Diana DeRubertis

<p> A recent Planetizen interview on the <a href="/node/44392" target="_blank">relationship between park space and active living</a> got me thinking about what spaces inspire physical activity and what spaces discourage it. </p> <p> In my old apartment complex, the indoor fitness centers were jammed while the nearby riverside walking trails were desolate, despite nearly perfect year-round weather.  Why? The trails were perceived as unsafe because they were completely isolated from view. </p>

<p> &nbsp; </p> <p> <em>Walkable Los Angeles</em>. Casual visitors may be surprised to learn that this is not an oxymoron. </p>

<p> &nbsp; </p> <p> When faced with the costs and logistics of rail, planners and city officials increasingly seem to favor Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), a trend likely to continue through the current recession.  But even with the many persuasive arguments for BRT, the nagging question remains:  why not rail? <br /> <br />

<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"> Is there a happy medium between the run-down liquor store and the gourmet shop?  </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> What is the best form of Main Street retail, as people move back to the city and re-emergent neighborhoods acquire shops and services that were once lacking?

<p> &nbsp; </p> <p> In 1979, the City of San Diego launched a plan to steer new development into the craftsman-lined neighborhoods close to downtown.   The idea was sound:  scatter higher density housing throughout existing smart growth communities.