In an affluent suburb of Minneapolis, Minnesota's first 'residential redevelopment coordinator' works as a buffer between aggressive builders and residents upset about the side effects of mansionization.
"Armed with a well-thumbed copy of the city code and a trusty pair of construction boots, Minnesota’s first city teardown enforcement official has started duty in Edina," reports Mary Jane Smetanka.
"Edina hired their 'residential redevelopment coordinator' because the city is a hot spot for developers who demolish small homes and replace them with bigger ones. Last year that happened more than 100 times, setting a record. So far this year, 52 permits for demolition of single-family detached homes have been issued."
"Construction work in some neighborhoods is intense, creating tensions beyond concerns about house size," explains Smetanka. "Unsure who to call, Edina residents have been peppering city departments from police to planning with complaints about dirt, parking, noise, congestion and alleged code violations."
"So City Manager Scott Neal suggested the city create a one-stop shop for both residents and builders by creating a city job that deals only with teardown issues."
FULL STORY: State's first city teardown enforcer makes her mark in Edina
Speed Limit Reform Spreading Across Minnesota
After the Twin Cities lowered speed limits in the urban core of the region in 2020, a trio of suburban cities are planning to follow. Two of the cities are planning to set some speed limits as low as 20 mph.
Discretionary Approval for McMansions
Redwood City, located on the San Francisco Peninsula, will make it harder to build homes that take up more than 45 percent of a residential lot.
Seattle Sets a New Standard for Residential Zoning
Seattle is the latest in a series of cities, states, and counties to alter the landscape of land use regulation by approving what the Sightline Institute describes as the "most progressive" ADU policy in the United States.
Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing
Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?
Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?
Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?
Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.
Updating LA’s Tree Rules Could Bring More Shade to Underserved Neighborhoods
A new USC study finds that relaxing Los Angeles’ outdated tree planting guidelines could significantly expand urban tree canopy and reduce shade disparities in lower-income neighborhoods, though infrastructure investments are also needed.
California's Canal Solar Projects Aim to Conserve Resources and Expand Clean Energy
California’s Project Nexus has begun generating electricity from solar panels installed over irrigation canals, with researchers and state agencies exploring statewide expansion to conserve water and boost clean energy production.
HHS Staff Cuts Gut Energy Assistance Program
The full staff of a federal program that distributes heating and cooling assistance for low-income families was laid off, jeopardizing the program’s operations.
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