Public Buildings Keep Town Centers Alive
by Philip Langdon
--- Post offices, municipal halls, libraries, courthouses, and other public buildings can play a critical role in keeping downtowns and town centers strong. Conversely, the loss of key public buildings can seriously damage the fabric of downtown. A report from planning journalist Philip Langdon.
--- Local entrepreneurs, working building by building, can be the most effective resource in strengthening downtowns. Author and lecturer Roberta Gratz recounts the step-at-a-time revitalization efforts that are having a big impact in the "Downtown South" district of Columbus, Ohio.
--- An important challenge facing planners is to ensure that local zoning ordinances can be readily understood by applicants and the general public. One interesting approach, as explained by Michael von Hausen and Gloria Venczel, is to add illustrations to help explain the ordinance's requirements.
The Effective Planning Commissioner:
First on the Agenda is the Agenda!
--- How much thought goes into your planning board's agenda? That's the question PCJ columnist Elaine Cogan asks in her Winter column.
--- Planning historian Larry Gerckens continues his alphabetic review of planning topics with: Quiet, Regional Planning, and Sustainable Development. Illustrations by Paul Hoffman. Note: The Planning ABCs series is available to order in its entirety.
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