Posted Tue, Nov 1, 6:15 a.m.

Boyd and Rather make some excellent points here. Yet, even the word "messaging" now has a negative connotation in this country, courtesy of decades of Madison Avenue and political spin. City planning, properly done, is all about making public policy through an open, honest, multi-party dialogue, with everyone's interests solicited ...

Posted Tue, Oct 18, 7:29 a.m.

Oligarchies have never willingly yielded power to the mass societies they rule, and they never will. Unless the organic (i.e., living, breathing) citizens of this country can take it back from the "corporate" citizens endowed by the Supreme Court, we will live in the dark future Dick Morrill describes. "Occupy ...

Posted Sun, Sep 4, 4:02 p.m.

The Puget Sound region can best improve and sustain long term environmental and economic health if we think globally, plan regionally, and act locally. Peter is right - only a fraction of this region's jobs and housing can be accommodated in high rises in central cities. A major share must ...

Posted Wed, Aug 31, 7:45 a.m.

Good article, Mark. Your conclusions are consistent with national studies that suggest the demand for future of housing will be strongest in closer-in cities. A 2009 study by EPA found that home values were strongest through the recession in central cities and suburban town centers and weakest in the outer ...

Posted Fri, Aug 26, 7:12 a.m.

Lighting up the Ichi-Meter at 183 hits a year is merely excellent as opposed to freakishly excellent. We've been spoiled for a decade. I continue to be impressed by Ichiro's unwavering work ethic, humility, and respect for the game and its traditions. Let's hope the young guys soak those qualities ...

Posted Sat, Jul 9, 7:04 a.m.

Every city should spend as much time and resources updating and reforming its land use code as it spends updating and reforming its comprehensive plan. Comp plans are important because they engage the broad public in painting a desired vision at the city-wide and, in some cases, local level. But ...

Posted Tue, May 10, 7:07 a.m.

Thanks for giving us a fresh look at your Dad's insights from the 60's, Chuck. His book "Urban Design within the Comprehensive Planning Process" drew me to the UW in the 70's, and his insights into the relationships between urban form, land use, and public policy are as relevant today ...

Posted Thu, Dec 24, 9:11 a.m.

In Gold Star, the Supreme Court erased the "bright line" for rural density, just as its 2005 Viking vs. Holm decision erased the urban density bright line of four dwelling units per acre. Does the absence of "bright lines" create unfettered authority for counties to designate rural area densities, and ...

Posted Fri, Sep 18, 7:09 a.m.

Knute nailed this. King, Pierce, Snohomish and Kitsap counties share not only a watershed and a regional identity, they also share a job market, a housing market, a workforce and a transportation grid. Seattle's success depends upon the success of this larger region and vice versa. The same can be ...