Once upon a time, golf courses were a popular component of development plans. Much more common now: single-family detached housing on the former site of a golf course.
"The Planning-Zoning Board has approved a company’s application to build 44 single-family homes on the 50 acres of the Apple Ridge Country Club property within the borough [of Upper Saddle River]," reports Marina Villeneuve.
A key condition of the plan, as approved, is the environmental remediation that will be necessary to prepare the land for the homes. Adds Villeneuve: "The ownership group Apple Ridge USR also is proposing to remediate all 50 acres of arsenic and lead-contaminated soil, a legacy of former farming of the land, as well as restore a brook running through the property and remove and replace hundreds of trees."
The article includes more details about the conditions of approval, as does additional reporting by Villaneuve from August. Upper Saddle River, in New Jersey is located northwest of New York City, along the border of the state of New York. Upper Saddle River made news earlier this year when a developer sued on grounds that the borough violated its "civil rights" to provide housing, by failing to act on a zoning request for 240 residential units included in a mixed-use development. Apparently projects coming in under a unit an acre are easier to develop.
FULL STORY: Upper Saddle River approves development plan for former country club
Density and Disorder: The Imaginary Link
A recent article tries to tie public transit and walkability to social disorder — but in fact, sprawling Sunbelt cities like Memphis are as likely to have high crime rates as transit-rich metropolises such as New York and San Francisco.
How Autonomous Cars Can Induce Sprawl and Sabotage Climate Goals
Robotaxis can lead to longer, more frequent trips and are projected to increase VMT by as much as 83 percent.
Commentary: We Need a Return to the Adaptability of Traditional Urban Form
How the rigidity of modern suburban development fails to prepare cities for the future.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
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.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research