A Chicago city park, recently redesigned to be more welcoming, could become less so in its final form. Neighbors complaining about "really shady" park visitors are lobbying for a 6-foot fence to be included in the park's multi-million dollar revamp.

A small park near Chicago's Magnificent Mile, called Seneca Park, was recently redesigned by Chicago-based Site Design Group, but neighbors are complaining that the proposed design would make the park too welcoming for people they don't want hanging around their homes.
"The city aimed to make the park more inviting, in part by removing what it thought was an imposing fence surrounding the property," David Matthews writes for DNA Info. Neighbors disagreed, claiming that "really shady" visitors sometimes gather in the park in large groups and as early as 5:30 in the morning. "Parks officials tried to assuage neighbors' fears by proposing a 4-foot-tall fence around the park. But that wasn't tall enough for some people who attended the meeting," Mathews writes.
FULL STORY: Streeterville Park Needs 6-Foot-Tall Fence To Keep Criminals Out: Neighbors

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

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie