Massachusetts Environmental Affairs Secretary finds itself in the untenable position of both a regulator and potential buyer for environmentally-sensitive lands.
"When state Environmental Affairs Secretary Robert Durand joined the campaign to buy thousands of acres of pristine cranberry uplands in Southeastern Massachusetts last year, it was part of a systematic policy of acquiring environmentally sensitive land to protect it from development... If Makepeace's land holdings were sold for conservation, it would be the largest such deal involving a single landowner in Massachusetts history. But the strategy of trying to control development through acquisition - while at the same time managing growth through regulation -- has been called into question by the conflict charges."
Thanks to Chris Steins
FULL STORY: State's dual role in preservation poses odd conflict

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

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.

Restaurant Patios Were a Pandemic Win — Why Were They so Hard to Keep?
Social distancing requirements and changes in travel patterns prompted cities to pilot new uses for street and sidewalk space. Then it got complicated.

In California Battle of Housing vs. Environment, Housing Just Won
A new state law significantly limits the power of CEQA, an environmental review law that served as a powerful tool for blocking new development.

Boulder Eliminates Parking Minimums Citywide
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Orange County, Florida Adopts Largest US “Sprawl Repair” Code
The ‘Orange Code’ seeks to rectify decades of sprawl-inducing, car-oriented development.
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