A kids treehouse in Highland, Arkansas is facing the local Planning and Zoning Commission, who may order its destruction. Is a treehouse a 'structure'?
The major problems, [code enforcement officer Ralph Sharp] said, are that the treehouse is too close to the city's right of way and appears unsafe. If it ever collapsed, it could fall out into the road and hurt someone.
City code also requires the submission of building plans and a resulting building permit for all "structures."
It does not address treehouses specifically, but Sharp said they're "structures" and require commission approval.
"If I were a kid, I'd love a treehouse like that," Sharp said. "But I've got to do something now. If a kid was to fall out of it and get hurt, who is responsible? Me for not stopping them? I don't know."
Brian Shackelford [the builder] said the treehouse is safe and shouldn't fall under the city's definition of a structure.
Shackelford said structures are larger, permanent and have electricity and plumbing.
Regardless, he never imagined he'd need a building permit to put up a treehouse for his kids.
'I don't care how many laws there are about it,' Shackelford said. 'It's just so ridiculous. It's a treehouse.'"
FULL STORY: Popular treehouse faces city showdown
Philadelphia Could Hit the Brakes on Housing
With bills on the table to update its zoning code, Philadelphia may be poised to slow the pace of its housing construction.
Facebook Campus Expansion Moving Forward in Menlo Park
A proposal to expand Facebook's footprint in the city of Menlo park gained key approval from the city's planning commission recently. The full City Council still needs to approve the plan.
Government Reform Proposed for Better Planning in Philadelphia
Geoff Kees Thompson digs into one component of this old city's proposed mayoral platform for Philadelphia: the need to organize the city's alphabet soup of planning agencies under one director and give the Planning Commission teeth.
Montreal Mall to Become 6,000 Housing Units
Place Versailles will be transformed into a mixed-use complex over the next 25 years.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
DARTSpace Platform Streamlines Dallas TOD Application Process
The Dallas transit agency hopes a shorter permitting timeline will boost transit-oriented development around rail stations.
Study: 4% of Truckers Lack a Valid Commercial License
Over 56% of inspected trucks had other violations.
Chicago Judge Orders Thousands of Accessible Ped Signals
Only 3% of the city's crossing signals are currently accessible to blind pedestrians.
Philadelphia Swaps Car Lanes for Bikeways in Unanimous Vote
The project will transform one of the handful of streets responsible for 80% of the city’s major crashes.
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 Mt Shasta
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)