Posts about Planning
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Who should pay to keep DC’s rivers clean?
DC's multi-billion dollar project is cleaning up local waterways, but also costing some nonprofit landowners like cemeteries and churches hundreds of thousands of dollars a year that they cannot always afford. Keep reading…
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The National Zoo’s proposed fences and checkpoints are “security theater”
The Smithsonian has plans to install security checkpoints at the National Zoo and reduce the number of pedestrian entrances from 13 to three. Adding more barriers will cut the Zoo off from the rest of the park and community. It shouldn't add more security simply because other Smithsonian buildings have done so. Keep reading…
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Downtown DC could have had trenches and tunnels running through it
Poking through the archives of the Washington Post, Tom Cochran at Ghosts of DC found a plan to sink several roads in downtown DC into trenches, build tunnels, and create a large underground parking structure beneath a big plaza where Freedom Plaza now stands. Keep reading…
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Let’s make Opportunity Zones a real opportunity for our vulnerable communities
Up to 6 trillion dollars could soon flow into low-income communities across the country through a new addition to the tax code called “Opportunity Zones.” Will entrepreneurs, nonprofits and other community members in these zones benefit, or will this be a tax break that drives unequal competition and displacement? Keep reading…
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Residents want to see a grocery store and market-rate homes at Deanwood Metro
The commuter parking lot at the Deanwood Metro station could become a new joint development with housing and retail. WMATA held a public hearing on June 20 to get feedback on its proposal to develop the 1.6-acre site. Keep reading…
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DC’s historic preservation process is too easy to abuse
Recent contentious historic preservation cases have shown DC’s system can be abused by neighbors who simply want another tool to halt change in their neighborhood. Part of the problem is that the very process used to designate a site does not legally incorporate the views of the surrounding community. Keep reading…
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We correctly described Marc Elrich’s wrong-headed, non-progressive Montgomery County land use ideas
Marc Elrich, a candidate for Montgomery County Executive, has been saying Greater Greater Washington took his words out of context in an opinion article, “Why Marc Elrich is not the right choice for Montgomery County Executive.” We did not misrepresent him, and stand by our reporting. Keep reading…
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DC sets new goals to be sustainable
In 2012, DC released its Sustainable DC plan, with ambitious goals for sustainability in energy, trash, transportation, and much more. Now, officials are updating it, and they have a new set of goals for you to look at. What do you think? Keep reading…
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Environmentalists and development: a complex relationship in a hyperbolic election season
In election races in DC, Maryland, and Virginia, candidates are claiming they “support the environment” or “are for smart growth.” Some of those candidates also seem to be against most development while others are more supportive. It’s hard to make sense of all this. What’s the green view of growth? Keep reading…
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This is what Arlington residents think about their county
Arlington residents of all ages are concerned about housing costs. Many like new urban amenities and denser development but are worried about displacing lower-income neighbors. Others point to the county's affluence and pockets of racially homogenous communities and wonder what that says about their progressive values. Keep reading…