New subdivision planning and construction is expected to expand the footprint of the Louisville metropolitan area. The question is whether those new developments will protect or harm the beloved Floyds Fork.

"One of the surest ways to kill a stream is to build a city around it," writes James Bruggers. Louisville is in danger of proving that maxim true another time.
"Most Louisville creeks and streams have long been in terrible condition….But not Floyds Fork," writes Bruggers.
Now, however, the stream is at what Bruggers describes as a critical juncture: "Its Clean Water Act protection is stuck in a bureaucratic quagmire — the stream's future tied to the fate of the last, large area of Jefferson County not already fully developed."
Developers have turned their post-recession attention to the relatively undeveloped southeast corner of Jefferson County. There the recently opened Parklands of Floyds Fork has provided proof of concept for the popularity of open space with water running through it. "Yet despite the city and federal governments spending nearly $1 million of taxpayer money on various Floyds Fork studies going back a decade, there's still no agreement on how to improve the creek's water quality."
FULL STORY: How to kill a Louisville stream? Build a city around it

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.
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