Posts about Planning
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DC designated 3,000 properties as historic in the last 5 years, and more are coming
With 11 new historic districts in the last five years, the percentage of the city’s buildings designated historic is growing rapidly. Based on targeted and interested new neighborhoods, that growth doesn’t look to be slowing down any time soon. Keep reading…
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Events: Be carefree by being car-free
Drop your keys and go car-free for a day, show off your city planning knowledge at the APA trivia night, check out new Metro-related apps and data visualizations, volunteer to clean up Anacostia Park, and more in this week's events! Keep reading…
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Alexandria is already often waterlogged. How will it adjust to climate change?
Alexandria built its waterfront at a low elevation. That's become a real problem in recent years, and now the city is trying to figure out how to preserve its history and also adapt to a future with much more rain and flooding. Keep reading…
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The Adams Morgan ANC moves to block new apartments, while styling itself as “an inclusive community”
Plans for a surprisingly contentious mid-rise apartment building near Meridian Hill Park on 16th Street NW hit yet another snag last week, as local Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners voted unanimously in support of downzoning the site. That could mean even fewer homes in a neighborhood — and city — starved for places to live. Keep reading…
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Where are DC’s affordable homes being built? Hint: Not in wealthy neighborhoods
The District has made substantial investments in affordable housing in recent years, though levels are still far short of what is needed. Where have those investments gone? And which income levels are being served? DCFPI’s new interactive map lets you explore affordable housing that has been newly created or preserved since 2015. Keep reading…
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Montgomery County says no new homes in Silver Spring because the schools are full
For decades, school planners assumed that families would move out to the suburbs once they had kids, and made projections for where and how to build new schools based on that. But as that trend begins to shift, Montgomery County is finding school enrollment harder to predict, which creates new challenges in and out of the classroom. Keep reading…
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Clean, safe, and accessible public restrooms make cities livable
Why should urbanists engage in “potty talk”? Because having ready access to clean, safe public restrooms is not only a vital part of personal and public health, but is also key to fostering livability in cities. Unfortunately, DC doesn't have enough places for people to go, and the restrooms that are available can be hard to find. Keep reading…
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As Reston grows, neighbors want more control to say no
Reston's neighborhood association is asking Fairfax County to give it more control over future growth, as residents try to figure out how to absorb new neighbors without losing community ties. In an area that prides itself on being inclusive, a contentious planning process has revealed some big tensions over increasing density. Keep reading…
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Gentrification in DC is not just a black and white issue
Most conventional debates over gentrification in DC position the process as one that replaces long-time black residents with newer, wealthier white residents. Given the context, this framing makes sense: DC has a well-established black middle class and a wealth of black history. However, the reality is a bit more complex — and diverse. Keep reading…
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Ask GGWash: How can I get more plugged in to urban planning locally?
I'm a DC resident who has recently become interested in a career in urban planning. As I've begun researching grad schools, I've realized I need to become more plugged in to community dialogues that relate to urban planning. To that effect, your site has been an extremely valuable resource for me. Can you recommend ways for me to become more plugged in? Keep reading…