The City of Palo Alto, CA concludes that grocery stores are a lynchpin of walkable neighborhoods, and votes to establish new "grocery" zoning districts.
Spurred by the potential closure of JJ&F Market, the Palo Alto Planning and Transportation Commission has launched an effort to retain, and encourage, grocery stores. Midsize grocery stores accessible to bicyclists and pedestrians are key components of a thriving community, the commissioners agreed Wednesday night.
"We all do eat," Commissioner Lee Lippert said.
But grocery stores are akin to residences for low-income families, important but also hard to build and operate at a profit "unless there are some really, strong incentives," Lippert said.
The commission voted unanimously Wednesday night to investigate creating a new zoning designation: "G" for grocery. The G would be added as a "combining district" to existing zones, such as neighborhood commercial, to either require or provide incentives for property owners to include new or retain existing grocery stores.
The commission intends to flesh out the details of the proposal at an upcoming study session, Assistant City Attorney Donald Larkin said.
FULL STORY: 'Keeping grocery stores' moves to top shelf
Vermont Program Encourages Walking for Grocery Trips
A Burlington program is using grocery trolleys to remind residents that, for many of them, a grocery store is less than a mile away.
Study: Most of Vancouver Is a ‘15-Minute City’
A large majority of Vancouver residents can access a grocery store in 15 minutes or less by bicycle or on foot.
Insights from the 2020 Community and Transportation Preference Survey
The National Association of Realtors' recent Community and Transportation Preference Survey shows that many households prefer living in walkable urban neighborhoods, and those that do have a higher quality of life.
The City of Broken Sidewalks
Can Los Angeles fix 4,000 miles of broken sidewalks before the city hosts the 2028 Olympic Games?
Shifts in Shopping: Transforming Malls Into Parks
Maybe zombie malls still have a second life — one with a little greenery.
To Build More Housing, Cities Must Be Smarter in How They Use Land
How strategic land use policy decisions can alleviate the housing crisis and limit unsustainable sprawl.
Parking Reform Can Boost Homebuilding 40 to 70 Percent
More evidence that parking flexibility is key to housing abundance.
California Adds Complete Streets to Transportation Funding Guidelines
The state transportation commission previously declined to include bike and pedestrian infrastructure in its updated funding guidelines, despite a new state law requiring Complete Streets efforts in all Caltrans projects.
Omaha Streetcar Yielding $1.5 Billion in TIF Funds
The line, scheduled for completion in 2027, is bringing billions in new investment to the city’s urban core.
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.
City of Prescott
Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization
Village of Glen Ellyn
Temple University
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
CORP - COnsulting Research Projects
City of Cambridge, Maryland
Newport County Development Council: Connect Greater Newport
Rockdale County Board of Commissioners