2,300 auto dealerships have closed in the U.S. since 2009. 649 of those have been redeveloped, becoming lumberyards, schools, chain drug stores, and groceries.
Sales are being held back by zoning that limits how the land can be used. But developers say there is "a pent-up interest" in attractive retail properties.
Back in 2009, Planetizen asked readers what should be done with vacant car dealerships. The winning idea (not surprising, among urban planners) was to work with the community to determine the most appropriate use.
FULL STORY: Last Year’s Auto Dealership May Be This Year’s Grocery
How Dealership Laws Hinder EV Sales
Laws designed to protect car dealers against price competition from car manufacturers are, in many states, preventing electric car makers from selling directly to consumers.
California Lawmaker Wants to Triple Electric Vehicle Rebates
Assemblyman Phil Ting seeks to dramatically increase the state electric vehicle sales rebate of $2,500, motivated in part by the phasing-out of the federal EV tax credit of $7,500. The bill rules out significant revenue sources.
New Colorado Governor's First Executive Order: Get More EVs on the Road
Colorado will join California and nine other states in requiring that a percentage of new light-duty vehicle sales are zero-emissions, thanks to the first executive order signed by Democratic Gov. Jared Polis on Jan. 17.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Wind Energy on the Rise Despite Federal Policy Reversal
The Trump administration is revoking federal support for renewable energy, but demand for new projects continues unabated.
Passengers Flock to Caltrain After Electrification
The new electric trains are running faster and more reliably, leading to strong ridership growth on the Bay Area rail system.
Texas Churches Rally Behind ‘Yes in God’s Back Yard’ Legislation
Religious leaders want the state to reduce zoning regulations to streamline leasing church-owned land to housing developers.
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