Nimby and Brzezinski- April 9, 2006 Today's Washington Post reports on negotiations between suburban Virginia's Fairfax county and Zbigniew Brzezinski, Jimmy Carter's former National Security Adviser over a plan by the county to put in a sidewalk in front of his home on 1061 Spring Hill Road in McClean.According to the article Brzezinski has been less than enthusiastic about the plan, failing to negotiate on terms for a sidewalk easement. Having lived in Fairfax County for almost 30 years, he undoubtedly has seen the sleepy...http://newurbanist.blogspot.com/2006/04/nimby-and-brzezinski.html More Urban Craziness from South Korea- April 8, 2006 The Taipei Times and the KBS World Radio are reporting on the grand opening of Puju Camp in the shadows of the demilitarized zone separating North and South Korea.Puju Camp is the latest in the Geyonggi English Village program that is expanding across the northern province. Like the New Songdo City, being constructed in the southern part of the country, Puju is designed to be an English-language enclave. Unlike New Songdo--which is envisioned as an international entrepreneurial zone--Puju...http://newurbanist.blogspot.com/2006/04/more-urban-craziness-from-south-korea.html Density as an Antidote to Obesity- April 2, 2006 According to the Vancouver Sun, SmartGrowth BC has released a study by UBC's Larry Frank that suggests:Each quartile increase in residential density corresponds with a 23-per-cent increase in the odds of walking for non-work travel, according to a recent Seattle study quoted in the report.We have covered this connection before, but it is always important to point out new data. SmartGrowthBC doesn't appear to have the report on their website so I don't know if Clark deals with this, but it is...http://newurbanist.blogspot.com/2006/04/density-as-antidote-to-obesity.html Economic Doldrums Hurt Affluent Suburbs- April 1, 2006 The Wall Street Journal has a good article today discussing the travails of the wealthy Detroit suburb of Bloomfield Hills. It seems the recent economic woes hurting the major automakers are "trickling down" to affect not only the normal class of victims--unionized workers--but are also causing the upper classes to feel the pinch.Of course residents of Bloomfield Hills--a community whose annual household income is in excess of $150,000--probably have more resources to deal with economic...http://newurbanist.blogspot.com/2006/04/economic-doldrums-hurt-affluent.html |