A new transportation corridor prompts the coordination of transportation and land use planning efforts in Boise.
"The (Boise) West End will go from a predominantly residential area to one that combines single-family homes, townhouses, condominiums and apartments with commercial hubs designed to serve the surrounding neighborhoods. Add a tree-lined avenue and buildings with clear design standards, and the area could become the city's next fashionable neighborhood.
Even many of the residents who have taken part in the expanded planning process seem to agree that there is plenty of room for improvement, but at what cost?
Some worry that new development could force lower-income families out of the area, and in the process, destroy the character of the diverse neighborhood.
"It's a question of affordability," said Miguel Gaddi, senior planner at HDR Engineering. "Are you going to enforce, or come up with some incentives where you ask developers to maintain a certain level of affordable properties?"
Gaddi has been studying the West End neighborhood as part of his work completing the specific area plan for the city. "If you don't have that mix, that vibrancy is not going to be there," Gaddi said."
Thanks to Jon Cecil, AICP
FULL STORY: 30th Street Master Plan
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Google Maps Introduces New Transit, EV Features
It will now be easier to find electric car charging stations and transit options.
Ohio Lawmakers Propose Incentivizing Housing Production
A proposed bill would take a carrot approach to stimulating housing production through a grant program that would reward cities that implement pro-housing policies.
Chicago Awarded $2M Reconnecting Communities Grant
Community advocates say the city’s plan may not do enough to reverse the negative impacts of a major expressway.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Town of Zionsville
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.