More MOCO Upzoning - Starting in Silver Spring

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to Reston Town Center for the first time this week and was amazed at how it was such a large and successful model of walkable urbanism. It made every walkable urban development in Montgomery County look pathetic by comparison. It also featured a few things that Moco Planning seems to hate. First is freeway access. Second was thousands of free parking spaces. Third was employers.

Bethesda and Silver Spring has these, plus transit. How does Reston do with bike connections?

Maybe transit isn’t worth as much to make a community thrive as you think.

Sure there's like Kentlands, for example. It just allows a place to serve more purposes, like there are more ways to get to/from there for work, etc...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to Reston Town Center for the first time this week and was amazed at how it was such a large and successful model of walkable urbanism. It made every walkable urban development in Montgomery County look pathetic by comparison. It also featured a few things that Moco Planning seems to hate. First is freeway access. Second was thousands of free parking spaces. Third was employers.

Bethesda and Silver Spring has these, plus transit. How does Reston do with bike connections?

Neither downtown Bethesda nor downtown Silver Spring have direct freeway access.

In addition, the one thing that struck me was how these planners in Moco didn’t seem to study in college because otherwise they would have heard about central place theory. Instead of promoting all of these multitude of “activity centers” they should just focus on one or two. Because otherwise none of them reach scale to be successful.

Oh you want like a truck stop on a highway exit, not just like driving 2 miles to the highway. Too far to walk, sure, but you're not walking to the highway. Anyway, there's lots of different ways of doing this. Propose to put a highway down to central Bethesda and see how that goes....

I looked up the Wikipedia for central place theory and there was a picture of Tokyo so maybe there's something to this...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to Reston Town Center for the first time this week and was amazed at how it was such a large and successful model of walkable urbanism. It made every walkable urban development in Montgomery County look pathetic by comparison. It also featured a few things that Moco Planning seems to hate. First is freeway access. Second was thousands of free parking spaces. Third was employers.

Bethesda and Silver Spring has these, plus transit. How does Reston do with bike connections?

Neither downtown Bethesda nor downtown Silver Spring have direct freeway access.

In addition, the one thing that struck me was how these planners in Moco didn’t seem to study in college because otherwise they would have heard about central place theory. Instead of promoting all of these multitude of “activity centers” they should just focus on one or two. Because otherwise none of them reach scale to be successful.

DCUM: those twerp planners don't live in the real world
Also DCUM: why don't planners use a hundred-year-old theory

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to Reston Town Center for the first time this week and was amazed at how it was such a large and successful model of walkable urbanism. It made every walkable urban development in Montgomery County look pathetic by comparison. It also featured a few things that Moco Planning seems to hate. First is freeway access. Second was thousands of free parking spaces. Third was employers.

Bethesda and Silver Spring has these, plus transit. How does Reston do with bike connections?

Neither downtown Bethesda nor downtown Silver Spring have direct freeway access.

In addition, the one thing that struck me was how these planners in Moco didn’t seem to study in college because otherwise they would have heard about central place theory. Instead of promoting all of these multitude of “activity centers” they should just focus on one or two. Because otherwise none of them reach scale to be successful.

DCUM: those twerp planners don't live in the real world
Also DCUM: why don't planners use a hundred-year-old theory

What’s the shelf life of a theory? They expire like eggs?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to Reston Town Center for the first time this week and was amazed at how it was such a large and successful model of walkable urbanism. It made every walkable urban development in Montgomery County look pathetic by comparison. It also featured a few things that Moco Planning seems to hate. First is freeway access. Second was thousands of free parking spaces. Third was employers.

Bethesda and Silver Spring has these, plus transit. How does Reston do with bike connections?

Neither downtown Bethesda nor downtown Silver Spring have direct freeway access.

In addition, the one thing that struck me was how these planners in Moco didn’t seem to study in college because otherwise they would have heard about central place theory. Instead of promoting all of these multitude of “activity centers” they should just focus on one or two. Because otherwise none of them reach scale to be successful.

DCUM: those twerp planners don't live in the real world
Also DCUM: why don't planners use a hundred-year-old theory

What’s the shelf life of a theory? They expire like eggs?

So, there are two kinds of theories. The scientific kind, like the theory of relativity. And the other kind, where you would say, "Well, in theory ... but in reality ..." Central place theory is the other kind.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to Reston Town Center for the first time this week and was amazed at how it was such a large and successful model of walkable urbanism. It made every walkable urban development in Montgomery County look pathetic by comparison. It also featured a few things that Moco Planning seems to hate. First is freeway access. Second was thousands of free parking spaces. Third was employers.

Bethesda and Silver Spring has these, plus transit. How does Reston do with bike connections?

Neither downtown Bethesda nor downtown Silver Spring have direct freeway access.

In addition, the one thing that struck me was how these planners in Moco didn’t seem to study in college because otherwise they would have heard about central place theory. Instead of promoting all of these multitude of “activity centers” they should just focus on one or two. Because otherwise none of them reach scale to be successful.

DCUM: those twerp planners don't live in the real world
Also DCUM: why don't planners use a hundred-year-old theory

What’s the shelf life of a theory? They expire like eggs?

Also if you look a the little hexagon schematics on the wiki it looks like you can describe like Silver Spring, Bethesda, Rockville, 4 Corners, and then DC connections that way. Bizzare saying that this theory isn't being followed anyhoo, seems rather descriptive of some the development patterns in MoCo.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Imagine if you NIMBYs spent more time voting and less time arguing online. You lost, get over it. Cities need to grow, you aren't entitled to your "home value" or whatever else nonsense you come up with.

Move to some generic suburb and leave the cool cities for us please.

This thread is about MoCo, where YIMBYs have delivered declining growth and skyrocketing housing costs. Is the problem that YIMBYism doesn’t actually deliver on its promises or are our YIMBYs just really incompetent?

Dude every housing development is held up in years of litigation for "environmental" reasons. MoCO is nowhere near the top when it comes to new housing per capita.

Are you a troll account or just misinformed?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Imagine if you NIMBYs spent more time voting and less time arguing online. You lost, get over it. Cities need to grow, you aren't entitled to your "home value" or whatever else nonsense you come up with.

Move to some generic suburb and leave the cool cities for us please.

This thread is about MoCo, where YIMBYs have delivered declining growth and skyrocketing housing costs. Is the problem that YIMBYism doesn’t actually deliver on its promises or are our YIMBYs just really incompetent?

Dude every housing development is held up in years of litigation for "environmental" reasons. MoCO is nowhere near the top when it comes to new housing per capita.

Are you a troll account or just misinformed?

No, very few are held up in litigation. That’s a myth. There are two things that hold up development. One is the slow planning process. We have that to entertain the bureaucrats and so that the land use lawyers can run up higher bills. The bigger thing is the developers themselves. They get their plans approved and then they don’t build because they’re concerned the market is soft. When developers say they can’t get financing, that’s code for “if I build this right now, prices will go down, and obviously we can’t have that.” I’d wager that there are more requests to extend plan validity granted each year in Montgomery County than there lawsuits, let alone successful lawsuits.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Imagine if you NIMBYs spent more time voting and less time arguing online. You lost, get over it. Cities need to grow, you aren't entitled to your "home value" or whatever else nonsense you come up with.

Move to some generic suburb and leave the cool cities for us please.

This thread is about MoCo, where YIMBYs have delivered declining growth and skyrocketing housing costs. Is the problem that YIMBYism doesn’t actually deliver on its promises or are our YIMBYs just really incompetent?

Dude every housing development is held up in years of litigation for "environmental" reasons. MoCO is nowhere near the top when it comes to new housing per capita.

Are you a troll account or just misinformed?

No, very few are held up in litigation. That’s a myth. There are two things that hold up development. One is the slow planning process. We have that to entertain the bureaucrats and so that the land use lawyers can run up higher bills. The bigger thing is the developers themselves. They get their plans approved and then they don’t build because they’re concerned the market is soft. When developers say they can’t get financing, that’s code for “if I build this right now, prices will go down, and obviously we can’t have that.” I’d wager that there are more requests to extend plan validity granted each year in Montgomery County than there lawsuits, let alone successful lawsuits.

Yes, so we need types of housing to be allowed to be build so more people can build them. What don't you understand? Young people won't want to live in generic, poorly built suburb houses with ugly lawns. This is why prices continue to go up.

Please look at what New Zealand did and how dramatically it lowered rent growth.

Nimby's gonna nimby!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Imagine if you NIMBYs spent more time voting and less time arguing online. You lost, get over it. Cities need to grow, you aren't entitled to your "home value" or whatever else nonsense you come up with.

Move to some generic suburb and leave the cool cities for us please.

This thread is about MoCo, where YIMBYs have delivered declining growth and skyrocketing housing costs. Is the problem that YIMBYism doesn’t actually deliver on its promises or are our YIMBYs just really incompetent?

Dude every housing development is held up in years of litigation for "environmental" reasons. MoCO is nowhere near the top when it comes to new housing per capita.

Are you a troll account or just misinformed?

No, very few are held up in litigation. That’s a myth. There are two things that hold up development. One is the slow planning process. We have that to entertain the bureaucrats and so that the land use lawyers can run up higher bills. The bigger thing is the developers themselves. They get their plans approved and then they don’t build because they’re concerned the market is soft. When developers say they can’t get financing, that’s code for “if I build this right now, prices will go down, and obviously we can’t have that.” I’d wager that there are more requests to extend plan validity granted each year in Montgomery County than there lawsuits, let alone successful lawsuits.

Yes, so we need types of housing to be allowed to be build so more people can build them. What don't you understand? Young people won't want to live in generic, poorly built suburb houses with ugly lawns. This is why prices continue to go up.

Please look at what New Zealand did and how dramatically it lowered rent growth.

Nimby's gonna nimby!

Some will. Some won't. It would be good if the full range of housing types were allowed by zoning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Imagine if you NIMBYs spent more time voting and less time arguing online. You lost, get over it. Cities need to grow, you aren't entitled to your "home value" or whatever else nonsense you come up with.

Move to some generic suburb and leave the cool cities for us please.

This thread is about MoCo, where YIMBYs have delivered declining growth and skyrocketing housing costs. Is the problem that YIMBYism doesn’t actually deliver on its promises or are our YIMBYs just really incompetent?

Dude every housing development is held up in years of litigation for "environmental" reasons. MoCO is nowhere near the top when it comes to new housing per capita.

Are you a troll account or just misinformed?

No, very few are held up in litigation. That’s a myth. There are two things that hold up development. One is the slow planning process. We have that to entertain the bureaucrats and so that the land use lawyers can run up higher bills. The bigger thing is the developers themselves. They get their plans approved and then they don’t build because they’re concerned the market is soft. When developers say they can’t get financing, that’s code for “if I build this right now, prices will go down, and obviously we can’t have that.” I’d wager that there are more requests to extend plan validity granted each year in Montgomery County than there lawsuits, let alone successful lawsuits.

Yes, so we need types of housing to be allowed to be build so more people can build them. What don't you understand? Young people won't want to live in generic, poorly built suburb houses with ugly lawns. This is why prices continue to go up.

Please look at what New Zealand did and how dramatically it lowered rent growth.

Nimby's gonna nimby!

So, they don't want to live where other people live? That sounds like a deal, though I'm not sure why their not wanting to live there increases prices. Go crazy, convert the malls and other commercial to mixed use, by all means. Leave the suburbs, where young people don't want to live* anyway, alone.

*of course, this is not true.

Also, New Zealand? Not that anyone cares or that's terribly (or at all) relevant to the DMV, but their big win was a slowing of rent increases? I can also slow rent increases by ruining schools and the quiet enjoyment of neighborhoods. Does that make it good policy?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Imagine if you NIMBYs spent more time voting and less time arguing online. You lost, get over it. Cities need to grow, you aren't entitled to your "home value" or whatever else nonsense you come up with.

Move to some generic suburb and leave the cool cities for us please.

This thread is about MoCo, where YIMBYs have delivered declining growth and skyrocketing housing costs. Is the problem that YIMBYism doesn’t actually deliver on its promises or are our YIMBYs just really incompetent?

Dude every housing development is held up in years of litigation for "environmental" reasons. MoCO is nowhere near the top when it comes to new housing per capita.

Are you a troll account or just misinformed?

No, very few are held up in litigation. That’s a myth. There are two things that hold up development. One is the slow planning process. We have that to entertain the bureaucrats and so that the land use lawyers can run up higher bills. The bigger thing is the developers themselves. They get their plans approved and then they don’t build because they’re concerned the market is soft. When developers say they can’t get financing, that’s code for “if I build this right now, prices will go down, and obviously we can’t have that.” I’d wager that there are more requests to extend plan validity granted each year in Montgomery County than there lawsuits, let alone successful lawsuits.

Yes, so we need types of housing to be allowed to be build so more people can build them. What don't you understand? Young people won't want to live in generic, poorly built suburb houses with ugly lawns. This is why prices continue to go up.

Please look at what New Zealand did and how dramatically it lowered rent growth.

Nimby's gonna nimby!

Some will. Some won't. It would be good if the full range of housing types were allowed by zoning.

They are, that's why we have zoning. Are the townhomes and condos in the area imaginary? What you are saying is that all types should be allowed everywhere, and that's silly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Imagine if you NIMBYs spent more time voting and less time arguing online. You lost, get over it. Cities need to grow, you aren't entitled to your "home value" or whatever else nonsense you come up with.

Move to some generic suburb and leave the cool cities for us please.

Lie back and think of England. And be happy with recent SCOTUS decisions

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Imagine if you NIMBYs spent more time voting and less time arguing online. You lost, get over it. Cities need to grow, you aren't entitled to your "home value" or whatever else nonsense you come up with.

Move to some generic suburb and leave the cool cities for us please.

This thread is about MoCo, where YIMBYs have delivered declining growth and skyrocketing housing costs. Is the problem that YIMBYism doesn’t actually deliver on its promises or are our YIMBYs just really incompetent?

Dude every housing development is held up in years of litigation for "environmental" reasons. MoCO is nowhere near the top when it comes to new housing per capita.

Are you a troll account or just misinformed?

No, very few are held up in litigation. That’s a myth. There are two things that hold up development. One is the slow planning process. We have that to entertain the bureaucrats and so that the land use lawyers can run up higher bills. The bigger thing is the developers themselves. They get their plans approved and then they don’t build because they’re concerned the market is soft. When developers say they can’t get financing, that’s code for “if I build this right now, prices will go down, and obviously we can’t have that.” I’d wager that there are more requests to extend plan validity granted each year in Montgomery County than there lawsuits, let alone successful lawsuits.

Yes, so we need types of housing to be allowed to be build so more people can build them. What don't you understand? Young people won't want to live in generic, poorly built suburb houses with ugly lawns. This is why prices continue to go up.

Please look at what New Zealand did and how dramatically it lowered rent growth.

Nimby's gonna nimby!

Prices are going up because there’s no demand? Can you explain more?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Imagine if you NIMBYs spent more time voting and less time arguing online. You lost, get over it. Cities need to grow, you aren't entitled to your "home value" or whatever else nonsense you come up with.

Move to some generic suburb and leave the cool cities for us please.

This thread is about MoCo, where YIMBYs have delivered declining growth and skyrocketing housing costs. Is the problem that YIMBYism doesn’t actually deliver on its promises or are our YIMBYs just really incompetent?

Dude every housing development is held up in years of litigation for "environmental" reasons. MoCO is nowhere near the top when it comes to new housing per capita.

Are you a troll account or just misinformed?

No, very few are held up in litigation. That’s a myth. There are two things that hold up development. One is the slow planning process. We have that to entertain the bureaucrats and so that the land use lawyers can run up higher bills. The bigger thing is the developers themselves. They get their plans approved and then they don’t build because they’re concerned the market is soft. When developers say they can’t get financing, that’s code for “if I build this right now, prices will go down, and obviously we can’t have that.” I’d wager that there are more requests to extend plan validity granted each year in Montgomery County than there lawsuits, let alone successful lawsuits.

Yes, so we need types of housing to be allowed to be build so more people can build them. What don't you understand? Young people won't want to live in generic, poorly built suburb houses with ugly lawns. This is why prices continue to go up.

Please look at what New Zealand did and how dramatically it lowered rent growth.

Nimby's gonna nimby!

Prices are going up because there’s no demand? Can you explain more?

Prices are going up because we don't have enough housing. Upzoning solve that. Not that hard!