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.
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