Ham Lake, Minnesota, residents are torn over the best way to preserve the rural character of their St. Paul suburb.
"The Ham Lake City Council has drawn a line in the sod.
On one side is the mayor, who says it's time to let landowners develop sod fields without city restrictions that call for a minimum of one acre of land for each house.
"Instead of spreading 40 houses over 40 acres, what I'd like to do is take these 40 houses, cluster them," said Mayor Paul Meunier. "Use 5 or 6 acres for housing and turn the rest back to its natural habitat. You'd have wetlands, wildlife preserves that guarantee open space forever. We'd maintain our rural character."
But that's not how things have been done before in Ham Lake, say other members of the City Council.
"One acre, one house," said Joey Erikson, one of four City Council members who support the current development plan.
"I support future farm-sod development," Erikson said. "I've seen the great developments that have occurred in Blaine. But I don't support cluster.""
Read the full story: Sod-farm use develops into grass-roots issue in Ham Lake
Misinformation and 'AI slop' are hamstringing rural solar development
False claims about the potential drawbacks of solar farms are prompting some communities to reject potentially lucrative energy projects.
The Restaurant Industry’s ‘Missing Middle’
Locally owned restaurants affordable to middle-income families are disappearing or being forced to raise prices as costs grow.
Mamdani’s Budget Fails to Expand Open Streets, Breaking Campaign Promise
The proposed budget allocates $2 million to Summer Streets and Open Streets, less than the $2.1 million allocated by the Adams administration last year.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour
If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.
Chicago breaks ground on $3 billion megadevelopment
The new neighborhood, titled Foundry Park, will one day host 3,700 residences.
California High-Speed Rail Authority CEO resigns after $600,000 scandal
Under Ian Choudri, the authority used taxpayer dollars to fund first class flights and trips to nightclubs.
Want to study the Missouri River? Soon, you may need unanimous approval from 10 states
Legislation would require 10 governors’ permission to study or build projects moving water outside the basin.
Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River
Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority