The late columnist Emmett Watson set the tone in Seattle for keeping the small bungalow, suburban character of the city. Today, New Urbanists and others are working to redefine Seattle's landscape post-Watson with denser, affordable buildings.
The local chapter of CORA (Congress for Residential Architecture) is pooling their know-how to define new ways to build density without mimicking the suburban aesthetic already in place.
"In an attempt to make town houses blend in with Craftsman bungalows, Seattle codes created a hybrid, half house and half high-rise, that satisfies no one.
This is not developer greed. It was an earnest attempt by the city and builders to retain the flavor of Seattle's traditional single-family neighborhoods while stuffing in 100,000 more people. Which brings us back to Watson's ghost."
"Do you solve the problem by getting more prescriptive or less?" asks architect John DeForest, another CORA member."
Read the full story: Seattle's 'new urbanism': making smart, sustainable, stylish dwellings
Transit Up, Parking Down in Seattle
Facing an affordability crisis, Seattle is betting on dense, walkable development. The transition away from guaranteed parking promises to be no easier here than elsewhere.
Yet again, Seattle’s density zoning update is hit with delays
The city must now examine the ‘maximum possible development’ under a future zoning scenario, rather than the ‘maximum likely development.’
Seattle upzoning proposal seeks to boost density, support eco-friendly building materials
A city committee advanced the plan to target areas already open to multifamily development for additional density and encourage passive house and mass timber construction.
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.
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.
Chicago voters approve permanent festival grounds, penalty for vacant property owners
Currently, major summer and fall festivals take over public parks for weeks at a time, drawing criticism from nearby residents
NYC votes to cut outdoor dining red tape, speed up permitting
New York City also voted to allow the Department of Transportation to begin work on urgent projects before notifying elected officials.
California appears to reject Prop. 45
The proposition would have expanded the projects that qualify for a streamlined environmental review, effectively paring down the California Environmental Quality Act.
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