• Compact development cuts water runoff

    Compact development is the best for protecting watersheds because it reduces per capita runoff, according to this graph from the Crabtree Group. Most stormwater narratives state that density is bad because the increased runoff is only considered on a per-acre basis instead of both per-acre and per-...Read more

  • Naturally terminated vista

    Little in this world is more powerful and satisfying to humans than a well-designed human habitat juxtaposed against nature.
    Little in this world is more powerful and satisfying to humans than a well-designed human habitat juxtaposed against nature. The photo of the center of Banff, Alberta, Canada, shows Banff Avenue, with Snow Peak in the distance. The mountain town was laid out with Rocky Mountain peaks terminating...Read more

  • Millennial 'downshifters'

    The movement of millennials toward major city centers has been well reported—but many are locating in smaller, second- and third-tier cities, as noted by Gizmodo . The reason is economics. As the graph shows, some major cities have an affordability gap relative to the earnings of the "typical...Read more

  • This area protected

    Form-based codes are for cities and they provide little benefit for rural and open areas? Wrong. One of the advantages of form-coding is that it brings uses and activities together—as opposed to separating them—and the result is compact development that saves land and energy. This helps to preserve...Read more