January 16, 2022
In America…
Our wise land use will take your breath away.
On some level, most of us are land use experts whether we know it or not. If we look around ⏤ at our streets, our neighborhoods, our towns, cities and states ⏤ we can feel it in our bones whether a place is well laid out, well thought out.
Does this place make sense? Does it feel good? Does it inspire? Is it functional? Is it beautiful? Was it designed with care? Does it allow opportunity for meaningful connection? Does the soil have room to breathe and soak up rain or is it smothered with buildings, asphalt, concrete? Do we want to linger? Or not.
Each one of us has the ability to answer these questions and the power to influence the land use in our midst. Hone your skills. As you roll down the highway, through our towns and down our streets, keep noticing and asking questions. Notice the places that feel good and the ones that do not. What specifics can you point to as the potential cause? Read books and articles about land planning. Study cities and villages in other countries. Tune in to municipal zoning meetings. Speak up at those meetings. Demand more, demand better, demand thoughtfulness and care because we are all so affected by the built and natural environment.
Every place in the United States has the potential to be a stunning example of wise land use ⏤ to feel so good, so right, it takes your breath away. To fill us with pride about our great country. It is up to us to notice, to care enough, to step into our power…to make it so.
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