The Town of Kingston, Massachusetts won a lawsuit this week, filed over whether land around the town's commuter rail station was properly rezoned -- but lost the promised developer and a state grant for smart growth in the process.
The developer had planned 730 units of housing and 300,000 sq. ft. of commercial space, but bailed when the legal process got too long and costly. The state grant of $600,000 is still in question.
Reporter Jon Chesto writes that instead, "property owner Mary O'Donnell is moving forward with plans to build four wind turbines on the 109-acre site off Marion Drive."
The State Supreme Court, in their decision, said that the town had made some errors but they weren't egregious enough to negate the zoning amendment.
FULL STORY: SJC sides with Kingston in battle over zoning near train station
Pre-Permitted Housing Plans Can Combat Blight, Revive Neighborhoods
Faced with blighted neighborhoods where the cost of building a house would exceed its eventual market value, the city of Kalamazoo, Michigan, streamlined the permitting process to help lower development costs.
Kingston, New York Goes 100 Percent Form-Based for its New Code
Kingston recently adopted a form-based code, taking the rare step to entirely replace its old zoning code with form-based standards while also repealing parking requirements and allowing accessory dwelling units and missing middle housing.
Where and Why Rezonings Are More Likely to Succeed
A new analysis of developer-initiated rezonings in Louisville, Kentucky sheds light on how the land use regulation system works.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.
Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.
Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.
MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.
Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie