The city of Snoqualimie's requests to expand in to "rural" King County has been denied.
King County curtails development by zoning large portions of its boundaries as rural. While some have sought to expand urban land uses into those rural areas, the county has maintained its stance on sprawl. "In the city of Snoqualmie, the city wanted to move the line a little, to make space for hotels, shopping and affordable housing right next to I-90," writes Joshua McNichols for KOUW.
Matt Larson, mayor of Snoqualimie, argues that areas designated as rural in King County are far from a pristine wilderness. Larsen told McNichols, "Tasteful hotels on this parcel near Interstate 90 would help stimulate the tourist economy in Snoqualimie and bring in sales tax revenue." Still, the county sees the advantages of limiting development to within the urban zones as outweighing the advantages of building up the forested land.
Read the full story: King County takes hard line on urban sprawl
Opinion: Housing Versus Trees Is a False Choice; Swap Pavement for Trees Instead
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Yet again, Seattle’s density zoning update is hit with delays
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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?
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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