Conservative Ideas on Urban Planning

[perimeter285]

-- Inman Park neighborhood leader Sandy Evans declares herself among those who invite "those who have what I call the right motivation" to come intown. But "I don't want them turning [the city] into suburbs for sure." Me neither. Low taxes and crime, quality schools, efficient services. Naw. Not for this city for sure.

--Outside the Perimeter, the well-to-do have gated communities to keep out burglars. Inside, the well-to-do have moratoriums on "McMansions" to keep out the more well-to-do. Frankly the size of a house that conforms to zoning and other legitimate ordinances is none of government's business. This is a city of regulatory busybodies.

Both points from Jim Wooten from the AJC illustrate why conservatives make terrible urban planners.

[AubieTurtle]

Wooten is the print version of a radio shock jock. It doesn't matter if he really believes the stuff he is saying, he is out to get a reaction. Now that his column has a blog, he's really gone into overdrive since he can see just how stirred up people get from his beliefs.

This thread is probably a good place to mention that the movie "The End of Suburbia" has been posted to YouTube. The online version is shorter than the DVD but it retains most of the message of the original.

[nowensone]

^ Good video, thank you for the link.

"Political Hubris" is the quote that rings over and over for me..

The video has great potential for debate around the "conversion" of suburbia to local mixed use more urban communities, which it touches on for a few minutes, and is something I have not seen dicsussed on this site. Rather doomsday the idea that while this conversion is possible, we may not have the energy or resources required to do it.

[Andrea]

The video has great potential for debate around the "conversion" of suburbia to local mixed use more urban communities, which it touches on for a few minutes, and is something I have not seen dicsussed on this site. Rather doomsday the idea that while this conversion is possible, we may not have the energy or resources required to do it.

[perimeter285]

So what's the general consensus? Will "suburbia" as we know it be transformed into intermittant pockets of urbanized areas spaced out by typical single family developments, and therefore still require the use of cars? Will the historical "envelope" effect of a large city overtaking smaller incorporated areas be reversed by the smaller incorportated areas growing into major cities in their own right (ie Mesa, AZ).

It's interesting to see the trends. Atlanta metro, I think, by refusing to adequately address its transportation issues is by default turning into a collection of distinct urban areas that will help redefine what we typically describe as suburban.

Interesting discussion topic.

[Andrea]

So what's the general consensus? Will "suburbia" as we know it be transformed into intermittant pockets of urbanized areas spaced out by typical single family developments, and therefore still require the use of cars?

[nowensone]

There's an article in the current Atlanta Business Chronicle about a number of such projects which are now or soon will be underway in the metro area. A lot of them look terrific.

Smyrna, of course, has seen a lot of nice mixed use development, and there are some cool projects underway in Woodstock, I'm told. I think this is high on the Sandy Springs agenda, too.

[Pillsbury]

Wooten is the print version of a radio shock jock. It doesn't matter if he really believes the stuff he is saying, he is out to get a reaction. Now that his column has a blog, he's really gone into overdrive since he can see just how stirred up people get from his beliefs.

[krazeeboi]

It's interesting to see the trends. Atlanta metro, I think, by refusing to adequately address its transportation issues is by default turning into a collection of distinct urban areas that will help redefine what we typically describe as suburban.

[coyotetrickster]

I think there's already a term for that: Los Angeles.

[Dale]

I wouldn't call NIMYism conservative. Not be a long-shot.

And as an aside, gated-communities are no safer than non-gated communities.

[Spartan]

I thought it was funny that he used 'efficient' to describe services in the suburbs. I hope that guy STAYS in the suburbs.