TL;DR: A lot of conversation and debate in our community centers on planning, zoning, and development regulations. But…what are these things? And why are they used? Are they good? Bad? Somewhere in between? It’s important to understand how land use planning and regulations work, what they can and can’t do, and how they can be used […]
Posted inCarrboro, Housing
Dreams for West Poplar Avenue in Carrboro
I dream of a four-story mixed-use building at the corner with a bodega that has good breakfast burritos and coffee, and of a taller residential building behind it with at least twelve units, including much-needed affordable condominiums or rentals.
Posted inChapel Hill, Chapel Hill Town Council, Housing, Planning Board: Chapel Hill
Thirteen harder truths about Chapel Hill
Last month, planner Jennifer Keesmaat presented the Chapel Hill Town Council with three “hard truths.” (To summarize, the truths were 1) Chapel Hill is exclusive; 2) Our planning processes are bad; 3) Our “urban form” is also bad.) Keesmaat promised that there are more hard truths to come out during the complete communities planning process, […]
Posted inCHALT, Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill Town Council, Housing
Complete Communities require dense housing – is that the rub?
Usual suspects suspect unusual suspects will yield unexpected results
Posted inZoning, Guide
TBB Land Use & Development Primer | 1.2: Legal Foundations of Zoning
TL;DR: A lot of conversation and debate in our community centers on planning, zoning, and development regulations. But…what are these things? And why are they used? Are they good? Bad? Somewhere in between? It’s important to understand how land use planning and regulations work, what they can and can’t do, and how they can be […]
Posted inBike Beat, Bike and Walk
Bike Beat: RENA Community Center Bike Rodeo 2022
This piece was written by John Rees and Heidi Perry Last week, we attended the RENA Community Center‘s annual bike rodeo. Held annually, the event ensures that kids attending the RENA community center summer camp have safe bikes to ride and that they know the rules of the road and have the skills they need to […]