The Slow Food movement has lessons for giving cities a humane density.
SF Chronicle urban design critic John King summarizes a recent paper by Richard Bender and John Parman that argues for cutting through the current gridlock of no-growth vs. smart growth by aiming for a "humane density" that recognizes how people actually experience - and enjoy - the city.
" "We need a robust vision of the region's urbanity that takes lessons from its rich culture of food and wine ... that challenges and changes tastes, and is unafraid of outside influences, knowing that the region will absorb them and make them its own," Richard Bender and John Parman write in "Neither Too Slow Nor Too Smart: Contemplating the Growth of the Bay Region," delivered at a conference on urban issues last month in Rome."
The article links to the paper, delivered at a recent urban design conference held in Rome and jointly sponsored by the University of Rome and U.C. Berkeley.
Thanks to John Parman
FULL STORY: Bay Area design could use a taste of Slow Food's philosophy

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