Transect Based Planning

[Susan Horn]

I think a lot of us are working hard in the public and private sectors to help Walton County. Copied below is the content of an e-mail I just sent out yesterday afternoon to some folks I know, describing just one of the efforts I'm involved with (I'm not sure I can attach the news story though -- it's in today's Breeze-Herald and will be on their website next week I suppose).

I believe our Comp Plan is of enormous importance in determining the economic future of the county, and I believe applying a transect-based approach to planning will result in the greatest good for the greatest number of people. I intend to post information resources soon, for anyone wanting to learn more. For now, check www.mississippirenewal.com where you can see a 2-minute youtube about the Smart Code as it's being applied to rebuild the Mississippi Gulf Coast. And if you REALLY want to get into a lot of detail, read Retrofitting Suburbia by Ellen Dunham Jones (pretty technical but well researched; much of the information applies directly to our situation here). Here's the e-mail:

Good news: I'm attaching a story scanned from this week's DeFuniak Herald-Breeze, about the Planning Commission's unanimous recommendation that the BCC direct Planning Department staff to explore countywide transect-based planning.

Better news: so far, every voice I've heard -- from Planning Department staff, Planning Commissioners, citizens, environmentalists, architects, planners, developers, land use attorneys, and concerned citizens -- is that this is the direction we need to be going in. Applying this approach in Walton County will remediate many problems while creating the kinds of communities our citizens have repeatedly said they want, in various broad visioning processes over many years. The transect approach will protect agricultural and environmentally sensitive areas and improve the quality of life for people living and working in the built environment.

Even better news: the all-volunteer team who wrote the report that started all this (attached) are now creating an educational presentation that explains the basics of transect-based planning, or Smart Codes. Their presentation will be shown publicly in several locations throughout the county; it may also be available for viewing online, for those who cannot attend the public presentations.

Once dates and locations for the presentations are set, details will be publicized widely. I will certainly put this and related information on my Facebook page, and invite you all to check there often. If I can figure out how, I might even start a Facebook transect "cause" and invite you all to join!

I encourage you to investigate this for yourselves, and attend the public presentations. There, you will have the opportunity to ask questions and get answers directly from the authors of the plan. The experience, creativity, talent and skill of this group is enormous, inspiring and synergistic they deserve our thanks for their contribution to the future of Walton County.

Thanks very much for your time and interest.

Susan Horn
www.artisan-builds.com

[Here4Good]

Thanks for the post, Susan. I had never heard of transect-based planning, so I went to transect.org and read up on it, it sounds like a good approach. I like the concept of matching the land to proper use to protect both the land and to provide the best living on that land. I am not a huge fan of New Urbanism because it generally wants all of us to live in the same type of space, but this approach differentiates between high and low densities and recognizes that those different densities are appropriate.

It does not square, however, with our County Commission's stated opinion that private property owner rights transcend community needs and environmental concerns. They ignored the FLUM using this logic, and until they get on board with the concept of enforcing a plan, any plan will be ridden with variances to the point of having no meaning.

If you try to apply new rules to land purchased under old rules, our Commission believes that you are depriving the owner of the use of that land as he originally understood it. In addition, if they have already allowed a non-conforming use in the area, every property owner wants (and gets) that same non-conforming use.

[Susan Horn]

Here 4 Good,

I appreciate your comments. I don't have the expertise to address the property rights and nonconforming use question with any authority, but expert planners/architects who've been writing transect/smart codes for communities all over the country tell me that there are all sorts of ways to get past that problem. Please attend one of the presentations and I'm sure someone far more knowledgeable than me can provide better information.

As for your statement that New Urbanists want everyone to live in the same sort of place -- nothing could be further from the truth. While the NU's enormously popular and widely published compact/walkable/mixed use developments may seem in some way homogenous, they actually offer exponentially more internal, easily available variety than the monocultures of suburbs, strip malls, office parks, and megamalls (what Jim Kunstler calls the "geography of nowhere").

Monoculture does not exist in nature, which clearly favors diversity (see Janine Benyus' book Biomimicry for more fascinating info on that topic). New Urbanism is a form of biomimicry in that it looks to natural models for how to design and make manmade things (like buildings, towns, roads). The transect approach to planning was born of a moment when Andres Duany's brother Douglas (a landscape architect) showed him a natural transect (ocean to sandy beach to vegetation to forest), and that must have clicked in Andres' amazing mind that here's the way to plan for entire regions rather than simply towns and town centers.

But back to that monoculture problem: The whole point of what the New Urbanists have been doing for the last 3 decades is to restore diversity to the built environment, in terms of use, size, density, housing type, street size and configuration, mixes of public, private, commercial, and civic uses. Diversity is what makes these places interesting, and desirable to live in or visit, especially for the up and coming "digerati" and "creative class" demographic groups.

The addition of the transect to the NU's tool kit has expanded their ability to help plan appropriately for all types of spaces and how they relate to each other. The New Urbanists are always trying to find ways to plan the built environment to encourage diversity of residents, businesses, visitors, of their projects. It turns out that their approach is also extremely green, less expensive, and less infrastructre-intense than the above named monocultures or combination thereof.

Seaside (perhaps other NU developments as well, I just know Seaside best) is in a way victim of its own success -- it became so popular that the real estate values mushroomed far beyond anyone's wildest imaginings, meaning only the well to do can own or rent there. I believe the New Urbanists have continued to refine their approach to town and regional planning over the years to ecnourage economic/income, ethnic and age diversity; it was a member of Andres Duany's firm, after all, who designed the first (or was it first-prize winning?) Katrina Cottage. At this point, Andres' laser-like focus is turning sharply towards small, affordable housing (of course the need for good public transit also looms larger and larger). He's even looking at local food self sufficiency, though I don't know if he or any of the other New Urbanists have yet done a project incorporating both affordable housing and food self sufficiency; it would seem a simple matter to remix the Mississippi Gulf Coast plan to include the food part.

I hope I haven't rattled on too long. I have such a passion for the broad usefulness and beneficence of this method to plan human interaction with nature, the built environment, and each other, that I do tend to get carried away!

I'm wondering if at this point, this conversation (if others join and we continue) might be better to have its own thread, or perhaps tie into the Seaside Prize thread over in the Events section? Forgive me if my forum lingo isn't quite right. I'm right brained and details like that are often lost on me.

If someone wants to move this and knows how to do it, please go for it. I'm a bit of a Luddite

Hope to hear more thoughts on this very important issue. Now back to my paying job

Thanks for the post, Susan. I had never heard of transect-based planning, so I went to transect.org and read up on it, it sounds like a good approach. I like the concept of matching the land to proper use to protect both the land and to provide the best living on that land. I am not a huge fan of New Urbanism because it generally wants all of us to live in the same type of space, but this approach differentiates between high and low densities and recognizes that those different densities are appropriate.

It does not square, however, with our County Commission's stated opinion that private property owner rights transcend community needs and environmental concerns. They ignored the FLUM using this logic, and until they get on board with the concept of enforcing a plan, any plan will be ridden with variances to the point of having no meaning.

If you try to apply new rules to land purchased under old rules, our Commission believes that you are depriving the owner of the use of that land as he originally understood it. In addition, if they have already allowed a non-conforming use in the area, every property owner wants (and gets) that same non-conforming use.

[Chandra]

Thanks Susan. I've started a new thread and asked Kurt to move your comments over there. We'll see what happens -- Kurt can do anything.

[kurt]

Thanks y'all - welcome Susan!

[SHELLY]

Can you please boil all this down to a single, simple paragraph...I'm really having trouble reading around and through all the "urbanisms" and "monocultures" to figure out what your aim actually is. Thanx.

[Susan Horn]

[SHELLY]

So it's essentially subdivisions with shopping and schools centered around a factory....like Hershey, PA used to be---or pretty much what a large military base is like.

[Susan Horn]

But in answer to the request to give a short definition of the transect. I will need someone else to step in and help out with that. Brevity's not my strong suit.

You could spend some time googling around about it and get lots of visuals, short youtubes, etc. It's taken me 25 years of studious immersion to catch on -- but I'm a slow learner, LOL!

[SHELLY]

But in answer to the request to give a short definition of the transect. I will need someone else to step in and help out with that. Brevity's not my strong suit.

You could spend some time googling around about it and get lots of visuals, short youtubes, etc. It's taken me 25 years of studious immersion to catch on -- but I'm a slow learner, LOL!

Aside from my suggestions above, I envision Senior Living Villages (ala Century City; Del Webbs Sun City)--only with kids and schools and jobs.

.

[GoodWitch58]

I think I understand this concept...what is happening in Walton County government that is related to this?

[AAbsolute]

Where does large scale manufacturing fit in?

Have you seen what happens when real self sufficient communities are established? You'll find thousands of examples of energy efficient, pedestrian friendly, green communities from 3000 BC through 1800 AD. Should we change the Constitution at all to help each community self govern?

I know Andres Duany. Were you in the Rosemary Town Hall around the time of 9/11 when he preached, Don't worry about how much you paid for your property, there's someone out there who will pay more. That's not an exact quote, but it is very close and is 100% in line with the spirit of what he said. If someone was there and wants to chat with me about it we can do that.

Do New Urbanists use airports or interstates much? Which kibbutz would mine the raw materials we need to keep them up? Will every community have all that a citizen would want to buy or enjoy on a daily basis?

I'm optimistic, but I haven't seen many DPZ communities that didn't look themed (staged) when they were complete. I've seen people and local companies try to pull off this kind of community locally, away from high dollar natural resources and it doesn't seem like the public cares to get involved.

Welcome to Sowal.com

[FGRB]

Aabsolute:

The DPZ communities you've seen are probably all resorts. Resorts, even well-planned resort towns never look like "real" towns.

The idea is to use observation & scientific method to plan communities by intent the way they were built by custom through several thousand years of human civilization until about 1930.

If you are looking for "real" places using this concept, Montgomery, AL and Pike Road, AL (just east of Montgomery) have both recently adopted the SmartCode, a particular version of a transect-based code.

Transect-based planning doesn't and isn't intended to eliminate use of automobiles, just to make auto use a bit less necessary on a day-to day-basis. For instance: I live in Inlet Beach and ride my bike to work in Rosemary Beach, but I drive across Lake Powell to the grocery store. I probably use the Interstates as much as anybody.

Please note that some thing just don't fit into a transect continuum of neighborhoods, including large manufacturing plants, universities, large hospitals, airports, etc. These would be coded as special districts. One major advantage is that a transect code doesn't try to enforce a single set of rules across the entire range of community and development types.

[Susan Horn]

Thank you for the warm welcome and great questions. I wasn't at RB Town Hall on that occasion, but enjoyed Andres' talks this past weekend and learned a lot as always. Are you familiar with www.mississippirenewal.com?

Yes the projects tend to look staged, and in some way, they are. But the design concept is that the bones of the towns are solid and flexible enough so that over time, they will be loved enough to be real (like the Velveteen Rabbit, LOL). I don't think anyone expects any new development, New Urbanist or otherwise, to have patina and grit on day one -- that takes time, use, adjustments and adaptations.

Yes I've seen many examples of sustainable cultures from way back and even in more recent history (pre-automobile dominant). There are sustainable communities right now all over the planet, usually started by grassroots groups and/or utopian visionaries; William McDonough is designing entire regions for China that will be completely sustainable/green/closed loop/self sufficient. Findhorn and Gaviotas are two existing communities that come quickly to mind; I'd love to visit them both.

I think the challenge before us today is to return to that level of sustainability within the modern context, which includes airports, interstates, Peak Oil, global warming, and a dire need to transform agribusiness into a more localized small-farm way to supply food. Your questions about airports, manufacturing and interstates speak directly to this challenge; but I am not the expert who can provide those answers.

Please come to one of the presentations and speak up!

Where does large scale manufacturing fit in?

Have you seen what happens when real self sufficient communities are established? You'll find thousands of examples of energy efficient, pedestrian friendly, green communities from 3000 BC through 1800 AD. Should we change the Constitution at all to help each community self govern?

I know Andres Duany. Were you in the Rosemary Town Hall around the time of 9/11 when he preached, Don't worry about how much you paid for your property, there's someone out there who will pay more. That's not an exact quote, but it is very close and is 100% in line with the spirit of what he said. If someone was there and wants to chat with me about it we can do that.

Do New Urbanists use airports or interstates much? Which kibbutz would mine the raw materials we need to keep them up? Will every community have all that a citizen would want to buy or enjoy on a daily basis?

I'm optimistic, but I haven't seen many DPZ communities that didn't look themed (staged) when they were complete. I've seen people and local companies try to pull off this kind of community locally, away from high dollar natural resources and it doesn't seem like the public cares to get involved.

Welcome to Sowal.com

[beachmouse]

Where does large scale manufacturing fit in?

Where it's zoned to fit in. The original plan for Columbia, Maryland (which along with Mission Viejo, California counts as the big developmental ancestors of New Urbanism) called for a large industrial park. At one time GE had an appliance factory in the park. After it closed, the land was redeveloped as a large scale white collar office complex.

Columbia, Maryland - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mission Viejo, California - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I'm not a huge fan of the New Urbanism label because it always seems to indicate cutesy and fake, and doesn't seem to properly account for the idea of the necessity of some large scale development. (While I like the idea of being able to see a doctor in a small neighborhood office for general health issues, if I get cancer, I want to have treatment in the big honkin' megahospital because the megahospitals have a higher number of specialists and higher success and survival rates for procedures than the small town hospitals do) But I do like the concept of large scale planning in order to better enable people to work and shop near where they live. Life's too short to be spending an hour and a half commuting in your car every day.

[Andy A]

It has been years since I first became interested in community development and planning but this thread has been most interesting and a revelation to me.
Susan, I don't know your back round but you obviously have a strong interest in aesthetic community planning. Maybe you should be our Walton County Planning Director but I wouldn't wish that on anyone with what little I've seen here regarding long range planning. At any rate, welcome to SoWal. Your input on these issues is greatly appreciated.

[Susan Horn]

Andy A. -- Thanks for the kind words. I'm enjoying this conversation and so glad to see the level of interest here.

It has been years since I first became interested in community development and planning but this thread has been most interesting and a revelation to me.
Susan, I don't know your back round but you obviously have a strong interest in aesthetic community planning. Maybe you should be our Walton County Planning Director but I wouldn't wish that on anyone with what little I've seen here regarding long range planning. At any rate, welcome to SoWal. Your input on these issues is greatly appreciated.

[scooterbug44]

New Urbanism isn't just about designing cute little houses in resort towns. The ideas of building an interactive community, dimishing dependence on a car, and bringing things to a human scale work in a wide variety of situations and locations.

I've worked on New Urbanism projects to revitalize poor areas in major cities, to provide affordable housing, to incorporate ancient ruins into a living part of a city instead of a crumbling waste of space, to expand a small university, to design a worship facility for an inner city church, you name it.

[SWGB]

There's always the Cisco park. Baseball, shopping, restaurants, and an elementary school.

Cisco Field - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[SHELLY]

The biggest obstacle to the "Transect-Based New Urbanist" trend is going to be changing the mindset of the folks who can afford to buy into these contrived urban developments--most are into "no thru street, cul-du-sac, gated communities." In a place where folks are anal-retentive about their zipcode, I think you've got a hardsell on your hands.

.

[Susan Horn]

For anyone interested in learning more between now and the local presentation -- these websites are loaded with articles, photos, illustrations, links to information about places already using this approach, and free Smart Code downloads. I just persued the 55-page .pdf about Pass Christian, Mississippi's plan (I found it on the Smart Code Central site). Very informative, lots of good illustrations.

http://www.smartcodecomplete.com/index.html

http://smartcodecentral.com/index.html

http://www.transect.org/

[Sandy Sorlien]

Hello Susan,

Thanks for visiting transect.org and discussing these important ideas. Even though I don't live in your county I hope it's OK if I jump in and help with a few questions. There is a Facebook Cause with the following brief explanation of what transect-based planning entails. (The video you posted is very misleading. The initial shots could actually be a walkable T-3 Sub-Urban Zone, a perfectly good human habitat, if it is adjacent to more mixed-use areas (higher Transect Zones) so people can choose to walk to useful destinations and activities. Here's what's on the Facebook Cause page:

Stop Sprawl and Protect Neighborhoods with Transect-based Planning

We promote understanding of the built environment as part of the natural environment, through the planning methodology of the rural-to-urban transect.

***

Auto-dependent sprawl has been exacerbated by single-use zoning, which separates Residential areas from Office and Retail.

In transect-based planning, these single-use zones are replaced by diverse habitat zones called Transect Zones.

A transect is a path or cut through the environment, used for sampling and organizing habitat elements. We sample streets, buildings, and plantings.

This provides the DNA for new transect-based plans and codes that protect and create compact, walkable neighborhoods while preserving open lands.

Visit the Center for Applied Transect Studies at Center for Applied Transect Studies for open source planning tools and education for your community and region.

Hope this helps!
Cheers,
Sandy Sorlien
Director of Technical Research
Center for Applied Transect Studies
Miami, FL and Philadelphia, PA

[SWGB]

Sandy, feel free to post and give us more information.

[Susan Horn]

2 pages on transect and comprehensive environmental management
http://www.smartcodecomplete.com/documents/article_MiltRhodes.pdf

2 pages on transect as it relates to agriculture at varying scales. From what I’ve heard at recent Planning Commission meetings about the proposed FLUE (Future Land Use Element of Comp Plan) amendment, there is strong and very valid concern in the agricultural areas of Walton County about protecting farms and farmers from incursion, especially by residential development, and the inevitable complaints about spraying, dust, noise, farm odors, night harvesting, etc.
http://www.placemakers.com/library/AgriculturalTransect.pdf

[citeright]

This concept is exactly what the county needs to address the critics of the land development code and comp plan. The benefits of this style of zoning allows uses to go in place as long as the design of the project meets the transect criteria. This allows many different kinds of projects to be installed as long as parking and building styles are observed. We need more thinking peolpe involved in the county system. Keep up the good work and the discussion.

[SHELLY]

New Urbanism isn't just about designing cute little houses in resort towns. The ideas of building an interactive community, dimishing dependence on a car, and bringing things to a human scale work in a wide variety of situations and locations.

I've worked on New Urbanism projects to revitalize poor areas in major cities, to provide affordable housing, to incorporate ancient ruins into a living part of a city instead of a crumbling waste of space, to expand a small university, to design a worship facility for an inner city church, you name it.

To make this concept work, doesn't there have to be some kind of major salary-generating corporation to serve as the central hub of such a place? One cannot center a major "urbanist" community (that includes schools and such) around a Mayberryesque town center whose main revenue sources are a candle shop, a coffee bar, a deli and a bookstore.

Everyone is singing the praises of the new airport--so who would be the first to move their family into a community that is within biking/walking distance to their job as Passenger Wanding Superintendent?
.

[Chandra]

The biggest obstacle to the "Transect-Based New Urbanist" trend is going to be changing the mindset of the folks who can afford to buy into these contrived urban developments--most are into "no thru street, cul-du-sac, gated communities." In a place where folks are anal-retentive about their zipcode, I think you've got a hardsell on your hands.

.

Contrived is probably an accurate description, meaning that New Urbanist towns are deliberately created instead of spontaneously created.

As far as a hard sell goes, I believe we may be surprised to discover some and maybe many folks want something other than what leads to more sprawl.

Certainly, gated communities and cul-du-secs will not vanish from the built landscape and most definitely, there will still be a place for people who wish to live in that type of community. I see transect planning as common sense or the natural evolution of the built environment we experience. It's a contrived way of arranging people on the landscape that has the ability to bring us closer to living more sustainably.

[SHELLY]

It's a contrived way of arranging people on the landscape that has the ability to bring us closer to living more sustainably.

What do you envision to be the economic engine that is going to provide the salaries for people to live in these contrived communities?

I've just got to ask--is the ultimate goal a sales pitch to the county to provide some sort of funding for consultation on "New Urbanist" planning? Or is the goal just to put new zoning in place to accommodate this plan for the future with no cost to the taxpayer.

Funding marketers, visionaries, architects and consultants to generate story boards, draw plans, and build "gee-whiz" models of these "Transect-Based New Urbanist" towns before there is a sustainable industry to support the folks who are to populate the towns is, in my opinion, putting the cart before the horse and not the best use of taxpayer money at this juncture.

[AAbsolute]

I'm with Shellster on that. So long as the full agenda is out and there's no money trail I'm very pro smart development. I've been to many charette's, but none that weren't sponsored by a salesperson.

The big question to be answered is: How are property rights for existing and proposed non-conforming uses going to be dealt with? Will the variance dilute the thesis?

[GoodWitch58]

You know, it's kinda funny, long ago when I was growing up...DeFuniak Springs was such a place. There was a town center which had wonderful little shops, a bank, grocery story, hardware store, doctors office and hospital...there was a library and a school, restuarants and (before I was growing up) a grand hotel and a few smaller hotels...there was even a train and train station that worked.
There were houses and a few apts...and all of this was within walking distance!

Then, came interstate highways and shopping malls/strip malls...

interesting how things that used to be, are now being reinvented and called new.

I would love to see small towns like DeFuniak come back--and more towns like that built...I hope this movement has a positive effect on Walton County...and like Shelly I'd like to see the Economic Development section of the plan included.

[Chandra]

What do you envision to be the economic engine that is going to provide the salaries for people to live in these contrived communities?

I don't have the answer to that, but I believe this county has a lot of potential and my understanding is that transect based planning will encourage and provide support for economic development.

I've just got to ask--is the ultimate goal a sales pitch to the county to provide some sort of funding for consultation on "New Urbanist" planning? Or is the goal just to put new zoning in place to accommodate this plan for the future with no cost to the taxpayer.

Again, I don't know the answer to that either. What I do know is that the county is in the process of amending the EAR and a group of concerned citizens have gathered together voluntarily to offer comments and suggestions to the Planning Department about incorporating transect based planning into the Comp. Plan and Land Development Code. The goal was to take this opportunity of down time to plan for the future growth of Walton County. Implementing a transect based plan could be done over a period of time. I have to ask, when would you suggest that the Planning Department begin planning for the future?

Funding marketers, visionaries, architects and consultants to generate story boards, draw plans, and build "gee-whiz" models of these "Transect-Based New Urbanist" towns before there is a sustainable industry to support the folks who are to populate the towns is, in my opinion, putting the cart before the horse and not the best use of taxpayer money at this juncture.

I see it as sort of a chicken and egg thing. Without the infrastructure in place to support public transit, work force housing, and daily needs, why would any industry locate here?

[Beach Runner]

If you are looking for "real" places using this concept, Montgomery, AL and Pike Road, AL (just east of Montgomery) have both recently adopted the SmartCode, a particular version of a transect-based code.

What's the plan for Pike Road? All I see happening there lately are a CVS at the corner of Pike and Vaughn, a strip mall just behind it on Vaughn, a road widening at that intersection, and several ranches being turned into subdivisions (essentially large cul-de-sacs).

And the deterioration of Urban Grace.

Oh, and a new windsock at Bartlett International Airport.

[kurt]

You know, it's kinda funny, long ago when I was growing up...DeFuniak Springs was such a place. There was a town center which had wonderful little shops, a bank, grocery story, hardware store, doctors office and hospital...there was a library and a school, restuarants and (before I was growing up) a grand hotel and a few smaller hotels...there was even a train and train station that worked.
There were houses and a few apts...and all of this was within walking distance!

Then, came interstate highways and shopping malls/strip malls...

interesting how things that used to be, are now being reinvented and called new.

I would love to see small towns like DeFuniak come back--and more towns like that built...I hope this movement has a positive effect on Walton County...and like Shelly I'd like to see the Economic Development section of the plan included.

Very good observations. New urbanists will sometimes say that what they do is really "old urbanism", albeit for modern times. The old small towns have mostly disappeared due to population growth and shifts, but they are still out there, and new ones are being created.

I don't know if the term "new urbanism" can live on because of the association with places like Seaside, but the consepts are true. The recent model of sprawl and consumption can not continue, and population will continue to rise while resources dwindle. There are no easy answers, but there is plenty of good work being done out there by very knowledgeable people.

[Sandy Sorlien]

2 pages on transect and comprehensive environmental management
http://www.smartcodecomplete.com/documents/article_MiltRhodes.pdf

2 pages on transect as it relates to agriculture at varying scales. From what I’ve heard at recent Planning Commission meetings about the proposed FLUE (Future Land Use Element of Comp Plan) amendment, there is strong and very valid concern in the agricultural areas of Walton County about protecting farms and farmers from incursion, especially by residential development, and the inevitable complaints about spraying, dust, noise, farm odors, night harvesting, etc.
http://www.placemakers.com/library/AgriculturalTransect.pdf

Hi Susan,

The second link in your post goes to an out of date table - it's from 2003. For the latest initiatives on Agriculture see these two links:

Center for Applied Transect Studies (scroll down to bottom preview of ongoing work- enlarge the image and note agriculture sprinkled throughout the community, its form dependent on the character of the Transect Zone)

and here

SmartCode Central (The Module package includes a page called Food Production with a basic correlation to the transect.)

Also, just to respond quickly to a few other comments on the forum, this kind of planning isn't just for new communities. At least half of the projects done by new urbanists are infill. Many of the codes they write are protective of existing character, whether it is rural character or urban character or walkable sub-urban. (We use that hyphen to distinguish between suburban sprawl patterns and a sub-urban but walkable area that is close to mixed use.)

Regarding employment, yes, access to employment is critical. You might want to look at a regional sector plan where a Toyota plant landed in 80 sq miles of ag land in an annexed area of San Antonio. The map shows 48 Community Units to accommodate all the projected growth in that area so it didn't end up as sprawl, gobbling up all the ag land. The communities are located along existing roads and rail lines for the most part. Look for San Antonio City South here:

Center for Applied Transect Studies

There are other Sector plans on that page. Good luck with your efforts! It's a beautiful area- a cousin of mine retired to a pecan farm near DeFuniak Springs.

Cheers,
Sandy

PS The things that are "new" about new urbanism include accommodating the car without destroying the pedestrian public space (not an easy task) and adapting the new zoning codes to energy-efficient technologies, light imprint infrastructure, and more.

[Susan Horn]

Sandy,

Thanks for bringing out the newer information. There's so much out there, it's hard to keep up, especially when one is doing all this in one's "spare time" (that would be Yours Truly). But I'm not complaining. I love it that there is so much information about this at our fingertips, just for the googling.

[ASH]

Perhaps I need to do more homework to better understand all the intents of New urban design and its relationship to Transect Based Planning or perhaps it is because of what I have seen in this particular area. I cannot help but feel that these concepts target a wealthy, second home or vacation neighborhood versus common people primary residence.

Shelly, could this be where you are going with your questions about where will the people inhabiting these communities get their income. I sense that people cannot afford to live in these communities until their income is well into 6 figures and this isn't the mean income of most families. You're not going to make six figures selling candles or ice-cream.

I think my Wife and I might enjoy living in one of these communities, but I'd need to know it actually wasn't just a vacation destination, because a continued party atmosphere would get old. I'd want to know there will be many quiet evenings to sit out on the porch and enjoy the weather or to go for a stroll.

[SHELLY]

Shelly, could this be where you are going with your questions about where will the people inhabiting these communities get their income. I sense that people cannot afford to live in these communities until their income is well into 6 figures and this isn't the mean income of most families. You're not going to make six figures selling candles or ice-cream.

I think my Wife and I might enjoy living in one of these communities, but I'd need to know it actually wasn't just a vacation destination, because a continued party atmosphere would get old. I'd want to know there will be many quiet evenings to sit out on the porch and enjoy the weather or to go for a stroll.

I'm just trying to nail down the aims of this latest "New Urbanist" movement.

I believe the volunteer group's heart is in the right place--they're trying to establish a working-living town, with a town center, schools and jobs--a place where the teachers and shopkeepers can afford to buy a home and raise their kids, as well as the doctor, lawyer and injun chief (in larger homes with GCT & SSA of course)...and none have to drive a car to shop, work or play if they don't want to.

Sadly, what begins as a dream of average folks--with the backing of larger groups who like to use lots of mumbo-jumbo verbiage in describing their "vision"--turns into a sales pitch to counties to extract taxpayer dollars. The money goes to pay out-of-work architects and "consultants" to produce whiz-bang presentations of toon-town villages whose only means of revenue generation is (a) some pie-in-the-sky dream of a major industry relocating to the panhandle of Florida; or (b) the very same bunch of rich people that every other Toon-Town visionary is pulling out of their arses.

There appears to be an entire industry whose purpose is to provide workshops, books, training and consulting services for "Urbanism" and "Placemaking," and pitching these concepts to cities and towns across the US. Although I believe in theory their concepts are sound, in practice and especially in light of the new global economy, they are merely a revenue generator for the "Ism-industry."

The county already has more than its share of "contrived" communities, with faux downtowns and villages. Instead of thowing time and money away developing and producing a stack of brand new zoning regulations that will end up gathering dust on the shelf waiting for Microsoft to relocate to the coastal area of Florida --the money and time could be better used to fix the problems that we've got NOW.

Until the people who are pitching this dream can express their aim in a single sentence or two--AND in simple words so that the average person can grasp the concept and relative successful outcome of such a plan--I'll remain skeptical.

[Chandra]

Shelly, I can appreciate your skepticism. Perhaps there is a way for Walton County to plan for future growth (or prolonged contraction) of rural areas and towns where people can afford to live and have easy access to jobs, schools, etc., without using taxpayer money to pay out-of-work architects and consultants, while simultaneously creating diverse local economies.

I would like to extend an invitation to you and the lurkers of this thread, who have great ideas and problem solving skills, to please come out and get involved in any number of community organizations or grass roots efforts underway to create this place we dream of. There probably won’t be a Toyota, a Microsoft, or any other mega-employer moving to the Gulf Coast. We simply have to change the way we live and the sooner we get on with it, the better life will be.

[SHELLY]

I would like to extend an invitation to you and the lurkers of this thread, who have great ideas and problem solving skills, to please come out and get involved in any number of community organizations or grass roots efforts underway to create this place we dream of.

...what if the place that you dream of isn't the place that I dream of?

.

[Chandra]

...what if the place that you dream of isn't the place that I dream of?

.

Well, I see that once again my idealistic self went posting on SoWal, without consulting my realistic self. Thanks for pointing that out because you're question is of course valid. I'm reminded that not everyone dreams of living in or near a place that offers a diverse economy, easily accessible live/ work options, community, and access to preserved or agricultural land. Fair enough.

Going back to the idea of implementing a transect based plan in Walton County, without all the mumbo-jumbo industry speak. A transect based plan is simply a way to reduce compatability issues and plan for future growth by putting in place the structure to allow a region to grow organically in a way that will reduce sprawl and preserve green spaces and farm land among other things listed previously by other posters. It doesn't mean that everyone lives in a "contrived" toon town. The county doesn't even have to spend any more time or money than they are already allotted for amending the Comprehensive Plan and the Land Use Development Code. No need to reinvent the wheel. There are plenty of examples of these plans out there, just pick one and implement.

[scooterbug44]

You know, it's kinda funny, long ago when I was growing up...DeFuniak Springs was such a place. There was a town center which had wonderful little shops, a bank, grocery story, hardware store, doctors office and hospital...there was a library and a school, restuarants and (before I was growing up) a grand hotel and a few smaller hotels...there was even a train and train station that worked.
There were houses and a few apts...and all of this was within walking distance!

Then, came interstate highways and shopping malls/strip malls...

interesting how things that used to be, are now being reinvented and called new.

I would love to see small towns like DeFuniak come back--and more towns like that built...I hope this movement has a positive effect on Walton County...and like Shelly I'd like to see the Economic Development section of the plan included.

A large part of smart planning is reversing the decisions of gov't planners - who made major roads one-way to facilitate the fleeing to the suburbs from the cities at 5:01 pm, bulldozed amazing buildings for parking lots, and gave tax credits to sprawl big box stores while they didn't fix the potholes on main street.

[florida girl]

The problem I see with this idea is that it generally isn't handicapped friendly. DeFuniak was mentioned; yes easy to get anywhere by car, or by golf cart! You could drive up to the front door, walk 5 steps, and you're in the building! Those who couldn't see well enough could drive a golf cart anywhere. Handicapped, senior citizen, mom with babies, friendly! Seaside is not so friendly, if you have difficulty walking, you're stuck, much less with a baby with lots of stuff to carry. It seems that they have utilized every square inch of land for turning a dollar. Remember the parking lot they used to have? Using the county easement for parking is just cheap.
Then, the issue of finding the businesses to fill the slots of the plan. Takes away independent choice of what the individual wants to do with their life and property. Too much government control over private citizens. Economy is bad enough without some authority telling citizens what kind of business they can have and where!

[scooterbug44]

New Urbanism houses are not any less handicapped friendly than other residences and any commercial use must comply with ADA. The communities are designed using distances an average person can comfortably walk to get places. Don't confuse lazy w/ unwalkable. Many people who live in cities walk much further than that every day while toting their groceries, kids etc.

People who complain about 5 steps to get into a house are S.O.L. since those 5 steps lead to a 2 or 3 story house.

[florida girl]

New Urbanism houses are not any less handicapped friendly than other residences and any commercial use must comply with ADA. The communities are designed using distances an average person can comfortably walk to get places. Don't confuse lazy w/ unwalkable. Many people who live in cities walk much further than that every day while toting their groceries, kids etc.

People who complain about 5 steps to get into a house are S.O.L. since those 5 steps lead to a 2 or 3 story house.

I wasn't comparing with a city, or a multiple story house.

[scooterbug44]

Alrighty then - you have to climb several steps to get into most trailers too!

[florida girl]

You know, after taking care of an elderly family member for years, stairs weren't friendly either. A couple of steps with a guard rail were about all they could do. I did know someone who had to sit down and slide up the steps! The counsel on aging built a ramp to assist.

[SWGB]

The problem I see with this idea is that it generally isn't handicapped friendly. DeFuniak was mentioned; yes easy to get anywhere by car, or by golf cart! You could drive up to the front door, walk 5 steps, and you're in the building! Those who couldn't see well enough could drive a golf cart anywhere. Handicapped, senior citizen, mom with babies, friendly! Seaside is not so friendly, if you have difficulty walking, you're stuck, much less with a baby with lots of stuff to carry. It seems that they have utilized every square inch of land for turning a dollar. Remember the parking lot they used to have? Using the county easement for parking is just cheap.
Then, the issue of finding the businesses to fill the slots of the plan. Takes away independent choice of what the individual wants to do with their life and property. Too much government control over private citizens. Economy is bad enough without some authority telling citizens what kind of business they can have and where!

I've seen numerous handicapped parking spots in Seaside and every commercial building has at least a ramp. Care to point out some examples?

As for being stuck with a baby have you been to Seaside in the last 10 years? I would say it probably has the most visitors with babies in almost all of South Walton. In fact I have never come close to running over a stroller with a baby in it outside of Seaside.

[SHELLY]

In fact I have never come close to running over a stroller with a baby in it outside of Seaside.

...how many baby strollers have you run over in Seaside?

.

[GoodWitch58]

A large part of smart planning is reversing the decisions of gov't planners - who made major roads one-way to facilitate the fleeing to the suburbs from the cities at 5:01 pm, bulldozed amazing buildings for parking lots, and gave tax credits to sprawl big box stores while they didn't fix the potholes on main street.

Yes, and if this group can work with Walton County government to affect some of these kinds of reversals around here, it would be great.
I was dismayed when the historical building was bulldozed up in DeFuniak to make a parking lot....an example of the mind set that has allowed concrete and asphalt to take over our towns and fields.

The other day, as I drove down Nursery Road past the property that Mrs. Kellogg donated to the County for a nature preserve, I was dismayed to see that one of the first things to be done is: to pave a parking lot!

And yet, less than a half mile away Chat Holley road is a disgrace because no pot holes are filled, no white lines painted...the paving which needs to be done on the road, is done, instead, on a nature preserve!

I lived for many years in Tallahassee and one of the things I love most about that city are the trees--and the tree ordinance that preserves them. I spent many years at the Tallahassee (Junior) Museum with my son and his friends...and there were no paved parking lots...it was a nature preserve and the parking areas were natural....

In order to achieve some of the sense of community that the " new urbanism" promotes, leaders and citizens must have a mindset change...that is what I see missing here as it is in many places across our country.

DeFuniak has the potential to be a beautiful little town...it has all the community things that New Urbanism promotes. Yet, the leaders in the town and county have done little to revive those things that made it a good town to live and grow up in. Even when the basic plan is still there...

and, as someone pointed out in another post, the "powers that be" decide to plant Palm Trees in DeFuniak...and oak trees in Seaside! Maybe the oak trees add to Seaside, I have not seen them yet; but, the Palm Trees do not add anything to DeFuniak IMO. What's wrong with oak, dogwood, magnolia....

We had one of the most beautiful beaches/coastlines in the world here in South Walton, yet the planning and zoning that was allowed to run amok has allowed it to become less than it might have been....and the unintended consequences are abandoned neighborhoods with half finished buildings and empty strip mall stores and and office buildings.

And, for all the visioning that has gone on in the last 10 years, as Shelly says above, there seems to be little actually getting done that follows the so-called vision....

I hope this latest effort makes a difference so that my grandchildren can enjoy living in a place that offers a sense of community, a viable economic structure, and the recreational aspects that make for a balanced life.

[AAbsolute]

This way of life is what Osama Bin Laden has been preaching for years. Maybe we Americans really are infidels of nature after all.