While some have pigeonholed him as anti-business, Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn is taking the city through the recovery of the economy in a positive but potentially hard-to-swallow way, according to this column.
This column from The Seattle Times argues that McGinn's priorities are focused on the long-term economic and environmental health of the city.
"Mayor McGinn thinks about the economy in sophisticated, holistic terms. He understands that discontinuity is our future - the next 25 years are not going to be a replay of the past quarter century. And, most of all, he understands that two of the greatest challenges ahead are a high-cost energy future and either addressing climate change or paying the price for inaction.
Thus, the notion of strong, walkable neighborhoods with good schools, connected by transit to a vibrant downtown, is not a throwaway line or a luxury - it's key to economic health. This dovetails with the green-building challenge and retrofitting charming districts with broadband and other advanced infrastructure."
Read the full story: McGinn: Promise and peril of 'Great Reset' mayor
Welcome to a New Era of Planning: the APA National Conference Draws a Crowd
The American Planning Association's 2015 National Conference has launched in Seattle, with more attendees than any event since before the recession.
A Chatbot Talks Regeneration and Recovery for Seattle
In his recent analysis of trends to watch for 2023, Managing Editor James Brasuell noted how ChatGPT might replace all the writers of Planetizen, and more. Chuck Wolfe decided to take literally Brasuell's “don't let it sneak up on you” admonition.
The Scary State of U.S. Municipal Finances
Analysis by The Wall Street Journal shows that even as other sectors of the economy fight their way back from the Great Recession, municipal finances lag far behind.
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.
Judges permit Denver to divert 77,000 acre feet from the Colorado River for reservoir expansion
Overuse and climate change have caused the Colorado River’s water levels to plummet.
NYC DOT wants faster, more permanent street upgrades
The city is examining ways to build more concrete infrastructure without getting entangled in 'decades-long' projects.
'Something we’ve never seen before:' rising utility rates could strain city finances nationwide
Data centers, climate change and other factors have caused utility rates in the United States to increase by 38% since 2020.
Trump to overrule local leaders, lease millions of acres of America’s Pacific Island territories’ seafloors to mining companies
International law says that the Indigenous people of America’s territories have a right to prior and informed consent regarding projects that impact their countries.
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.
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
KFH Group Inc.
Greater Baltimore Committee
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello