Residents in Passaic County, New Jersey, have assumed the power of urban re-design, as community charrettes from early 2006 have resulted in county grants of $164,000 to revitalize numerous main streets in the county.
"A group of residents and shop owners recently put their dreams on paper: trees shading sidewalks, wide and textured sidewalks, landscaped plazas with resting benches, flower pots, fountains and outdoor cafes."
"That's just a taste of what local folks envisioned, according to a study conducted by a Rutgers University urban planning professor hired by Passaic County planning officials. The county received a $164,000 grant from the state to help revitalize main streets in communities such as Pompton Lakes and Bloomingdale."
Many in the community are welcoming the participation and effort of the public, but city officials are hesitant to begin celebrations. Even though the funding has come through, the revitalizations could be years away. However, the process has shown promise for planning officials that the public can play an interested role in community development.
FULL STORY: A town creates a 'vision' for future
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Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
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Safe Streets Funding in Jeopardy
The Trump administration is specifically targeting bike infrastructure and other road safety projects in its funding cuts.
Six Reasons Why Housing Is a Human Right
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Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
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Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
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