Making Neighborhoods More Walkable – Part 1
A look at how Portland has gone beyond “Walk Score” in using a detailed rating system to evaluate neighborhood “walkability” — and why one older neighborhood fares quite well.
Livable Communities
Articles and postings focusing on different ways in which we can plan for more livable communities for all our citizens.
Continue to older articles & posts — or return to newer ones — where you see the green buttons at the bottom of the page.
Distance, Destinations, Density
The 3 D’s of Portland’s 20-minute neighborhoods concept: Distance: how far can you walk in 20 minutes? Destinations: is everything you need on a daily basis within that distance? Density: are there enough people in the area to support the businesses and facilities you need for daily needs?
The Secrets of Successful Communities – Part 1: Have a Vision for the Future
Planning and land development analyst Ed McMahon looks at ways in which communities — large and small — can succeed. In today’s first installment, McMahon speaks of the importance of having a vision for the future.
Bringing Commercial Uses Closer to Existing Residential Neighborhoods, Part II
As a follow up to her previous column on approaches to bringing commercial uses closer to residential neighborhoods, Wendy Grey outlines some basic development standards for neighborhood commercial zoning districts.
Bringing Commercial Uses Closer to Existing Residential Neighborhoods, Part I
Residents in established neighborhoods will often be very concerned about zoning proposals to allow new commercial uses close to their neighborhood. The question planners and planning commissioners must be able to answer is how the creation of a commercial district near a neighborhood will be a positive change.
Putting the LID on Your Community’s Stormwater – Part III
In the first two installments of this series, we presented basic information about what LID is and how it works. In this piece, we’ll show that LID isn’t simply a stormwater management technique, but a systems approach that provides multiple benefits addressing both public and private sector interests.
What Really Counts in a Community
We all know that the bottom line in what really counts in building strong communities is … the people. Committed citizens can pull together and make just about any place better. That’s just what I saw on a windy Saturday in the small city of Bath, Maine.
“It’s Like Planning in a Big Doll House”
Bath, Maine, is just nine square miles in size, with a population a little under 9,000. But it has a thriving downtown and riverfront. A look at some of the ingredients that have made downtown Bath so strong.
Reinventing Your Community From the Inside Out – Part I
Too often cities have scrambled to attract new businesses … from anywhere. But a different approach has started to take hold. It involves planting local economic seeds and nurturing them to be the new garden of opportunity.
Building a New Downtown – Part II
In part II of this posting, we take a closer look at how the Town of Mansfield, Connecticut worked with UConn and and a private developer to move forward on its new downtown, Storrs Center. Including some tips from some of the project participants.
Building a New Downtown – Part I
It’s not every day that university and town perspectives on a key issue are closely aligned. But that’s the case in the small town of Storrs, Connecticut, where the University of Connecticut and the Town of Mansfield both agree that what they really want an need is a new downtown center.
Can We Connect?
One of the key themes I heard during sessions at the Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations conference was the importance of better connecting pedestrians to nearby shopping and to transit corridors. That means focusing on one of the most basic components of a community’s transportation network: sidewalks.
The End of the Strip?
Long-time Planning Commissioners Journal columnist Ed McMahon on why the era of strip commercial development may be nearing an end.
