Shelby County and Memphis are on the verge of adopting a new smart growth zoning code to slow urban sprawl and breathe reinvigorate urban centers. The county's Main Street Mall will remain car-free. "Pedestrian-friendly" is the new planning theme.
"The basic zoning ordinance and subdivision regulations that have guided growth in Shelby County for a generation now are likely to be replaced with a code emphasizing entirely different patterns of development.
The new code embraces so-called smart-growth policies and focuses more on reclaiming existing neighborhoods in the urban core than developing new ones in suburbia.
The product of four years of debate and drafting, the proposed code provides for more pedestrian-friendly developments with a mix of commercial and residential uses."
From Editorial Urban planners and developers are realizing there's a price to pay in building wider roads while neglecting pedestrians:
"The Center City Commission has decided not to return vehicular traffic to the Main Street Mall. On May 28, the Land Use Control Board is expected to take up a Unified Development Code, designed to curb urban sprawl in Shelby County by requiring more pedestrian-friendly zoning."
Thanks to Steven Sondheim
FULL STORY: Pedestrian-friendly zoning: Proposal to curb Shelby County sprawl
Why Nevada Needs Sustainable, Smart Growth
Sprawling cities like Las Vegas must rein in unchecked growth and promote infill development and more sustainable transportation modes.
Memphis Vehicle Fee Would Help Fund Transit
The proposed fee on households with multiple vehicles would generate $9 million to improve the region’s transit system.
Multi-Car Owners May Pay Sustainability Fee to Fund Memphis Area Transit
Called a 'sustainability fee' by Mayor Lee Harris of Shelby County, the proposed fee would apply only to households that have three or more registered vehicles, about 17 percent of county residents. The first two vehicles would be exempt.
Florida Considers Legalizing ADUs
Current state law allows — but doesn’t require — cities to permit accessory dwelling units in single-family residential neighborhoods.
HUD Announces Plan to Build Housing on Public Lands
The agency will identify federally owned parcels appropriate for housing development and streamline the regulatory process to lease or transfer land to housing authorities and nonprofit developers.
Conservatives’ Decongestion Pricing Flip-Flop
When it comes to solving traffic problems, the current federal administration is on track for failure, waste, and hypocrisy.
Renewable Energy Overtakes Coal for First Time
Solar and wind power generated close to a third of U.S. electricity supplies in 2024.
Pilot Project Offers E-Bike Rebates in New York State
The program will start in the Village of Ossining with plans to expand in the greater Hudson River region.
Can Geothermal Energy Fuel Hawaiʻi’s Future?
Gavin Murphy, a New Zealand-based consultant with experience in indigenous-led geothermal projects, argues that Hawaiʻi is poised to achieve energy independence and economic growth by respectfully developing its untapped geothermal resources.
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.
Florida Atlantic University
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
City of Piedmont, CA
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland