Acting ethically gives us a lot: community support because we are known for treating everyone equally, good relations with colleagues, clarity in communicating with appointed and elected officials, and an ability to sleep well at night when you know you did the right thing. In the end, paying attention to our moral and ethical compasses will lead to better plans, better communities, better processes. by Joanne Garnett, FAICP
Read MoreThe Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) of Southern Nevada has initiated several novel and creative outreach efforts to obtain community input and promote the RTC’s various messages and plans in memorable and engaging ways. In a city as exciting and energetic as Las Vegas, competing for the public’s time and attention to secure input on mobility, transit and transportation is no small feat. So thinking outside the box is not just important, it’s critical. by Angela Castro, Senior Director Government Affairs, Media Relations & Marketing of the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Read MoreDan Pava, AICP, shares a letter to the editor that he wrote about fostering sustainability in Santa Fe County. He thinks it is important for planners to be working on sustainability plans because we have the right skill set to facilitate such important community efforts. Planners can draw on their education and experience to make these plans better and implement them effectively, efficiently and equitably.
Read MoreRobert Steuteville, editor of the Public Square - A CNU Journal, reviews the book Cities Alive by Michael Mehaffy. The book examines Jacobs and Alexander together to get at the root philosophical problems that created erroneous thinking in city building in the 20th Century, continuing to the present day. This book review was originally published on Nov. 16, 2017 in the Public Square- A CNU Journal.
Read MoreAlphabet Inc.’s (Google) Sidewalk Labs has formed a partnership with Waterfront Toronto. While Toronto is far away from the American West, some of these technologies and building methods may soon find their way to places like Denver, Boise, Jackson Hole, and Missoula. by Aaron Kloke, Casper, Wyoming
Read MoreThe Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC) has embarked on the development of “On Board,” a comprehensive plan for the future of transit in Southern Nevada. The RTC also knew it needed to develop an innovative way that made it convenient for residents to learn about the On Board plan and provide feedback, so it is hitting the road with a retrofitted 40-foot bus that has been meticulously designed to get the Southern Nevada community engaged and excited to talk about their future transit plan. by Raymond Hess, Director of Planning Services for the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC)
Read MoreCompleted in November 2013, the Sundance Square Plaza is the primary public outdoor gathering space in downtown Fort Worth. The design of this space addresses and expresses the shared cultural values and aspirations of the Fort Worth community and fulfills the complex tasks of accommodating large events as well as day- to-day use of the plaza that calls for a more intimate scale. The plaza has become an amenity, both functionally and aesthetically, for the entire surrounding Sundance Square neighborhood.
Read MoreThe 2017 APA Arizona Conference is now behind us and we want to extend a warm thank you to our 328 attendees and 24 sponsors!
Read MoreUnlike a city’s main square that, from time to time, brings together representatives from all over the city for major festivals, concerts, and special events, a neighborhood square has certain unique social functions: it is frequented every day of the year by those who live in the neighborhood; it helps to strengthen social networks; and it builds community. Designing a neighborhood square to fulfill these social functions is not so simple. One of the biggest challenges is to get the proportions of the square right. by Dr. Suzanne H. Crowhurst Lennard
Read MoreIt is helpful to understand the social and environmental impacts associated with community development by reading historical accounts of the built environment. And, if the opportunity arises, traveling and experiencing environments transformed from the native countryside to buildings and roads and the social and visual impacts associated with that change. by Bill Detweiler, A.S.L.A.
Read MorePlanners and community advocates have a complex relationship. On the one hand, advocates spur community dialogue and increase community awareness. On the other, advocates can be seen as opportunistic rabble-rousers who use conflict to build support for their organizations - and justify their existence. by Shawn Hill, Executive Director, Valley Advocates for Responsible Development
Read MoreA Growth Policy is inherently comprehensive and should support orderly growth. Neither of these objectives, however, considered the fiscal implications of growth and what pattern of growth is most cost-effective. To accomplish this, the City of Billings planners employed scenario planning to evaluate the cost and revenue effect of different residential growth patterns. by Candis Millar, AICP
Read MorePlanning is a multidisciplinary subject. Much like the contents of a newspaper, it involves politics, economics, technology, business sometimes sports and very often opinion. It is challenging and interesting. Janette Sprenger talks about her experience in the Planning and Zoning office in Lawrence County.
Read MoreThe gentrification of industrial areas, which could be considered “INDentrification,” has created an opportunity for reclaiming and repurposing the public realm of streets and rail corridors as pedestrian thoroughfares. The transformation of contaminated buildings through brownfield revitalization is driving the installation of civic promenades in many communities, which is helping to foster placemaking benefits in forgotten remnants of cities. by Matt Ashby, AICP CUD
Read MoreAt the 2017 Fall Conference-Partners in Progress, the Wyoming Planning Association announced the 2017 Planning Awards. The Annual Planning Awards recognize significant contributions pertaining to outstanding planners and planning programs in Wyoming. by Megan Nelms, AICP
Read MoreThe tech sector is finding new ways to make food efficient, and natural systems and cultural heritage across the country stand to be left behind. But food production is not the same as technology. Good food is inefficient, and that’s the point.
Read MoreTo create the Linking Tahoe: Multimodal Transportation Management Plan on behalf of the Tahoe Transportation District (TTD), Stantec analyzed cell phone data from an enormously large geographic area. We gained unprecedented insights into the magnitude of visitors and their travel patterns. This article highlights a few of our findings and some lessons learned. Cell phone data enabled us to develop an innovative transportation management plan using the newest information technology and sophisticated ArcGIS tools to visualize the results. by Cynthia J. Albright, AICP-CUD, GISP
Read MoreThis year, over six million acres have burned across the country, impacting communities and forcing evacuations. While firefighters are doing a fantastic job, they cannot be 100 percent effective at fire suppression. Utilizing land use planning to prepare our communities for the dangers of wildfire can drastically mitigate the impact of wildfires to local infrastructure, watersheds, housing and economies. by Ben Yellin, MCP
Read MoreRecently, Grand Forks’ Planning and Community Development Department began using a small installation that has been popping up in cities all over the world - the parklet. We see this as another way to improve conditions for bicyclists and pedestrians and enhance downtown life. Focusing on people through human-scale design ensures that cities really are great places to visit, live, work, and play. by Stephanie Erickson
Read MoreDo you ever find yourself sitting at your computer - hanging up the phone from the most bizarre conversations? Here are some calls a Western planning office has receivedin 2017 so far and some tips on how to handle those unusual questions. by Amber A. Vogt
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