Voters in suburban Minnesota will vote on whether to invest $10 million to preserve a closed golf course. Or they could save the $10 million and allow a developer to build houses. But many say it will be cheaper in the long term to buy now.
"If voters say yes, they'll pay more in property taxes so the city can turn the 120-acre golf course into a public park, or campground or put some government buildings there."
"If voters say no, the land will go to a developer who wants to put up nearly 500 units of housing."
"Eagan resident Neil Charpentier lives about a block away from the golf course. He says the city should buy the land."
"It may sound counter-intuitive that a self-professed fiscal conservative would vote for a measure that will raise his property taxes AND take land that could be earning tax revenue off the rolls. But Charpentier says taxpayers will pay more in the long run if homes are built on the land. He says that's because the city services required to reach the residents that will occupy all the new housing, will cost more than the tax revenue coming in."
"Some conservationists agree with that assessment."
Read the full story: How much is suburban green space worth?
Historic Queens park is getting a $120M upgrade
The borough's largest park will undergo significant upgrades for accessibility, flood mitigation and historic preservation.
Harley-Davidson turned a Milwaukee parking lot into a green oasis
The park, adjacent to Harley-Davidson headquarters, doubles as stormwater retention infrastructure.
Planning for Love, Part 3: Enhancing human connection through walkability
In the third and final installment of this series, author Hannah Kosoff examines what her research findings say about modern dating and urban form.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Amtrak, CN end decades-long dispute with eight-year agreement
The new operating agreement establishes an updated framework for the companies to work together, including processes to resolve disputes.
Northwest rail fans eager for Sept. 30 debut of Amtrak’s Airo fleet
Get ready for that new train smell and more seats. But they won’t go faster or run more frequently on the Cascades route in Washington and Oregon.
Brightline Florida files for bankruptcy
The transit company is over $5 billion in debt.
St. Louis Metro to test if single-car trains can reduce operating costs, maintain rider satisfaction
The pilot program will run from October to spring 2027, and begin with one single-car train operating on Metrolink’s Red and Blue lines.
Pennsylvania is building data centers in abandoned mines
Housing data centers in mines provides an alternative to destroying local forests and may spare residents from data centers’ noise and air pollution.
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 Thousand Oaks
City of Wisconsin Rapids
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello