The Charlotte Observers offers a summary of how zoning and "matter of right" allows for the building of junk, regardless of city plans or desires for a quality environment.
"Let this warn you: If the zoning allows it, you just might get it. Don't think a city plan matters. The Dilworth neighborhood learned that, when Eckerd decided to build suburban-style drug stores in sites where plans called for urban development. The zoning allowed ugly, car-culture buildings. That's what they got."
Thanks to Richard Layman
FULL STORY: Asphalt Pessimism

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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.

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

Bend, Oregon Zoning Reforms Prioritize Small-Scale Housing
The city altered its zoning code to allow multi-family housing and eliminated parking mandates citywide.

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.

LA Denies Basic Services to Unhoused Residents
The city has repeatedly failed to respond to requests for trash pickup at encampment sites, and eliminated a program that provided mobile showers and toilets.
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