Saturday, January 15, 2005
PDC will condemn storage facility
If successful, the Public Storage site would be the redevelopment agency’s fifth condemnation action this year.
The Portland Development Commission is one of the fastest growing government agencies in Oregon. It' s not elected, and they decide the business winners on losers, who receives tax breaks and low interest loans to promote unsustainable smart growth projects.
If successful, the Public Storage site would be the redevelopment agency’s fifth condemnation action this year.
The Portland Development Commission is one of the fastest growing government agencies in Oregon. It' s not elected, and they decide the business winners on losers, who receives tax breaks and low interest loans to promote unsustainable smart growth projects.
Wednesday, January 12, 2005
'Transit Math' Takes a Hit in NC
FEDS HIT BRAKES ON RAIL MONEY
A federal agency questions the assumed benefits of commuter rail in the Triangle.
By BRUCE SICELOFF, Staff Writer
The Federal Transit Administration has changed its rating of the Triangle's proposed commuter rail service from "recommended" to neutral, saying it cannot endorse the $695 million project until it resolves new doubts about its benefits.
The Triangle Transit Authority, which hopes to start running commuter trains in 2008, is counting on federal funding to cover 61 percent of the system's cost. Without that money, the project is dead.
Federal officials are not questioning how fast TTA trains will run or how many people will ride them. Instead, they are skeptical about how slow the alternatives would be.
Read the News & Observer story here
Time projections map here
A federal agency questions the assumed benefits of commuter rail in the Triangle.
By BRUCE SICELOFF, Staff Writer
The Federal Transit Administration has changed its rating of the Triangle's proposed commuter rail service from "recommended" to neutral, saying it cannot endorse the $695 million project until it resolves new doubts about its benefits.
The Triangle Transit Authority, which hopes to start running commuter trains in 2008, is counting on federal funding to cover 61 percent of the system's cost. Without that money, the project is dead.
Federal officials are not questioning how fast TTA trains will run or how many people will ride them. Instead, they are skeptical about how slow the alternatives would be.
Read the News & Observer story here
Time projections map here
Tuesday, January 11, 2005
Purchase feeds hope to MLK
The Portland Development commission (PDC), paid $1.75 million for this property in 2000. The PDC is funded by taking property tax money that would have gone to schools, police, fire and social services. Then they sell the property for $1.2 million.
The Portland Development commission (PDC), paid $1.75 million for this property in 2000. The PDC is funded by taking property tax money that would have gone to schools, police, fire and social services. Then they sell the property for $1.2 million.
Monday, January 10, 2005
Amtrak stuck in snow, buses to rescue
This weekend's blizzard in the Sierra Nevada caused one car of Amtrak's eastbound California Zephyr to derail in near Donner Pass. That train was able to detatch the derailed car and head back to Sacramento. But the derailed car blocked the westbound train, which terminated at Reno. Fortunately, Amtrak was able to move the 140 passengers on that train by bus to Sacramento and Oakland.
So much for trains being "all-weather transportation."
(After clicking on the link to the news story, go about half-way down the page to read about the train.)
So much for trains being "all-weather transportation."
(After clicking on the link to the news story, go about half-way down the page to read about the train.)
Big box approved for Cascade Station
Participants in the 2004 Preserving the American Dream conference will remember Cascade Station as the large, vacant parcel that planners had zoned for offices and small-box retail (i.e., stores no larger than 60,000 square feet -- about the size of a large supermarket). Despite being large enough to have two light-rail stations, and despite having taxpayer-funded infractrusture such as roads and parks, not a single store or other development had been built.
Now the Portland Planning Commission has approved a zoning change to allow for big-box retail (stores as large as 265,000 square feet -- about the size of a large Wal-Mart supercenter or Home Depot). The Portland City Council will make a final ruling on the issue on January 20, 2005.
The developers say they want "unique" stores so they can attract people from all over the region. Obviously, they hope to build a regional shopping mall, not just a town center. This mall will attract auto traffic from all over the region, as only a tiny portion of the region's residents live near a light-rail station and even fewer want to take public transit to the mall.
The rezoning encountered little resistence at the planning commission level: No one testified against it and only one commission member voted against it and he claimed he was only against the prescriptive zoning code, not the development itself. However, the city council may be a different story.
Now the Portland Planning Commission has approved a zoning change to allow for big-box retail (stores as large as 265,000 square feet -- about the size of a large Wal-Mart supercenter or Home Depot). The Portland City Council will make a final ruling on the issue on January 20, 2005.
The developers say they want "unique" stores so they can attract people from all over the region. Obviously, they hope to build a regional shopping mall, not just a town center. This mall will attract auto traffic from all over the region, as only a tiny portion of the region's residents live near a light-rail station and even fewer want to take public transit to the mall.
The rezoning encountered little resistence at the planning commission level: No one testified against it and only one commission member voted against it and he claimed he was only against the prescriptive zoning code, not the development itself. However, the city council may be a different story.
Sunday, January 09, 2005
Balking at Smart Growth in Massachusetts
Boston Globe article:
Little support for smart growth
School costs cited in housing plan
By Anthony Flint, Globe Staff
December 28, 2004
The state's latest strategy to build more affordable housing and limit sprawl is drawing little enthusiasm, including in Governor Mitt Romney's hometown of Belmont, according to a new report and a survey of town and city planners.
*********
Read the article here
Little support for smart growth
School costs cited in housing plan
By Anthony Flint, Globe Staff
December 28, 2004
The state's latest strategy to build more affordable housing and limit sprawl is drawing little enthusiasm, including in Governor Mitt Romney's hometown of Belmont, according to a new report and a survey of town and city planners.
*********
Read the article here
