"Smart Growth" and "New Urbanism" … Compared with "Large Lot Zoning" (Tom Lane) [ Home Page - Click Here ]
(April 1, 2013) – Traditional "Large Lot Zoning" is "Greener" than "Smart Growth" within Urban Growth Boundaries . . . Copyright 2009 – 2013 . . . Tom Lane . . . Photographing California, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Oregon, and Seattle, Washington
For Reno … Cut Impact Fees … Just Like Reno’s “Twin City” of Rio Rancho, New Mexico
(October 15, 2012 – UNDER CONSTRUCTION) Reno, Nevada and Rio Rancho, New Mexico are twin cities in the high desert of the American Southwest, 900 miles apart, at 5000′ elevation. … Continue reading
Bike Friendly? Not with Dark Skies and No Overnight Parking!
(October 3, 2012) “Smart growth” emphasizes bike friendly communities, with bike lanes and mountain bike trails. As a cyclist, I am always, 100% in support of all efforts to increase … Continue reading
Smart Growth USA Revision in Progress (October 3, 2012)
This web site is under revision, and contains many temporary formatting errors. I have not yet tested this new format on different browsers and different operating systems. I produce this … Continue reading
(December 14, 2011) Flagstaff, Arizona; Bend, Eugene, Ashland, and Medford, Oregon – Struggling College-Retirement Towns Expected To Recover
(December 14, 2011 Tom Lane) Bend, Oregon shown above, looking west from Pilot Butte towards the Cascade Mountains. In the Western USA, unlike New England, many small “college-retirement-outdoors” towns, particularly … Continue reading
(December 8, 2011) Why Seattle’s Anti-Toll, Anti-Transit Initiative 1125 Didn’t Pass
(December 8, 2011, Tom Lane) The photo above shows the Interstate 90 bridge over Lake Washington, where light rail is planned, between Seattle skyscrapers on the left, and Bellevue skyscrapers … Continue reading
(November 29, 2011) Election 2011 – Seattle Smart Growth – Winners and Losers
(November 29, 2011, Tom Lane) Smart growth was on the ballot in the Seattle area in November, 2011. Depending on your perspective, you either won or lost. For example, statewide … Continue reading
(September 29, 2011) Stop Eminent Domain in Black Diamond … and Save Maple Valley and Enumclaw …
(September 29, 2011) THIS BLACK DIAMOND POST IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND NEEDS EDITING visit http://saveblackdiamond.net to SAVE BLACK DIAMOND Official Save Black Diamond dot Net Web Site - Please visit … Continue reading
(revised Dec. 24, 2011) Smart Growth is Not Green. Low Density Housing Better for the Environment.
(revised December 24, 2011, Tom Lane) Look at the photo above, and think about the neighborhood that you grew up in. Large shade trees, a nice backyard for baseball, and … Continue reading
(November 30, 2011) Durango and Southwest Colorado Smart Growth – La Plata County Comprehensive Plan Cancelled
(Tom Lane, November 30, 2011, revised February 8, 2012) In November, 2011, La Plata County, in Southwest Colorado, cancelled The La Plata County Comprehensive Plan, intended for the next 20 … Continue reading
(October 1, 2011) Mirrormont on South Tiger Mountain – The Best and Greenest Large Lot Community in Seattle
(October 1, 2011; Mirrormont, Washington State, USA) Under Construction; More Photos of Mirrormont Forthcoming. ____________________________________________ With 1+ acre lots in tall old growth trees against Tiger Mountain, Mirrormont is a … Continue reading
(October 19, 2011) Be Green! Vote YES on I-1125: Stop Illegal Light Rail on I-90, attle to Bellevue
“If You Drive, Vote Yes on Initiative I-1125″ (Tom Lane, updated December 8, 2011) Election Day was November 8, 2011. Sadly, I-1125 was defeated in Washington State. Tom Lane’s Other … Continue reading
(August 15, 2011) Bus Rapid Transit on I-90 – Better than East Link Light Rail to Bellevue
Bus Rapid Transit: Introduction (August 15, 2011, Tom Lane) While some view urban sprawl as a major problem, it’s only in the eyes of the beholder. Most people when surveyed … Continue reading
(May 9, 2012) Dr. Bill Eager – Kemper Freeman’s Engineer – Calculates that More Freeway Lanes Superior to Light Rail for Seattle
Dr. Bill Eager, Kemper Freeman’s Engineer, and his plan “End Gridlock Now” (under revision as of May 9, 2012) Dr. Bill Eager is an internationally famous traffic engineer with degrees … Continue reading
Salt Lake City – Legacy Parkway – A Green Solution for Seattle Gridlock
(Tom Lane, May 22, 2012) Is light rail (mass transit) the best solution for Seattle’s gridlock, when it will only reduce only 3% of all trips? Or, are more freeway … Continue reading
(June 29, 2011) Bellevue, Washington – The Best Mid-Century, Low Density, “Green Suburb” of “Smart Growth Seattle” – Kemper Freeman Installs Electric Car Charging Stations
Before Proceeding … Tom Lane’s Other Posts on Bellevue, I-1125, Light Rail, and Kemper Freeman – Click the following link for a list of all of my posts on these … Continue reading
(June 26, 2011) Seattle Smart Growth, Puget Sound Regional Council – Do You Want 5 Acres, or 5 Feet?
Featured Image Above: 5 Acre Estate at an undisclosed exclusive neighborhood of very similar properties in Eastern King County, beyond the Urban Growth Boundary. Do you want 5 acres, or … Continue reading
Rio Rancho, New Mexico – Affordable Housing from No Urban Growth Boundary
(May 24, 2012, Tom Lane) Rio Rancho, New Mexico, “The City of Vision,” is a large suburb just northwest of Albuquerque in Sandoval County. Neither Rio Rancho nor Albuquerque have … Continue reading
(February 12, 2012) New Mexico – Albuquerque, Santa Fe Cancel Impact Fees. CFED Issues New Mexico “A” Grade for Affordable Housing. Caution – Albuquerque Smart Growth Imminent.
(Tom Lane, February 12, 2012) 2011 Year in Review -In 2011, impact fees were reduced in Arizona and New Mexico, and smart growth redevelopment was cancelled in California. I discuss … Continue reading
(February 10, 2012) Smart Growth Principles Canceled in Arizona and California
SIGN – Impact FEE HEARINGS – Cave Creek, Arizona (February , 2012, Tom Lane) 2011 Year in Review – Many smart growth principles of smart growth were canceled in several … Continue reading
(2010-2011) Thesis and How Opponents and Proponents Define Smart Growth and Urban Sprawl Differently
Above: Creekside is a crowded, overpriced smart growth community of townhomes and homes, with virtually no yards in Kent, Wa. south of the Southcenter Mall and West of downtown Kent. … Continue reading
(October 15, 2011) Corvallis, Oregon – Number One Nationwide For Bicycling, Walking, and Patents
Introduction to Corvallis, Oregon – The Great City of Innovation and Non-Auto Commuters (Tom Lane) The U.S. Census 2009 American Community Survey found that Corvallis, Oregon had the highest combination … Continue reading
(Updated Jan. 24, 2010) My Case for Large Lots and Wide Streets: Photo Essay
Updating in progress, Dec. 23, 2010, with mistakes. Above: The High Valley neighborhood a few miles east of Renton, Washington (Seattle metro) features wide streets with properties of several acres. … Continue reading
(Dec. 4, 2010) Google Sattelite Views of Boulder Style Smart Growth vs. Large Lot Suburbs
(Dec. 4, 2010, Dec. 26, 2011, Tom Lane) Above: How can you call “smart” growth green, when 90% of the neighborhood is paved over, either with foundations, streets, driveways, and … Continue reading
(Dec. 3, 2010) Low Demand for Cheap Foreclosures and Costly Smart Growth: Excess Inventory Doesn’t Sell
(Revised Dec. 3, 2010) Areas of the US with high unemployment and high foreclosure rates must sell their inventory before recovery. While many people are anxious to buy foreclosures, new … Continue reading
Smart Growth and Urban Growth Boundaries – Inadequate Reactions to the Externalities of Urban Sprawl – New Approaches Needed
Above: So called “sprawl” in north Reno on barren sagebrush, adjacent to US-395. (Nov. 29, 2010) (Under Construction.) This web site highlights the aesthetic ugliness of smart growth architecture and … Continue reading
(Nov. 18, 2010) Oregon Growth Slows To a Crawl with Urban Growth Boundaries, Foreclosures, and Unemployment
Above: Eugene, looking south from Skinner Butte. Eugene’s haze, due to crowded smart growth conditions and air pollution, accumulating from traffic and local industry. Due to growth restrictions and declining … Continue reading
(Nov. 11, 2010) Why Bend Should Expand its Urban Growth Boundary (UGB), Despite the DLCD Order.
Bend UGB and DLCD
(Nov. 2, 2010) BEND UGB (Urban Growth Boundary) – John VanLandingham and Richard Whitman (DLCD) Issue Final Order Against City of Bend UGB Proposal
Above: City of Bend’s Northwest Crossing Low Density mixed use area. DLCD officials John VanLandingham and Richard Whitman want High Density Smart Growth; Bend citizens, city officials, and Realtors want … Continue reading
UPDATED: Bend, Oregon NW Crossing Neighborhood: Native Pines Preserved During Construction, Even in Mixed Use Area: Photo Essay
(Updated Oct. 9, 2010) Finally – a smart growth neighborhood that values and respects native trees. Northwest Crossing in Bend, Oregon preserves its native Ponderosa Pine canopy (and, also sagebrush). … Continue reading
Bend, Oregon Exceeds Expectations: Definitely Number One and As Advertised: Photo Essay
Above: Looking west towards the western half of Bend from Pilot Butte, and the three sisters mountain peaks in the distance. ______________________________________________________ (Under Construction as I organize photos.) After reading … Continue reading
(Feb. 14, 2011) Part 2: Building Communities in Seattle: Large Lot Properties in Neighborhood Associations? Or, Smart Growth?
Under construction. More Neighborhoods Forthcoming. http://hilltopcommunity.com/introduction.html Also see PART 1 of this series: http://smartgrowthusa.wordpress.com/2011/01/23/jan-23-2011-building-community-in-seattle-large-lot-properties-or-smart-growth/ IGNORE this html SCROLL down below to Newcastle … HTML Burgundy Header HTML 3X High Valley … Continue reading
(Feb. 23, 2011) PART 1 – Low Density with Private Yards, or, “Smart Growth Seattle?”
Above: The Hilltop Community in Bellevue, Wa. features large lots with mid-century architecture with a private trail system through a greenbelt. Under revision with more neighborhoods and photos forthcoming, both … Continue reading
(Jan. 17, 2011) Seattle Smart Growth: Mountains to Sound Greenway (I-90) – Successful Example of Rich Philanthropists and Volunteers Building Trails (Part 3)
Under revision, Jan. 16, 2011 Above: The sun comes out at sunset as a fall storm passes in Oct. 2010, lighting up the high desert in Bend, Oregon, where over … Continue reading
(Jan. 4, 2011) Seattle Smart Growth: Mountains to Sound Greenway (I-90) – Photos of Smart Growth Developments incl. Snoqualmie Ridge (Part 2)
Under construction: This is Part 2 of a 3 Part Series: Part 1 – Part 1 – Click this blue text for entry. (Jan. 3, 2011) Seattle Smart Growth: Mountains … Continue reading
(Jan. 3, 2011) Seattle Smart Growth: Mountains to Sound Greenway (I-90) includes Smart Growth Within Existing Urban Growth Boundaries (UGB’s) – (Part 1)
Under construction Above: Smart Growth Townhomes under construction at Snoqualmie Ridge, within the isolated North Bend-Snoqualmie urban growth, 30 minutes east of Bellevue on I-90. Parts 1 and 2 of … Continue reading
(Nov. 20, 2010) Farmland Preservation: A Paradigm Shift
Farmland Preservation: A Paradigm Shift (Nov. 20, 2010) Under Construction, without photos and references. An admirable goal of smart growth proponents is “farmland preservation.” This has been a tough one … Continue reading
(UPDATED May 12, 2012) Kemper Freeman Sues Three Times To Stop Illegal Light Rail on I-90 – Photos of Bellevue Suburbs
Above: F. Kemper Freeman Jr. and his 3-D architectural model of Bellevue. (May 12, 2012 Tom Lane) – Sound Transit has refused to back down from its arrogant and illegal … Continue reading
(May 7, 2011) Smart Growth Fails to Deliver Affordable Housing: Look at Seattle and Portland
Above: Issaquah Highlands, a Master Planned Smart Growth Development near Seattle, where only the Rich can afford to walk on their Community Trails. Smart growth and urban growth boundaries have … Continue reading
(UPDATED) ASHLAND, BOULDER, FLAGSTAFF FIRES: Wake Up Call to Thin Brush on Urban Grown Boundaries: Boulder, Bend, Flagstaff, Ashland: Photo Essay
Above: Young Ponderosa Pine monoculture in need of thinning in Flagstaff, Arizona. Summer 2010 has taught us a lot about wildfires starting on, and beyond, urban growth boundaries, a smart … Continue reading
UPDATED: Upzoning and Infilling Within Urban Growth Boundaries
Post is under construction,last updated 11/2/2010 Above: Smart Growth High Density Townhomes in Sammamish, Washington, 30 miles east of Seattle ________________________________________________________ UPDATED Oct. 8, 2010: BEND BULLETIN MEDIA BIAS: The … Continue reading
Seattle Urban Planners Lose Jobs as Impact Fee Revenues Decline, as Building Permits Drop by 75%
Above: Mt. Rainier from the Port of Tacoma, looking Southeast. From where I’m standing, urban sprawl extends intermittently 80 miles north to Everett, and 30 miles southwest to Olympia. Instead … Continue reading
(Updated Dec. 25, 2010) Baby Boomers, Young Singles, and Entrepreneurs Move to Bend and other High Desert College Towns
Above: Durango, Colorado at 6500′ (between the high desert and forests in the San Juan Islands), home to Fort Lewis College, attracts baby boomer retirees, young singles, and young entrepreneurs … Continue reading
Eugene: Paul Nicholson Tells The Truth About Eugene Smart Growth, and Why Social Services are More Important
Updated Oct 6, 2010 Eugene bicycle shop owner and former Eugene city councilman Paul Nicholson tells the truth about why Eugene Smart Growth hasn’t worked in the past, and why … Continue reading
Oregon Timber Harvest Worst Since Great Depression: Smart Growth To Blame; Eugene Mills In Trouble
The Oregon timber harvest reached its lowest level in 2009, at 2.75 billion board feet, the lowest since the Great Depression, according to the Eugene newspaper article below. Demand for … Continue reading
No ‘Live and Let Live’ under Smart Growth, Urban Growth Boundaries, Free Trade, and the BLM/USFS
Above: Ranch at South Lake Tahoe, California, near the Airport south of town. In the 1960′s and 1970′s, it was “live and let live” in many “hippie” areas around the … Continue reading
Boeing’s Very Own Smart Growth Condos in Seattle
In recent years, several Smart Growth towers were constructed along the shore of Lake Washington (in Renton, near Seattle), near the Boeing offices and manufacturing facilities. This area is adjacent … Continue reading
Bend Oregon: Gruesome Photo of Crashed Bicycle: Safety of Smart Growth Biking Improvements: A Real Dilemma
(Updated October 17, 2010) Just about every intervention to increase cycling and pedestrian safety has created controversy. Bike lanes, bike boxes, roundabouts, traffic calming, and multi-modal corridors all have two … Continue reading
(Feb. 28, 2011, Dec. 23, 2011) Clearcutting for Smart Growth in Seattle; vs. Green Neighborhoods in Arizona and Oregon
Above: Port Blakely Construction’s Issaquah Highlands Master Planned Smart Growth Development still under construction in Summer, 2010. Not many native trees left; towering massive walls; see photos below as well. … Continue reading
Census Maps Show Population Exodus to Rural and Exurban Counnties
(Updated Oct. 23, 2010) Map Credit Above: Classifications of Counties as Urban, Exurban, or Rural. In: The Daily Yonder, http://tiny.cc/v4asw, 3/17/2009, Accessed August 10, 2010. *For a High Resolution Image … Continue reading
Eugene, Oregon Lane County Agriculture Extension Service Closes: The Loss Of Oregon Blue Collar Jobs: Agriculture, Timber, Construction, Manufacturing
On this blog, I predominately cover what is essentially the relegation of the construction industry, by way of urban planners, to the new urban design “trend” of “microsized smart growth” … Continue reading →