Changes to the Blog...

Hi everyone, we have some changes afoot here.

In particular, we're moving this blog from this site to DailySprawl.Blogspot.com.

The main reason is that we continue to get many non-River Region readers. Plus, the topic of sprawl really transcends particular regions.

So, while we will continue to post on River Region issues, we'll also broaden this important conversation on smart growth and why it is such a critical issue.

Hope to see you over at DailySprawl.Blogspot.com

chad.

Taos, New Mexico Images...

...from today's SmartCode OnSite

SmartCode in the High Desert...

...this is where I am today. It's really quite stunning.

The 1893 Columbian Exposition...

...is often viewed as the precursor to comprehensive city planning. Below is a trailer from the PBS program that will air this weekend telling the story of this important event:

Sprawl Watch Update I

I recently submitted my latest law review article, All Sprawled Out: How the Federal Regulatory System Has Driven Unsustainable Growth, for publication.

Following up on that, River Region Smart Growth is beginning a regular new feature: Sprawl Watch.

In these Updates, we'll post articles from around the region, state, and country that expose the harms of sprawl.

Indeed, this editorial should serve as a good start for Sprawl Watch:

Converting farmland into exurban subdivisions requires a tremendous amount of new infrastructure -- everything from new and widened highways to new sewer and water systems. The cost is compounded by residential layouts that make pedestrian travel either difficult or impossible -- how many exurban residents can walk to school, church or the grocery store? It’s a lifestyle that’s expensive to maintain, and every dollar spent on a multi-lane highway to accommodate exurban commuters is one less dollar that’s spent to maintain existing roads and bridges.

Choosing to live far from work, school, church, shopping areas, etc., consumes vast amounts of resources, and infrastructure could be built and maintained at a much lesser cost if more people lived in Minneapolis and St. Paul and fewer people lived in Stillwater and Hudson. It’s easy to view the rubble of an Interstate highway bridge and conclude more money must be spent on infrastructure. The hard part is coming to grips with how much our lifestyles really cost.

This story represents a good example of citizens holding a municipality responsible for complying with the land use laws that it passes.

Too often, these laws are so loosely interpreted and enforced, that they almost become guidelines rather than requirements.

Getting Back Into the Swing of Things...

Well, the law school's fall semester is getting started this Monday so we'll be back making more regular Updates here at the RRSG blog.

For starters, I just wrote a piece on Smart Growth and Green Building in the River Region for this magazine. I'm told the piece will be out September 1st.

Tallassee Smart Growth?

As we've mentioned before, Tallassee is perfectly situated to become a center of smart growth. It has a well-designed downtown area as well as a nearby river and lake.

This editorial by Gary Morgan, a smart growth proponent in the area, was recently published in the local Tallassee paper and presents some interesting ideas about smart growth and that area.

Historic Southview Presentation...

Recently, Historic Southview completed its third midtown charrette--this one for the Mulberry District.

We're pleased to bring you the final charrette presentation for the event.

Hampstead Article in Birmingham paper...

Read the story, here.

Looking for a Smart Growth movie?

Try the interesting documentary "Who Killed the Electric Car?"

I just finished watching it and, though it can be a bit melodramatic at times, the movie presents a great example of how the technologies for more sustainable development patterns aren't left to science fiction but, rather, could well be currently available.

Of course, one might suggest that a high-mileage, low-cost car could promote even more sprawl by reducing the growing financial costs (e.g. higher oil prices) of sprawl. And, to some extent that could end up being true.

Which makes watching these type movies (and, in general, learning more about these issues) even more important. After all, the solutions to unsustainable growth patterns will likely manifest themselves through a series of cause and effect situations that require careful consideration of the consequences from all different angles.

Mansionization?

Apparently, a new set of lingo has arisen in the world of land development:

Mansionization vs. Anti-Mansionization

As for me, I'm an anti-mansioner (our 1,750 square foot house at The Waters works just fine, thank you).

Here's one reason why.

No New Enclosed Malls?

This interesting (though quite brief) article just popped into my Inbox. What makes it interesting is the statement that only three new enclosed malls have been built since 2005 and--even more interesting--not a single new enclosed mall is currently on the drawing board in the U.S.

That's quite astounding when you think about how much enclosed shopping malls have affected our culture in the last 50 or so years.

Of course, this is not to say that developers are forgoing malls as a whole. In fact, the latest fad in this area is the open-air mall (think EastChase or the High Point Town Center--a town center curiously absent human residents or civic functions--in Prattville).

Quite likely, this trendy fad will pass along just like the parachute pants that enclosed malls once sold.

Well, this is depressing...

...apparently, the Southern Co.--parent corp. of Alabama Power--is the nation's absolute worst atmosphere polluter among utilities:

The South has long relied on coal for electricity. Its two largest utilities - Atlanta-based Southern Co. and Charlotte, N.C.,-based Duke Energy Corp. - produce about two-thirds of their power from coal, mostly burned in aging plants not yet upgraded with clean-air technologies.

Southern Co. puts more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than any other U.S. utility.

Its Scherer plant near Macon, Ga., for several years has been the nation's single largest source of the greenhouse gas, which most scientists believe contributes to global warming. Duke Energy isn't far behind, ranking third in carbon dioxide emissions, while the Tennessee Valley Authority ranks fourth, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Many of the companies' plants also rank among the worst in emissions of mercury, a neurotoxin, and other pollutants that cause smog, respiratory problems and acid rain.

Frankly, reading this kind of makes me feel guilty using the electricity to even make this post.

Isn't it about time for Alabama's elected officials to take a long-term view of resource stewardship and embrace a reasonable approach to renewable power?

And, as the story reports, the Southern Co. made 1.6 billion dollars in profit last year. If it invested just 25% of that profit into renewable power, we'd be looking at 400 million in renewable possibilities...

The Opposite of Big Boxes and Power Centers

Last month a classic general store was re-opened in the Cecil area of east Montgomery County.

If you live in the area, considering shopping there. After all, even if prices are slightly higher than a big box discounter, you'll probably break about even by the time you figure in gas and other auto costs.

New Urban News reviewed my SmartCode to Solution to Sprawl in this month's issue. If you're interested in reading the review, here it is.

In today's mail...

...Professor Michael Lewyn's review of Donald Shoup's The High Cost of Free Parking book. The review--and the book--both do a nice job explaining why free parking actually ends up costing taxpayers a pretty penny.

Five Points Firehouse

As I've mentioned before, I have an option on the Five Points Firehouse. Thanks to Live Search, here's an interesting birds eye view from the Firehouse.

What's a TOD?

This extensive report does a nice job explaining the concept.

Can you envision a day when the existing rail line between East Montgomery and Downtown is used for commuter traffic?

Another TND for Pike Road...

...sorry about the delay in reporting this (sick kids/out of town) but I still haven't seen it reported elsewhere so here goes:

Last Monday, at the Pike Road town council meeting, several big pieces of news were announced. In terms of smart growth, the most important was easily the annexation of the Lafayette Traditional Neighborhood Development into the Town of Pike Road.

This makes two TNDs for Pike Road with Lafayette being the first that will actually be permitted under the SmartCode (The Waters is the other and, while built according to SmartCode principles, has not actually been permitted under it).

Regarding Lafayette, it a roughly 45 acre project located near the intersection of Vaughn Road and Chantilly Parkway. We're told that construction should begin in early 2008 with several experienced TND builders likely participating in the project.

The land is owned by Andrew Hall (publisher of the King Kudzu periodical) with the lead land planning consultant being the Brown, Chambless architecture firm (we're told that this is their first subdivision development in the Town of Pike Road).

If anyone has any additional details, feel free to forward them to cemerson@faulkner.edu.

Alabama Power--less

Well, once again, this evening saw a fairly familiar site at The Waters. Those houses serviced by Alabama Power lost power while many serviced by Dixie Electric did not.

Oh sure, sometimes this is unavoidable (like when a vehicle recently lost control and hit an AP transformer that serviced AP's customers at The Waters). But still, during our two years at The Waters (we were the second residents to move in), we have lost electricity much more frequently with Alabama Power than when we lived at Deer Creek and received our juice from Dixie Electric.

Interestingly, because of some strange quirk (undoubtedly driven by an equally strange or arcane regulation), some blocks at The Waters are split between AP and Dixie.

Meaning that, when the lights go out in The Waters at Waugh, all of us Alabama Power customers (a term that only fits us in the loosest sense of the word), can simply walk to the nearest Dixie Electric house only yards away for good ole' fashion electric reliability.

Shocking, eh?

Looking for a Decidedly...

"Smart Growth Way" to spend your 4th of July?

If so, consider coming out to The Waters this Wednesday...

Another Montgomery TND in the works...

...well, the Dover Kohl-led TND charrette for the Hudson Farms (2,000+ acre site) just ended on Thursday and, from what I saw during the open house last Tuesday, it is shaping up to be a very unique project. The project is located on Pike Road roughly along the east side of the road between Thorington and Wallahatchie Roads.

One of the lead parts of the development team is from Colorado (www.urban-villages.com) and is really emphasizing the conversation and "green" component.

Not sure how those angles will play in the Southeast (as opposed to the Mountain West where they are a real big deal).

Regardless though, expect some version of the plans to be released in August for public review with a groundbreaking planned for late 2008. Not surprisingly (because DKP is involved), the proposed site plan has many interesting features.

The project is also planning to use the SmartCode for permitting (it is currently zoned for a former PUD).

So, if you are counting, this makes 5 announced TNDs in Montgomery:

1. The Waters (open)
2. Hampstead (scheduled groundbreaking this year)
3. Chanticleer (Vaughn Road)
4. Lafayette (Chantilly Parkway)
5. Hudson Farms

In other words, if the downtown and midtown revitalization efforts don't work, East Montgomery might well become Robert Trent Jones TND Trail...

Pike Road Announcement...

...one of the key components for smart growth involves schools. That's why the law school partnered with Envision 2020 and the Seaside Institute last February for the first ever Smart Growth & Schools Summit.

So, this message we received this evening was especially interesting (and potentially exciting):

The Town of Pike Road has a significant announcement that we will be making on Monday night, July 2 at the Town Council meeting. Our town has been working hard to generate excitement for schools and this "step forward" certainly will help in that regard. You do not want to misses this opportunity to celebrate.

Please make every effort to join us for this brief meeting. It will begin at 7:30 p.m. and should be completed by 8:15 p.m. We hope that you will bring friends and neighbors to the meeting. To facilitate an easier "in and out," we will be meeting at the Pike Road Baptist Church, 4790 Pike Road.


Thanks and God Bless,

Gordon Stone

Mayor, Town of Pike Road

Stay tuned...

Better Late Than Never...

...Below are the photos from our recent stay at Rosemary Beach in South Walton County along Historic Highway 30-A.

Overall, Rosemary Beach--while still a resort community--should really inform much of the smart growth being built or planned (literally, as I type this evening).

Enjoy.

Photos from Today's Open House at Alys Beach...

This afternoon, I stopped by the open house at Alys Beach hoping to see the amazing insides of these brilliant white homes. Needless to say, I wasn't disappointed. Indeed, one problem (if you can really call it that) with the courtyard style is that so much beauty is stored in the interior--with rare glimpses for most to see.

Fortunately, today provided one of those opportunities.

And, remember, these shots weren't taken by a pro--as I'm certainly not (my wife is the photog of our family). But, hopefully they provide some insight into these great interiors.

All photos taken around 11am with a Digital Canon EOS Rebel.

Enjoy. (p.s. I'll be back soon with a photo tour of Rosemary Beach and some talk about an amazing Big Hill).

One of the reasons that I think that smart growth and new urbanism has taken such a strong hold in the River Region is that so many River Regioners vacation along Highway 30-A in South Walton County, Florida.

Here you'll find Seaside, WaterColor, Rosemary Beach, Alys Beach and others.

Well, if you are one of these folks, then this South Walton blog should be a Must Read for future trips.

By the way, I'm heading back to Montgomery this afternoon and will try and post some of the photos I took from the Alys Beach Open House earlier today. The interiors of these homes are even more amazing than the beautiful exteriors.

Sorry for the delay...

...but, the photo essay will have to wait. Apparently, we forgot the court that uploads images from our camera to my laptop.

So, I'll try and get them uploaded early next week. I have quite a few of Rosemary Beach and Alys Beach images, including ones of the dramatic new pool at Alys Beach and one of the most interesting play structures that we've ever seen for children.

In the meantime, here's an article about a SmartCode OnSite that Nathan Norris and I will be conducting this upcoming Monday.

Surburban Angst?

This article discusses the trend. And flirts with (though won't commit to) some of the solutions.

A very interesting read.

Solar Power?

Thanks to a reader who sent along this interesting website discussing affordable options for adding solar power to your home.

While we haven't researched this company in detail, it does have an interesting business model.

Court Square

Let me preface this post by saying that I've met John Dow many times and found him to be a very nice guy. He's also expressed alot of interest for smart growth issues (including inviting me to speak on several different occasions).

But, in today's Montgomery Advertiser, John--who is running for Montgomery's mayorship this year--issued a campaign press release that Mayor Bright should personally pay for the $75,000 cost of adding curb cuts to the downtown Court Square Plaza.

This does not make sense for two reasons:

1. The Court Square Plaza was one of the first of its kind in the United States in the last 100 years. And, part of the unique beauty of the plaza calls it to have rolled curbs that give the area a more flowing feel. I mention this because--as with any novel idea--sometimes unexpected circumstances arise. In this case, I have not read or heard a single thing to suggest that the omission of the curb cuts was anything more than an honest mistake.

And, one that, once it came to light was promptly addressed to the city (despite the fact that some of those protesting the issue seemed more interested in making the evening news or the Advertiser than having a truly constructive discussion. Your conduct makes that very clear).

2. Yes, it added $75,000 to the cost to add curb cuts that--in the best case scenario--would have been added from the beginning. And, indeed, from the plans that I saw, they were supposed to be there. Regardless, it is clear that the Mayor was not the engineer or contractor in charge of the project. So, it makes little sense to have him personally pay for someone else's error simply because he's the Mayor.

It would be like demanding that the Governor personally pay to correct an engineering error that ALDOT made on an interstate.

So, the long and short is that this appears to have been an honest error on a cutting edge (no pun, intended of course) project.

While I don't know all the politics is this extremely political city, I can say with 100% confidence that--of the 100 plus mayors that I've met throughout the country during smart growth seminars, speeches, and the like--Mayor Bright is as supportive of smart growth principles as any other mayor in the United States of America.

We commend him for that.

p.s. We'd be remiss not to mention that Montgomery County is also fortunate to have Gordon Stone as the Pike Road since Mayor Stone is also a national leader in smart growth vision when it comes to mayors.

Next week...

...we'll be vacationing at one of the best-designed New Urban resort communities in the country. My plan is to post several pictoral updates from Rosemary Beach and then post Part Two of the EastChase Series on Monday.

In the meantime, we've received word that a newly-proposed East Montgomery traditional neighborhood development will be holding a charrette in late June. Most significantly, the lead planning firm on the project is Dover, Kohl & Partners--the firm that lead last year's downtown Montgomery planning charrette.

We'll post more details for this 2,000+ acre project as they come in.

The EastChase Series: Part One

As promised, I'll be starting a five-part series reviewing the urbanism and smart growth aspects of the EastChase development in East Montgomery. And, while the series will focus on EastChase (primarily because it's in the River Region and this is a River Region-focused blog), this critique is not limited to this single development but, rather, applies to this type of "lifestyle center" in general.

First things first though. My goal with this series is not to denigrate EastChase in general. Indeed, the project does have some redeeming qualities (such as bringing many new retailers to the area that weren't here before). Instead, the ultimate goal is to explain what EastChase is...and is not.

For starters, it is a shopping center.

It is not a main street or town center of any type.

Now, I suspect some of you are thinking, "Well, duh!"

But, wait. Before you do that, realize this. There are many people who think that EastChase is just that--a main street (or, as I've personally heard before, the Main Street of East Montgomery). In just a moment we'll look at why that is incorrect. First, back to the is/is not part.

EastChase is a mono-use commercial project.

It is not a sustainable growth or smart growth development.

I suspect that statement has far fewer "Well, duhs"...hold that thought though because we'll deal with this one later.

For now, I want to focus on why EastChase is not a main street or town center by any stretch of the reasonable imagination.

To do so, let's consider what a main street really is--or, better stated, what makes a main street.

First, people shop on a main street. They also work there. And live there, too.

Often, they worship there. Recreate there.

Gather together for fun. Or sometimes to protest.

In other words, a main street or town center--by its very nature--is not used only for a single thing (i.e. it is not mono-usage).

Another feature about a main street or town center is that there is a mix of public and private property. Private shops, lofts, homes, offices and the like. Together with public sidewalks, parks, and civic buildings. Resulting in a finely-grained mixture of public and private spaces.

Now, needless to say, this is just a short primer on what makes a main street. And it certainly doesn't apply to every single main street or town center anywhere. That said though, these features are shared by the vast majority (if not 99%) of main streets and town centers.

So, why is this important, you ask?

Simple, really.

Compare the classic characteristics of a main street or town center with EastChase and you'll quickly see that EastChase shares very little in common with them.

It's mono-usage. No residences of any type. No public property at all. And, for at least the "lifestyle center" part of it, not even any offices.

Sure, people shop there. But do they live there? Recreate there (in a non-retail sense)? Gather for public events?

Well, if you really look carefully, the answer is no, no, and no.

Why?

Because, EastChase is a private shopping center. It's goal is to make money for private companies. Which, of course, is perfectly fine.

Except when it intimates that it is anything other than just a differently-organized shopping mall--no different in ultimate format than Festival Plaza or Eastdale Mall or even Montgomery Mall.

So, in analyzing EastChase (and lifestyle centers in general), let's first understand what it is: a privately-owned retail center that--while its architecture, design, and marketing may attempt to evoke the emotions of a main street (right down to the bronzed statutes of kids playing with their dog--a curious site because, as we'll discuss in later part, nearly all animals are expressly prohibited from EastChase) is not a town center or main street in any real discernible way.

Understanding this key point is critical as it serves as the starting point for the next parts of this series which will examine why--whether it is the design, usage, or other aspects of EastChase--that the project not only is not a main street...but also is not a smart, sustainable growth project.

We'll discuss that next week.

Of course, if you have any comments of any type, feel free to email me at cemerson@faulkner.edu.

Thanks.

Smart Growth and Schools...

...here's a copy of the article I wrote for this month's Design Alabama magazine on the importance of schools utilizing smart growth principles.

Coming Soon...

...a photo essay on why EastChase should not be considered a "smart growth" project. Alot of readers have asked me about this project and, while I do shop there, it certainly doesn't qualify as smart growth--for a variety of reasons.

We'll use pictures and words to explain why later this week.

The Car-Free Journey Concludes...

The Journey is almost complete. That's what I thought as I headed out of the hotel in Philly from the Long Road Home. First though, the Car-Free Journey had to make it's way to the Amtrak Train Station. And, this time, it had to do it without the Official Suitcase catching a cab with friends Anna Lowder and Harvi Sahota.

In other words, it's just me, the Official Suitcase, and the Official Laptop...

Since walking that far with everything really isn't an option (especially considering the gathering rain clouds), I figure let's try the subway. After all, the one in D.C. that I just used so much was timely, clean, and generally a good experience...

...then I met the Philly subway. Quite stark.

Though at times, places like this didn't look too bad...

Dark, dank corridors were much more the norm. A lesson learned: in D.C., the Metro strictly prohibits food, drink, radios, and contains no prison-like bars (or at least that I could recall). Philly's subway, on the other hand, has them all.

And the wear and tear that results in painfully obvious.

Fortunately, the journey was short from 13th to 30th on the Blue Line. Soon, we arrived back at the Amtrak station...

...just in time for the 3.55pm Crescent back to Atlanta.

All aboard, Track 6 with Crescent Service to New Orleans and parts in between...

...a brief break at the Baltimore station...

...and, after a long night's ride, the Official Suitcase finally relaxes back at the Atlanta train station (thinking to itself that it sure is glad that CNU 2010 is in Atlanta).

Then, off in the distance, we finally see it again--the Unofficial Personal Motor Vehicle for the Car-Free Journey to CNU XV in Philly. Strangely, in many ways, it was a pleasant sight to see for, as I learned, a car is a great luxury to have. Go without it for 5 days and you'll realize why.

That said, this Car-Free Journey gave me an even better perspective as to why we need to design and build walkable, mixed-used communities that can--one day when demand comes (and it will, I guarantee it as the BP regular unleaded price continues it's deliberate march upwards)--be linked to mass transit.

That day. That inevitable one, will be the day where this type journey is more than just an interesting adventure.

So, in closing, thanks to John Acken, Harvi Sahota, Anna Lowder, and a cast of other supporters who made this journey interesting and possible.

And, most of all, thanks to my wonderful wife Betsy for letting me take these often strange adventures. I really appreciate you!

The End.

Scenes from the CNU...

The Loews Philadelphia Hotel--home base for this year's CNU. Overall, a very cool venue located in a historic building now made quite hip...

The "Sole Food Restaurant" at the Loew's--the place where many of the event's great conversations occurred including, quite possibly, "The Intersection of South Main & Hampstead: The New Urbanism's Next Generation of Developers" (okay, so I made up the title, but the idea is certainly percolating...)

The event's bookstore (note to event organizers: the bookstore was great; however, the book signings should be relocated in the future to the actual bookstore. just a thought.)

The PlaceMakers and SmartCode Complete booth (unfortunately, the SmartCode Navigator software is still in beta testing and not quite ready for prime-time yet. Soon, though. We promise)

Austin, Texas. The site of this year's SmartCode Workshop. As well as next year's CNU XVI.

And, yes, the Car-Free Journey to CNU Austin is already being planned...