Appellate court ruling that Villas at Pinecrest Lakes must be demolished due to inconsistency with Martin County's Comprehensive Plan is a landmark decision that will have an impact on growth management decisions and developers statewide.
On Wednesday, September 26, the 4th District Court of Appeals affirmed a 1999 order of Circuit Judge Larry Schack that the 136-unit Pinecrest Villas project -- where people are already living -- violated Martin County's comprehensive plan, and upheld Judge Schack's authority to order the five eight-unit apartment buildings to be demolished, even though the developer claimed it would lose $3.3 million. Ernest Cox, attorney for the developer, called the ruling "unprecedented" and said Pinecrest will appeal. Richard Grosso, attorney for a nearby homeowner in the case, said, "this is a vindication for everybody who believes that the law means something. This means you can fight city hall and that [comprehensive plans] should be respected and enforced."
Thanks to Sheryl Stolzenberg
Read the full story: Land-use ruling to be felt all over Florida
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.
Los Angeles just elected an urban planner as its mayor
Transportation analysts are optimistic that Raman will be more aggressive in addressing transit issues than Bass.
Mamdani’s pied-à-terre tax survives legal challenge
A panel of judges found that the plaintiffs failed to demonstrate injury as a result of New York City's implementation of the tax.
Eastern Nebraska is running out of electricity
Data centers and electrification are straining eastern Nebraska’s grid, throttling economic development.
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
University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS)
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority