7 Unpopular Urbanists

You know them when you see them—they're the ones ready to suck the winds out of your sails and set you back at least a month, but probably more, of good work and high morale.

2 minute read

April 1, 2015, 8:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Pet Dog

MANDY GODBEHEAR / Shutterstock

1) Kneejerk Civic Booster – This hometown hero knows all the relevant hashtags, all the seasonally-optimized vantage points for sunset photos, and the Latin names of all the native floral and fauna. In this self-proclaimed thought leader's world, politicians, NIMBYs, and developers always consider the public interest, outcomes are always "best possible," and perfect is never the enemy of the good. On the bright side, at least there's always someone at the ready to defend your community from the criticisms of out-of-town journalists.

 

(Credit: Paolo Bona/ Shutterstock)

2) Pedantic Bicycle Advocate – Accident or crash. Protected bike lane or cycletrack. You bet your bicycle seat words matter. For this variety of crusader, sympathy is a one-way street with contra-flow lanes and bike-friendly signal times.

 

(Credit: digitalreflections/ Shutterstock)

3) Speeding SUV Driver – It's time we stopped referring to people that drive 45 miles per hour through residential neighborhood "commuters" or "soccer moms" and call them what they really are: rampaging sociopaths.

 

(Credit: DonkeyHotey/ Flickr)

4) Agenda 21 Crusader – There are lots of good reasons for developments to fail and plenty of reasons for citizens to be skeptical of planners and planning processes. A vast international conspiracy organized by the United Nations to threaten the sovereignty of the United States is not one of them.

 

(Credit: Gow27/ Shutterstock)

5) Curbed Comment Troll – Proving Godwin's Law, 365 days a year.

 

(Credit: Z. Ayse Kiyas Aslanturk/ Shutterstock)

6) Bored Beat Reporter – Who needs facts when you've been on the beat for 30 years and you're equal parts cynical and lazy? This character would literally mail it in—if the news room hadn't sold out and gone digital back in '02.

 

(Credit: Elvert Barnes/ Flickr)

7) The Mansplaining Manspreader – Patriarchy in the public realm is this dude's bread and butter. No topic of public interest is outside his area of expertise, and no boundaries come included with his concept of personal space.

Wednesday, April 1, 2015 in Planetizen April 1st Edition

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Haussmann's redesign of Paris in the 1850s through 1870s under Napoleon III.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking

Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

June 30, 2025 - Tom Sanchez

View of dense apartment buildings on Seattle waterfront with high-rise buildings in background.

King County Supportive Housing Program Offers Hope for Unhoused Residents

The county is taking a ‘Housing First’ approach that prioritizes getting people into housing, then offering wraparound supportive services.

July 11 - Real Change

Aerial view of suburban housing near Las Vegas, Nevada.

Researchers Use AI to Get Clearer Picture of US Housing

Analysts are using artificial intelligence to supercharge their research by allowing them to comb through data faster. Though these AI tools can be error prone, they save time and housing researchers are optimistic about the future.

July 11 - Shelterforce Magazine

Green bike share bikes parked in a row on a commercial street with outdoor dining and greenery.

Making Shared Micromobility More Inclusive

Cities and shared mobility system operators can do more to include people with disabilities in planning and operations, per a new report.

July 11 - Cities Today