Nobody likes uncertainty. Certainly not the developers of a billion dollar mixed-use project that encounters community opposition due to traffic impacts. Nor the public transportation agency that runs into fairy shrimp on the future route of a trolley line. Nor the city planners for multifamily housing around a transit station that face a revolt from their single-family neighbors. [Read more…] about In Defense of Uncertainty
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The Value of Planning in the Age of Economics.

A city makes many investments, such as infrastructure improvements, life and safety services, and in their employees. To fund such, cities rely upon new development and construction to fuel its economic generation engine with new jobs, housing, shops, parks, fees, and tax revenues.We have all experienced the difficulties with building new developments in Southern California. It is either too difficult to build something great or too easy to build something terrible. Most city planning departments have to overcome a past of allowing for deplorable new buildings that challenged the character of beloved older communities. [Read more…] about The Value of Planning in the Age of Economics.
Car Share: Bridge to Greater Transit Use for Car Lovin’ Southern California?
As I occasionally do, today I used Car2Go for a mid-day meeting. I took the trolley to work. I had a meeting in Mission Valley but not near the trolley Line.
[Read more…] about Car Share: Bridge to Greater Transit Use for Car Lovin’ Southern California?
10 Rules for Smarter Smart Growth

These days, a lot of projects are crashing through the gates of community plans and dashing existing neighborhood character under the banners of smart growth or transit oriented development. [Read more…] about 10 Rules for Smarter Smart Growth
Make your UrbDeZine article more visible in Google with images
I had lunch the other day with blogging and business development guru Chris Lema. Among the excellent tidbits of information I picked up was one about the use of images in blog posts / articles to increase visibility in search engines such as Google. [Read more…] about Make your UrbDeZine article more visible in Google with images
Demo Clears Way for Urbana Apartments
San Diego – Downtown’s East Village last week saw the demolition of two one-story warehouse buildings on Tenth Avenue between Island and J Street. The buildings were not deemed historical by the City but were much loved by their former tenants (e.g., Flirt Urban Salon now relocated to Eighth Ave. between F & G Streets). [Read more…] about Demo Clears Way for Urbana Apartments
La Cusma apartments at Columbia & Fir in Little Italy near completion
San Diego – the La Cusma apartments building is nearing completion in Little Italy on the Northeast corner of Columbia Street and Fir Street, one block west of I-5. The architect for the project is Carrier Johnson and the developer is “Columbia Street, LLC.” [Read more…] about La Cusma apartments at Columbia & Fir in Little Italy near completion