Cyburbia Forums | Urban Planning Community

Song, Memory, When

Bear Up North — 2009-11-21T00:41:46Z

This thread needs no explanation. Continue your scan.....

Hanky Panky
Living on the beach. Jennifer.
1966

Nights In White Satin
Close to the end of first marriage. Cynthia.
1971

Jesus Is Just Alright
Bachelors III Dance Bar.
1972 or 1973

Love Changes Everything
Close to the end of another marriage. Carole.
1989.

Ghostbusters Theme
Detroit Tigers' World Series Championship 1984 (morphed to "Goosebusters")
1984
_____

Your turn.

Bear

Traffic-calming bumpout design

southern_yank — 2009-11-20T22:10:08Z

I've started using microstation for some in-house design work. I'm working on a road diet for a residential collector which currently acts as a high speed through street between an urban arterial and our downtown. I've designed about 7 or 8 different kinds of bumpouts, but because the neighborhood blocks aren't a traditional grid, some of the turn radii vary greatly and don't fit a standard bumpout design.

Can anyone recommend a design manual for bumpouts? It would be nice to have some templates I can refer to so when I take my designs to our engineers, I can refer to a previously built design - which may give the bumpouts more "clout" in the eyes of our engineers.

APA National Conference - April 2010 - NOLA

RichmondJake — 2009-11-20T21:48:17Z

Is it too early to start this thread?

Very difficult economic times, but is anyone else planning to attend? I received verbal approval to head for the Big Easy and I know a couple of other Cyburbians are making plans to attend.

Maybe a Laefest at Acme Oyster House or Larry Flynt's Hustler Club? Both are in walking distance of each other in the Quarter.

Just starting the ball rolling.

hello from florida

nuHIrail — 2009-11-20T21:05:46Z

i am going to be a graduate of FSU in three weeks. i did the interdisciplinary social sciences undergrad program, my primary study (21 hours) is urban and regional planning, with a secondary concentration (12 hours) in economics. i became interested in urban planning after i began attending the university, and will be pursuing a path in economic development [preferably] in my next academic venture. however, another path i have recently become interested in pursuing is the planning involved in a high speed rail network president obama is pushing to create. i have discovered a newly found passion for a rail system that will not only connect walkable/multimodal cities (if we can ever get them right and built) to other cities in the region, but nationally as well.

i plan on attending graduate school in the urban planning program at CU-Denver. i am putting all my eggs in this basket, and will be moving to denver early in 2010. i chose february as the date to move west, as i will still have some issues to take care of in florida before my relocation. in moving to denver before being accepted into the grad program i hoping that i am a shoe in for the school, and i will have earned my year's residency so i will be able to pay in-state tuition.

i have not taken my GREs yet, i believe i will have a decent GPA upon graduation, and i still have at least 6-8 months before i begin applying to CU-denver along with some back-up schools.

i am nervous, prepared to wait, and ready to get out of florida. don't be too rough on me! hopefully i will have some insight to provide around the forums, and look forward to asking questions.

Cheboygan, MI - Planner

BrianVDB — 2009-11-20T20:38:21Z

This is a good opportunity for someone with limited experience. The tip of the mitt is a beautiful place to live! :h:

PLANNER Cheboygan County, Michigan encompassing 800 square miles of nature's best and strategically located at the tip of Michigan's Lower Peninsula along the pristine shores of Lake Huron is seeking to hire a "Planner". Job requirements include: Assisting with amendments to Master Plan, preparing zoning amendments, conducting special planning projects, overseeing planning activities in conjunction with GIS system for the County; maintains, administers and enforces adopted zoning codes related to land use; reviews, approves and issues zoning permits; reviews/presents site plans, special use permits and variances; gathers data from (GIS) and applies to land use decision making; conducts planning outreach with townships; works closely with Planning Commission, Planning Staff and general public to ensure all plans are current and appropriately implemented; presents variances to ZBA; represents County at Planning Commission and ZBA meetings.

Requirements: Bachelor's degree in Community Planning or related field from accredited college/university with minimum one year work-related experience; thorough knowledge of planning and enforcement principles and state planning laws, computer mapping; knowledge/understanding of GIS programs especially ArcGIS and how to integrate into planning and zoning projects; strong written, oral and presentation skills; ability to interpret, apply, enforce applicable codes/ordinances; ability to perform visual reviews of permit applications and blue prints and conduct inspections of construction sites.

Salary: $35,000-$40,000 depending on qualifications. Cheboygan County offers a comprehensive benefits package.

Send or E-mail resumes to: Cheboygan County Human Resources Office 870 S. Main St. P.O. Box 70 Cheboygan, Mi. 49721 Fax: 231-627-8426 e-mail address: website www.cheboygancounty.net

(Posted 11/18/09)

A Question for Bay Area Cyburbians

TexanOkie — 2009-11-20T16:32:38Z

I am having repetitive dreams that my wife and I are going to wind in the San Francisco Bay Area. I have visited the area twice in my lifetime, did most of the touristy stuff, and I have relatives in San Jose. My question is: is the Bay Area as overly and overtly political, even in common everyday life, as its reputation throughout the rest of the country leads me to believe, or this impression false? In other words, yes it's liberal and I probably won't see eye-to-eye politically with an overwhelming majority of the population. I'm okay with that. My family (including the San Jose relatives) are all originally from Chicago, another highly liberal enclave in the country. In Chicago, you can be happy without discussing politics and it's possible to have an apolitical social and business network. There are even opportunities for people of wide-ranging political, social, and religious beliefs to practice such beliefs comfortably without ridicule or ostracism, including more conservative politics, family values, and religious beliefs (like evangelical Christianity). It's hard to imagine there not being such opportunities given the population numbers (Chicagoland around 10 million and the Bay Area around 7.5 million). If San Francisco and Chicago types can find niches and/or be happy in Dallas-Fort Worth (population 6 million), then surely there are places for me in the Bay Area. Of course, such people don't stand a political shot in hell, but like I said, I'm okay with that. Is the San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose metro similar to Chicago in this regard? Or, if my dreams become reality, will my wife and I be alienated and lonely like nothing we've ever seen or experienced?

New government city - Ordo, China

Streck — 2009-11-20T14:14:59Z

Here is a link to a short video from today's Kim Kommando site that shows a city created by central goverment planning rather than natural market forces:

http://http://videos.komando.com/200...as-empty-city/

Unfortunately there are no residents!

Knowing when to call it quits in historic preservation - how can you tell?

AngelynDavis — 2009-11-20T02:10:06Z

Hello Cyburbia Friends
,
I'm working on a project that proposes tearing down a derelict structure and replacing it. I would love to hear some professional discourse on the topic, from planners outside of the region.

Here is the basic details:
- Built in 1927
- Has been closed to the public for 40 years
- Sits in the heart of a bustling urban core, and is arguably the only derelict structure (and when I say derelict, I mean it, we aren't talking an eye sore, we are talking about a major risk to public health and safety that will require millions of dollars of investment just to maintain the status quo and prevent injury)
- Is a state owned property
- Will cost tens of millions to restore (estimates are, of course, wide but range typically between $35-$65 million - yes these are tax payer dollars)
- Will cost (an arguable amount) in the range of $8-$15 million to replace (again, these are tax payer dollars)

Here is where it gets more controversial:
- Is on both the state and national historic registers
- Is a WWI war memorial
- Will be replaced with a completely different type of WWI war memorial

Here is what the public says (depending on the polls - these are averages):
- about 60% want it torn down and replaced according to the proposed plan
- about 35% want it completely restored to its original design
- the remainder want something totally different or are indifferent
- Veterans are on both the "restore" and "replace" sides of the fence

I want to hear what my fellow planners say. I have no say in the matter either way. My task is simple, write the master plan for the proposed project and conduct an EIS.

Account Removal Request

jsachs — 2009-11-20T01:54:02Z

I would like to delete my account, but unfortunately, it seems that that is impossible. Please help.

New and have a few questions

amanda34 — 2009-11-20T01:07:43Z

Hi all, thanks for taking the time to read this!
I've been reading these forums all day in my desperate search to find information on planning and if I should go through with it. Here is my situation: I am a second year undergrad at York U and currently majoring in geography and minoring in history. Now, previously I had plans of being a teacher until recently, which is why I am still in this degree program. My question is this: York offers a degree which I can easily switch into that is a Specialized Honours BA, in Geography and Urban Studies. I am very interested in this, and I want to switch into it asap, because I am going to apply to M. Pl. programs like many of you here. The only issue is, I feel if I switch to it, I cut off not only all possibilities of becoming a teacher if I need something to fall back on, as well as other careers in general. Is it worth switching to? I am extremely determined to get my M Pl, and I have a great interest in the field, but I am looking at this from a logical and reasonable point of view. Anyone here get into any Master's programs with an unrelated undergrad degree?

Thanks!

Items you always find in truck stops

Dan — 2009-11-19T21:28:12Z

As I'm about 24 hours away from a cross-country road trip, the thought of inevitable breaks at establishments like Petro, Travel Centers of America and Flying J come to mind.

Regardless of where are you are, what are some things truck stops always seem to have in stock? A few that come to mind:

* T-shirts with airbrushed art featuring wolves, eagles, Native Americans, Harley-Davidson motorcycles, patriotic glurge, or a combination of the above.
* Blue Mountain greeting cards.
* Glurgey inspirational books and books on tape. Literally, cassette tape.
* 12 volt powered appliances: mini-fridges, hot pots, CRT-based TV-DVD combination units.
* Huge selection of beef jerky.

Research Assistant job??

krbxtigerz — 2009-11-19T20:23:14Z

Is it possible to get a job like research assistant job at planning schools near where you live? I would love to do this and learn about planning before grad school.....I'm hoping to go to grad school next fall......has anyone done this?

I found a professor that teaches and does research in what I'm interested in.....is it too rude to contact him/her to ask if he needs a research assistant?? lol idk

Cyburbia wins ZiPLeR Award!

Joe Iliff — 2009-11-19T18:23:44Z

Cyburbia has been awarded a ZiPLeR!

Dwight Merriam of Robinson & Cole produces every year for the Zoning & Planning Law Report a retrospective of the wacky and weird happenings in land use law. The most recent edition includes the following recognition of this website.

Quote:

Cyburbia.org wins this You-May-Not-Be-Able-To-Finance-Or-Sell-It-But-You-Could-Name-It Award for calling our attention to 11 subdivision name generator sites. I went to the first site listed and dutifully clicked on the icon of the house and got this dandy name �Stark Quail Gardens.� Not bad. I hit it again. �Stoned Ditch Shoals.� As a retired Navy Captain and inveterate martini drinker, this one makes me uncomfortable. I then tried the Random Town Name Generator44 and after a few clicks came up with the regal name of Mount Gantrickwater. Now, there�s a town I�d like to call home.(Zoning & Planning Law Report Vol 32/No 1, Page 9

So . . . who wants to give the acceptance speech?

Re: [IowaAPA] Development Fees [1 Attachment]

Sam Perry — 2009-11-19T18:05:18Z

Laura,

Here is the list for Ames:

http://www.cityofames.org/HousingWeb/FeeSchedule.htm

We did similar research a couple years but it did not go any farther. I
wouldn't suggest looking at high-growth or resort cities fees. It will
blow your mind how much higher they are.

To my knowledge, Ames' fees are not because of self-support. It goes into
the GF. However, building permit fees to provide a percentage of
self-support to our Inspections Division, which is a different department.

Sam Perry, Planner
City of Ames, IA, Dept of Planning & Housing
Direct: (515) 239-5447
Front Desk: (515) 239-5400
Fax: (515) 239-5404
Email: sperry (AT) city (DOT) ames.ia.us
Web: www.cityofames.org

515 Clark Ave.
P.O. Box 811
Ames, IA 50010

"Laura Carstens"
Sent by: IowaAPA (AT) yahoogroups (DOT) com
11/18/2009 04:45 PM
Please respond to
IowaAPA (AT) yahoogroups (DOT) com

To
iowaapa (AT) yahoogroups (DOT) com
cc

Subject
[IowaAPA] Development Fees

The City of Dubuque is considering an increase in our development fees.
Before recommending any increases, we would like to know what other Iowa
cities and counties are charging for these services. We are interested in
fees for rezonings, planned unit developments, subdivisions, site plans/
site developments, variances, conditional uses, appeals, temporary uses,
etc. If fees are posted on a city or county website, please direct us to
that link.

In addition, the City of Dubuque is interested to learn if any Iowa cities
or counties have a self-supporting guideline for fees and other revenue
for their planning and zoning departments. For example, in Dubuque our
self-support guideline from development fees is 12% of the development
services budget.

We look forward to hearing from you. Thanks.

Laura

Laura Carstens
Planning Services Manager
50 W. 13th Street
Dubuque IA 52001
Phone: 563-589-4210
Fax: 563-589-4221

Saving materials for AICP CM audit

Dan — 2009-11-19T17:29:24Z

When the CM program arrived, AICP members were advised to keep all the materials and notes from seminars and sessions where they earned credits, in the event of a random audit. I'm finding those materials take up a LOT of space, and I'm not really referring to them in my day-to-day work.

Are you keeping physical evidence of your AICP CM credits for an audit?