The vision for Aurora-Licton Springs includes more pedestrian-friendly housing developments—not the drive-in businesses, recycling and solid waste, vehicle sales, and mini-storage business that currently get permitted and built.
A Seattle City Councilmember is looking for ways to encourage "more housing and pedestrian-oriented urban development in the Aurora-Licton Springs Urban Village," reports Stephen Fesler, but first the city must curb a popular form of commercial development.
Councilmember Debora Juarez is pushing a temporary moratorium on "heavy commercial, manufacturing, and warehouse uses in the Commercial 1 (C1), Commercial 2 (C2), and Neighborhood Commercial 3 zones that line much of the urban village," reports Fesler. While the moratorium is in place, the city could move forward with the rezoning of the neighborhood under the citywide Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) process.
"The draft MHA rezones for the Aurora-Licton Springs Urban Village would generally change C1 and C2 to a Neighborhood Commercial zoning type," according to Fesler. "Some of this would be paired with Pedestrian zone designation placing further controls on the types of activities allowed to encourage denser pedestrian-oriented development."
FULL STORY: Councilmember Juarez Seeks To Freeze Heavy Commercial Development in Aurora-Licton Springs
Seattle Releases Draft Rezonings for its 'Urban Villages'
Seattle is planning to add height and density in "urban villages" around the city—part of the growth and affordability goals targeted by previous planning efforts by the city.
The Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda Era Concludes in Seattle
Before YIMBY was a household word and before Minneapolis ended single-family zoning, Seattle's Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda (HALA) broke the planning status quo.
Seattle Councilmember Calls for Transit-Oriented Density
Seattle Councilmember Abel Pacheco writes on opinion piece for The Urbanist to make the case for transit-oriented density on The Ave in the city's University District.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
The state-sanctioned urbicide of Austin
People don’t kill cities. Freeways do.
US to reduce Colorado River water deliveries to Mexico
A new Colorado Treaty amendment reduces Mexico’s Colorado River water allocation by 250,000 acre feet.
Mamdani overhauls NYC's Vision Zero plan with 100 new policy goals
The overhaul aims to reduce traffic deaths and make streets safer for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers through lower speed limits, new safety infrastructure and more.
Amtrak not solely to blame for New Jersey commuter rail's unreliability, report finds
A new study from the Garden State Initiative found that NJ Transit’s budget grew 20% across a 4 year period, but reliability declined significantly over the same period.
EPA erases limits on planet-warming pollution from power plants
Under Monday’s plan, power plants would still have some limits on how much mercury, arsenic and other contaminants they can emit.
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.
Eagle County Government
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
Nashville Planning Department
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
Journal of the American Planning Association