Editorials

Obstruction or Opportunity? Environmentalists Sue to Stop Roads

February 27, 2007

Editor’s Note: Mark wrote this article a few years ago, however, it has relevance today as SACOG moves toward adoption of the new MTP for the Sacramento Region.

Environmentalists recently filed suit to stop some of Sacramento’s federally funded highway projects. The precedent for this was a case that brought Atlanta’s federally funded road construction to a halt because the road improvements would make enough traffic to break Federal clean air regulations. Predictably, business groups and the Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) who requested these projects are outraged, portraying their environmentalist opponents at best as obstructionists.

But is this really just obstruction? Having sat on one of the Planning Advisory Councils that helped make Sacramento County’s land use policy, I’ve seen seen how developers and politicians discourage the alternatives to the kind of development that requires all trips be made in a car. The lawsuit “obstruction” may the only way we have to ensure the Sacramento Valley does not become a north-state version of the congestion-plagued, smog-filled Los Angeles basin.

Current development practices offer enormous subsidies to those who build in outlying areas. (Outlying development requires long, unproductive, polluting commutes.) If they have enough political clout, developers can get Cities and Counties to “upzone” agricultural land purchased at $2,000 an acre, making this commercial/industrial/residential land worth $40,000 an acre. They can do this even if that land is godforsaken flood plain surrounded by weak levees. With profits like these, developers can even afford to build a constituency clamoring for the upzone by purchasing a sports franchise. >>Continue Reading This Article>>

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Loving Life in a Loft: A Valentine’s Day Tribute

February 14, 2007

Even as my four month anniversary approaches with my studio loft in downtown Sacramento, my honeymoon period is still well in tact as my love for all 547 square feet of it continues to grow each day. Like all relationships though, there is that list of daily annoyances that oddly seems to bring a smile [...]

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Pete Lagerwey Dismissed as Seattle DOT Bike/Ped Program Coordinator

January 27, 2007

This news came from from the latest edition of CenterLines, the e-newsletter of the National Center for Bicycling & Walking (NCBW). My comments follow: From Bill Wilkinson, NCBW Executive Director: At this week’s TRB meeting in Washington, DC, I was stunned by the news that the Seattle DOT (SDOT) has removed Pete Lagerwey from the [...]

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Is the American Planning Association Too Greedy?

January 2, 2007

A great op-ed appeared today on Planetizen that questions the proposed American Institute of Certified Planners Certification Maintenance Program. The author, Leonardo Vazquez, AICP/PP, has this to say about the program:

The proposed Certification Maintenance program requires that planners get at least 48 credits of continuing education every two years to maintain their AICP status. That’s not a bad idea. But the way the APA is structuring the program is wrong on many counts. It will hinder fair competition, and most importantly, will fail to meet the goal of ensuring that AICP planners are more knowledgeable and current.

Under the Certification Maintenance program, at least half of the eligible credits have to come from APA or APA-sponsored programs. This means programs that APA produces itself or has a strong hand in producing. The rest can come from programs that are “registered” by APA. A quarter of the credits can come from “self-study” — which means reading books. AICP planners are not required to show that they’ve actually learned anything. They only need to prove that they showed up. Under the program, an AICP member can get 48 credits simply by going to the national conference every other year and “reading books”.

APA, which unveiled the proposal on December 9, will take comments until January 9. The Board of Directors is likely to vote on the proposal at its meeting in April.

I strongly encourage planners to read the entire article. Of course, I had to weigh in with my opinion. Here are some comments I left below the article:

Finally, someone else that is critical of the APA’s practices!

I know there are many great people with good intentions that work for the APA, but I often question the organization’s motives. In fact, I thought of creating a website and organization to rival the APA a few years ago but decided to go in a different route. Thankfully, Planetizen is serving that role quite well now. Part of the reason I wanted to create the site was the exuberant prices that the APA charges for most everything. I realize that they need money to function as a successful organization, but this article highlights another example of where I question their motives. I have considered attaining my AICP certification for a while now, and the biggest reason I haven’t is because I’m not sure if I would like to be affiliated with the APA. >>Continue Reading This Article>>

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My Top Five Walkability Wishes for 2006

January 16, 2006

We are a few weeks into the new year, so I guess I should have already made my wish list. Oh well, I can be the last list of them all. Today, I will be living in my own little world where I along get to make significant differences in my country. I apologize in [...]

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Planners are the Sprawl Creators

August 22, 2005

Not all planners are fully to blame for creating sprawl, after all, some of them are only doing their jobs – following the guidelines set by their archaic zoning code, general plan, and design guidelines (if there are any). Many planners realize what they are creating is sprawl, but because of political will, are unable to change the mindset of elected officials or citizens to get away from the “quickest, cheapest” developments. And some planners do stand up for sustainable development, and in the end, move on to more walkable places. >>Continue Reading This Article>>

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