Planning has become too much like a court case, with two sides and one winner. According to columnist Christopher Hume, this adversarial nature must be changed.
"City planning in Ontario has come to resemble nothing so much as the judicial system."
"Both are treated as if they're games in which there must be a winner and a loser."
"But both are too complex for such a simplistic approach. And in both, the chances for mistakes are enormous."
"And although changing cultures as ingrained as planning and the law will require generations, it is something that must be done."
"Just as Crown attorneys and defence lawyers call their own friendly expert witnesses in an attempt to win the case at any cost, so developers and opponents hire their experts to bolster their argument, no matter how wrong."
"What follows can be self-serving if not outright false, but the process allows and encourages such behaviour."
"It also favours the rich and powerful over the poor and weak."
FULL STORY: Let's find a better way to plan a city
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Toronto to Explore Potential High Line-Style Park
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Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
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DARTSpace Platform Streamlines Dallas TOD Application Process
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San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning
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Car-Centric LA Suburb Looks to a Train-Oriented Future
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New Alaska Bitcoin Mine Would Burn as Much Energy as the State’s Largest Coal Plant
Fueled by “stranded” natural gas, the startup hopes to become the largest in the US, and to make Alaska an industry center.
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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