on expanding "transfer of development rights" (TDR) programs, already in place in some counties, that give owners of farm and forest land a way to make money off the development potential of their property without actually developing it.
'It would be neat if one day people could market their development rights the way they list their homes now,' said Michelle Connor, vice president of the Cascade Land Conservancy, a land-conservation group and one of the organizations backing the approach.
But supporters of I-933 say that, while there's nothing wrong with bigger, better TDR programs, they don't really deal with the fundamental problem the initiative tried to address.
'It doesn't make the regulatory environment any easier,' said John Stuhlmiller of the Washington State Farm Bureau, I-933's chief backer."
FULL STORY: Can I-933 foes, backers reach a compromise?
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.
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.
Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.
MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.
Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie