Scottsdale, Arizona planners have released a new vision for their downtown, in a 'trend toward urban living'.
"The size and height of buildings in downtown Scottsdale are getting all the attention, but the real stars of the city's new downtown plan are the pedestrians.
A draft released this week describes walking as "such an essential part of what is meant by 'downtown' that the quality of the pedestrian environment - safety, comfort, interest, continuity - is a necessity."
It proposes banning "auto-dominated site designs."
If adopted and built, the plan calls for shady corridors, covered walkways, wide sidewalks with on-street cafés, and other changes designed to get pedestrians get out of their cars.
"We created a hierarchy of streets for pedestrian walk-ability," said John Lusardi, the city's advance planning director."
FULL STORY: Pedestrians key to new downtown

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees
More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

In Both Crashes and Crime, Public Transportation is Far Safer than Driving
Contrary to popular assumptions, public transportation has far lower crash and crime rates than automobile travel. For safer communities, improve and encourage transit travel.

Report: Zoning Reforms Should Complement Nashville’s Ambitious Transit Plan
Without reform, restrictive zoning codes will limit the impact of the city’s planned transit expansion and could exclude some of the residents who depend on transit the most.

Judge Orders Release of Frozen IRA, IIJA Funding
The decision is a victory for environmental groups who charged that freezing funds for critical infrastructure and disaster response programs caused “real and irreparable harm” to communities.
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