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.