Category: Public Policy

When Miami, Florida adopted a SmartCode on October 22 by a 4-1 vote, an important step was taken for the global knowledge base of placemaking. This zoning reform is clearly a turning point away from the energy-intensive, environmentally-destructive, auto-centric development patterns of the 20th century. Miami 21 represents... Continue Reading

The not-so-good news persists: The continuing economic woes, including long-term concerns about housing, infrastructure, and transportation policy. The complications (to put it mildly) of climate change. And the crisis in public health. It’s no wonder the whole country feels a little under the weather. Which is... Continue Reading

In the battle for pedestrian-oriented streets, it's clear that walkability isn't the only thing at stake. The heavy economic and environmental burden of auto-centric roads and utilities is starting to become painfully obvious. Both in scholarly research and the daily management decisions by local governments. While... Continue Reading

Among the most encouraging trends in Smart Growth is an emerging consensus that good community design can address a bunch of issues at once. Which makes for much more comprehensive, cost-effective strategies to match the complexity of challenges before policy-makers. Take, for instance, the agendas of separate entities... Continue Reading

This could be the next must-get book for Smart Growthers, New Urbanists, and lots of us who bought into the eco-techno connection decades ago. Stewart Brand, creator of The Whole Earth Catalog and author more recently of How Buildings Learn (Penguin, 1994) - which Jane Jacobs called "a classic and probably a work of genius"... Continue Reading

The irony is unavoidable. Interest in Smart Growth and New Urbanist topics has never been higher. Check out this May 2 column in the Washington Post; or David Brooks’ opinion piece in the New York Times from May 4. Yet the economic downturn has sucked the energy out of innovative projects in both private and... Continue Reading

4th Edition of New Urban News Book Just Issued Here’s what got our attention: Miami architect/author/New Urbanist provocateur Steve Mouzon says the 2009 "Best Practices Guide" from the New Urban News “just might be the most useful single book on the New Urbanism I have ever seen.” (Read Steve’s complete... Continue Reading

Advocates for a different approach to transportation planning haven’t been delirious about the reluctance of the feds and DOTs to depart from business as usual when it comes to investing stimulus money. But there’s another chance. All aboard. It's time to depart from business as usual. Transportation for America,... Continue Reading

As 21st century crises and concerns began stacking up, it had begun to look as if Smart Growth priorities were going to have to compete for attention and resources with other burning issues. Such as: Climate change, peak oil, community affordability, health care costs, and now the struggling global economy. But on... Continue Reading

Will Florida put the “suburban retrofitting” movement on the fast track? [caption id="attachment_265" align="alignright" width="360"] Making it easier to do something about this.[/caption] Duany Plater-Zyberk & Co. (DPZ) is providing state officials with a legislative template to do just that. On April... Continue Reading