Suburban housing construction has ground to a halt in Northern Virginia, according to county officials from the region, due to a law that changed the state's proffer system.
"New home development has slowed across Northern Virginia since new rules kicked in last summer limiting what public infrastructure developers were allowed to pay for as part of new construction projects," reports Max Smith.
That assessment was delivered by elected officials from around the region attending a meeting on the subject earlier this week. Officials from Loudon, Fairfax, and Prince Williams counties agree that housing construction has slowed since the law took effect.
"The revised state law limits what local governments can ask developers to pay for — including requiring that affordable housing units be included in a project or cash to pay for nearby road or school improvements — unless the construction is in specific areas including areas around Metro stations," explains Max Smith. Since the law took effect, "developers have pivoted to focus on areas around Metro stops or to build commercial development," according to Fairfax County Supervisor Sharon Bulova.
For more background on the law, see additional coverage from March 2016. For the record, none of these counties were onboard with the plan at the time of the adoption.
Read the full story: Northern Va. leaders: Home building grinds to halt after state law change
Seattle Council Rejects Transportation Impact Fee
Councilmembers who opposed the proposal say the fee would have slowed housing development and raised housing costs.
Fairfax County Approves Parking Reform
The new parking policy creates a new, tiered framework for parking requirements and reduces the required number of parking spots near transit.
When Controversy Erupts Between the Master Plan and the Zoning Changes
Most planners have been there before: it's time to implement the goals of a newly approved Master Plan by rewriting the zoning code, and suddenly the public becomes outraged.
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?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
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