tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-105728082011-09-21T04:24:03.542-07:00A collection of energy and planning essays from 2005-2006unplannernoreply@blogger.comBlogger581100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10572808.post-1146554876860980832006-05-02T00:09:00.000-07:002010-11-12T06:39:47.239-08:00

Welcome to the UNplanning Journal. You have reached my blog archives, mostly on planning and energy matters. I started this blog in February of 2005, partially out of a former employer's intransigence when dealing with the ramifications of the coming energy crises. I kept updating for more than a year until I decided to move on. This site will not be updated and only sparingly checked. I have put

unplannernoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10572808.post-1141635165226220632006-03-06T00:51:00.000-08:002006-03-07T01:08:22.453-08:00

The Oregon Department of Transportation has just finished its public review period for the draft state transportation plan for the next 20 years. This document discusses the state’s vision for the future of transportation in Oregon, laying out goals and policies for transportation planning in this state. Perhaps unique for a government agency, this document discusses Peak Oil as one of the

unplannernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10572808.post-1140595211445983032006-02-22T00:00:00.000-08:002006-02-22T00:09:32.056-08:00

When it comes to Confined Animal Farming Operations (aka. Factory Farming) there are not too many land uses that can rival the ecological, social and resource impacts that these facilities bear upon a community. In spite of that, these facilities have become ever more prevalent as a handful of powerful food conglomerates have brought the promise of improved local economies to poor rural counties

unplannernoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10572808.post-1140129594865258192006-02-16T14:39:00.000-08:002006-02-16T15:46:05.540-08:00

Transportation planning is not a field predisposed to radical changes. Planners and engineers routinely propose ideas to solve current and future problems with ideas that have worked in the past. Pragmatism probably plays a big part in this; after all, if you are going to devise a solution that will cost one hundred million dollars or more, you damned well need to make sure it will work. Change,

unplannernoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10572808.post-1139903664036224812006-02-13T23:54:00.000-08:002006-02-14T02:18:05.476-08:00

A glance at my Blogger homepage this past week informs me that I have officially been at this for over one year now. Over the past twelve months I have explored a variety of subjects (mostly) related to the role of energy in the planning sector. Some were drawn from personal experience and others from research. My former employer was the subject of a number of these postings. Current events

unplannernoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10572808.post-1139441599369914092006-02-08T15:33:00.000-08:002006-02-10T09:13:44.733-08:00

State of the State addresses, much like their federal counterpart are full of lofty goals and optimistic language while remaining ever short on useful specifics. Some speeches adopted overarching themes while others read like a shopping list. Visionary or idiotic (depending on your point of view) author Thomas Friedman provided the vision for not one but two State of the State Addresses this year

unplannernoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10572808.post-1138780732287193452006-01-31T23:58:00.000-08:002006-02-01T02:19:15.906-08:00

In the planning world, Oregon is well known for its strict land use measures that have limited the extent of suburban sprawl, particularly on the state’s best farmlands. Whereas other states have seen suburban growth hopscotch across the countryside, Oregon’s cities have long set limits to where growth can extend to. The result has been somewhat denser cities and more open rural areas than

unplannernoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10572808.post-1136966148636358442006-01-10T23:55:00.000-08:002006-01-11T02:07:59.443-08:00

Two big-state governors have hit the headlines last week with grand plans for the future. In California, Arnold Schwarzenegger proposed a massive infrastructure construction program, while in New York, George Pataki has called for a renewable energy program. Both plans were developed by comparatively moderate Republican governors with an eye to the challenges of tomorrow. Unfortunately for the

unplannernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10572808.post-1134736223394130392005-12-16T04:30:00.000-08:002005-12-20T10:10:42.200-08:00

The sprawling nature of suburban communities has long been recognized to foster a dependence on the automobile over other modes of transport. This dependence has in turn led to two key problems for this country and others intent on following our path: a growing need for more energy sources to power the increase in vehicle miles traveled and a resulting increase in automotive pollution. Both

unplannernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10572808.post-1134115321485624122005-12-09T00:02:00.000-08:002005-12-09T00:07:26.540-08:00

In recent years there have been a number of jurisdictions that have made intelligent planning decisions by moving away from the postwar model of suburban development. Salem, Oregon is apparently not one of them. The planning department there is pushing a proposal to require all new development INCLUDE garages and larger lot sizes. I couldn’t believe it, but there it was in the paper.Proposal

unplannernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10572808.post-1132000520158916262005-11-14T13:35:00.000-08:002005-11-14T13:41:07.740-08:00

Much discussion has gone into what an ideal post peak community should contain to remain sustainable over the long haul. Food production, raw material access, community organization and other aspects have been covered in detail here and in other locations on the net. This post looks past the basic needs to the community extras; those things that would make life more pleasurable or

unplannernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10572808.post-1130520699409765792005-10-28T10:31:00.000-07:002005-11-12T10:10:50.213-08:00

Energy depletion is not normally something one thinks of when watching children’s movies. The subject itself is hardly ever considered in grown-up movies and aside from Oil Storm and the upcoming Syriana, the topic of energy has usually only played a peripheral role in most plot lines, if at all. Yet it is some children’s movies that tackle the issue of depletion head-on, often without even

unplannernoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10572808.post-1130230643757131912005-10-24T23:57:00.000-07:002005-10-25T02:17:12.286-07:00

For as long as I remember I have been fascinated with the built environment, its layout, function, and aesthetic qualities. As a child, I would always look out the car windows on trips at the scenery, the buildings and roads. But as I grew, simple observations yielded to contemplations of how it was built to what could become. As I became more versed in planning, geography, architectural,

unplannernoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10572808.post-1129965353370639692005-10-21T22:44:00.000-07:002005-10-22T00:33:48.743-07:00

Saving energy at home is a great way to cut your expenditures and take into your own hands some direct control over energy consumption. This task is made harder if you are a renter as some very important decisions that you could make, are not your responsibility. For example, a homeowner would replace that 25 year old dog of a fridge to reduce his or her electric bill. The property owner on the

unplannernoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10572808.post-1129627172657343402005-10-17T23:48:00.000-07:002005-10-19T01:40:15.440-07:00

The American Way of Life, long characterized by drive-through suburbia, McMansions, super-sized products, big-box shopping and the ever present all-you-can-eat buffet, is now joined by the latest example of excess, the Megachurch. Increasing numbers of Americans, apparently no longer content with their empty suburban lifestyles or unfulfilled by their traditional mainline churches are now finding

unplannernoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10572808.post-1129328335957507402005-10-14T15:01:00.000-07:002005-10-19T01:40:37.966-07:00

Recent articles and personal observations have once again got me contemplating the issue of agriculture and food production. The simple fact of the matter is that virtually everyone today is dependent on a food system that is built on an unsustainable foundation. This sobering problem has been well documented by a number of forward-thinking researchers over the past few years, with warning signs

unplannernoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10572808.post-1127195690197819902005-09-19T22:07:00.000-07:002005-10-11T09:51:09.563-07:00

In a comment to last week’s post, Phil wondered if there were any actions a community could take to prepare for Peak Oil outside of the support or active involvement of municipal authorities. Unfortunately there is no easy answer to this question. Towns and smaller cities situated less populated regions, particularly those with access to basic resources, certainly will have a better chance at

unplannernoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10572808.post-1126253734343156402005-09-08T23:44:00.000-07:002005-10-11T09:53:33.146-07:00

Shortly after Katrina slammed into the US Gulf Coast, the Speaker of the House of Representatives Dennis Hastert went on the record, saying that federal money to restore New Orleans “doesn't make sense to me.” While he later backed off those comments, that question continues to linger out there like the floodwaters that lap at the houses in the Ninth Ward—should we rebuild New Orleans?From a

unplannernoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10572808.post-1125003429260190422005-08-25T13:57:00.000-07:002005-08-25T14:24:12.403-07:00

I was recently asked to research certain aspects of “green building” and “sustainable development” practices and report back on my findings. My starting point was a reference pamphlet from an association of practicing California planners that sketched out the model community of Terramor, located in Orange County, CA. My B.S. detectors were promptly activated once began to read the article in

unplannernoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10572808.post-1124781754796953812005-08-22T23:42:00.000-07:002005-08-23T00:30:08.850-07:00

This may strike some people as surprising and others as the truth, but in reality there really isn’t a planning process. Or at least one that lives up to what one might consider an honest, forthcoming and beneficial process. What we do have in most jurisdictions is a process to more efficiently develop, produce or consume our natural resources while reconfiguring the landscape for the most

unplannernoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10572808.post-1124180530683935622005-08-15T23:58:00.000-07:002005-08-17T22:54:30.513-07:00

One consequence of the end of cheap oil will be the end of the big-box retailing model. What this means for our cities and towns across this country is that we will soon be blessed with a surplus of cheaply built retail buildings with no real apparent post petroleum-era usage. Lacking any sort of intrinsic architectural value or scrap value for that matter, most will likely wind up slowly

unplannernoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10572808.post-1123572974719789002005-08-08T23:54:00.000-07:002010-11-14T17:14:14.027-08:00

Every living creature produces one or more by-products during their existence. It is just a fact of life that the plant produces oxygen as part of photosynthesis, a tiger converts ingested meat into excrement or anaerobic bacteria transforms carbohydrates to hydrocarbons. It is also a fact of life that when waste materials build up to excessive levels, the life form that created them often is

unplannernoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10572808.post-1123224551309935092005-08-04T23:33:00.000-07:002005-08-04T23:55:07.393-07:00

Here’s a few questions to ponder before you sit down for dinner. What nationality is your food? What country did it originate from? No, not the meal but its core ingredients…because chances are that your food came from just about everywhere..Take for example, this picture. This was a good representative sample of what I ate today. Can you guess how many countries were involved? While you ponder

unplannernoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10572808.post-1122539748675397852005-07-28T01:24:00.000-07:002005-07-28T01:42:04.736-07:00

In our rush to solve today’s pressing problems we sometimes forget that tomorrow’s solutions may be staring at us from the past. An intriguing blast from the past is Walter Christaller’s Central Place Theory..Origin of an Idea.Briefly, Walter Christaller was a German Geographer that postulated in his 1933 doctoral essay that market-based forces inevitably created a hierarchical arrangement of

unplannernoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10572808.post-1121750265244428702005-07-18T22:05:00.000-07:002005-07-18T22:17:45.253-07:00

Much attention has been paid to the importance and value of pursuing a communal/village/community based-approach to dealing with the coming energy crises. I think this is a good idea and ultimately the path to take if we want to survive the end of the fossil fuels era while maintaining some modicum of civilized existence. .Not that there aren’t any other ideas for survival; both the survivalist,

unplannernoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10572808.post-1121330838744159042005-07-14T01:27:00.000-07:002005-07-14T01:48:24.520-07:00

For all the discussion that has occurred online on every conceivable ramification of Peak Oil, here is one simple pictorial reminder: Depletion happens. Every day, in fact..The above picture was taken of a recently closed well in the Deer Creek oil field not far from where my in-laws live. The field is Tulare County’s largest oil field. Actually, it is the county’s only remaining oil field. In

unplannernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10572808.post-1121157033227077482005-07-11T23:58:00.000-07:002005-07-12T22:58:37.750-07:00

When most people contemplate suburbia the images that often come to mind are endless arrays of single family houses, disconnected strip commercial stores and office parks. Most—if not all—structures are two to four stories at most, with only the occasional ten story office building or communication antenna sticking out into the sky. What does not immediately come to mind as “suburbia” are rows of

unplannernoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10572808.post-1120728750740391962005-07-07T02:23:00.000-07:002005-07-07T02:32:30.753-07:00

A novel concept called vertical farming, has been developed by the Medical Ecology department of Columbia University which aims to revolutionize farming and food production. Although proposals such as this have existed in the past, this one takes it to new heights (no pun intended)..A recent trip to their website indicates this is still a project under conceptualization, with each year’s class

unplannernoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10572808.post-1120254059486595262005-07-01T14:21:00.000-07:002005-07-01T14:40:59.506-07:00

One thing that I have consistently blogged about my employer is the generally misplaced nature of concern for the future. The Central Valley, if you are not familiar with the area, is dry, dirty (air quality) place dependent on agriculture. We pride ourselves on the fact that we grow the nation’s fruits, vegetables and nuts while supplying California with one quarter of its milk supply. At the

unplannernoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10572808.post-1119947867944201702005-06-27T23:32:00.000-07:002005-06-28T01:37:47.956-07:00

In light of the inevitable energy crisis and all of its attendant implications for civilization as we know it, discussion has turned to the ultimate fate of mankind’s three forms of modern living arrangements, namely urban, suburban and rural living. A number of written articles and online discussions have been penned of late that attempt to gage the relative success (or failure) for each of

unplannernoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10572808.post-1119595818671708902005-06-23T23:30:00.000-07:002005-06-23T23:50:18.676-07:00

If you have been a regular reader of the Unplanning Journal, you were probably aware that the past few weeks I have been on vacation from work (the first such vacation since 2003). Now I am back with several observations:.Most people take for granted the continued existence of the most fundamental resources.Most people worry about the least worrisome details, while completely ignoring the real

unplannernoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10572808.post-1118898378008165772005-06-16T00:04:00.000-07:002005-06-15T22:06:18.016-07:00

The undoing of high-energy civilization could take many forms: a slow grinding collapse, all-out warfare, a devastating pandemic or widespread social and economic chaos. One thing that most scenarios will have in common however, is the return to rural locations by urban dwellers. Time and time again through out history when crisis have struck urban areas, many urban dwellers scattered to towns,

unplannernoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10572808.post-1118078767405927972005-06-06T10:05:00.000-07:002005-06-06T10:26:07.413-07:00

This week has been an epic one in terms of illness for me and my family. At one point we all were being treated with antibiotics and other prescriptions for a variety of ailments. Bronchitis, upper respiratory infection, conjunctivitis, stomach flu, ear infection and colds, we had them all. With four trips to the doctor and missed school and work days, it certainly been difficult. It also got

unplannernoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10572808.post-1117699578426937132005-06-02T23:05:00.000-07:002005-06-03T01:34:36.396-07:00

The mining industry in California has had a long and sometimes checkered history from the arrival of those original ‘49ers to today’s multinational aggregate firms. Billions of dollars were made from the natural bounty that was tucked in and beneath this state’s streams, hills and mountains. When those resources were depleted, the miners and their firms moved on leaving a legacy of waste and

unplannernoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10572808.post-1117184745001176032005-05-26T23:57:00.000-07:002005-05-28T00:10:04.726-07:00

Mountain House, California - circa 2015 . . . ?Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's bloodand probably will themselves not be realized. Make big plans;aim high in hope and work, remembering that a noble,logical diagram once recorded will not die.- Daniel BurnhamIn the field of planning, you cannot get much larger than the development of a whole new city. Not just another suburb,

unplannernoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10572808.post-1116922118865934822005-05-23T23:42:00.000-07:002005-05-24T01:09:42.826-07:00

After almost a year of research and six months of badgering, the quest to open up the discussion of energy in planning beyond my very small circle of colleagues smacked headfirst into what appears to be an immobile object today. That object, also known as the planning director, flatly rejected all ideas of energy scarcity or even limits. Moreover any discussion of the issue by me or anyone else

unplannernoreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10572808.post-1116572247038309622005-05-19T22:56:00.000-07:002005-05-19T23:57:27.043-07:00

At recent Board of Supervisors meeting in my county, my boss was updating on recent events pertaining to the General Plan update. This update included discussion of the constraint analysis workshop conducted a few weeks back (which I wrote about earlier). After presenting the findings and a list of possible constraints (including energy) a supervisor chided the county’s focus on constraints.

unplannernoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10572808.post-1116318028428651652005-05-16T23:32:00.000-07:002005-05-17T01:21:14.106-07:00

I have been pondering that question a lot of late. On the grand scheme of things, everything has an end, from our earthly existence to that of the universe. But more immediately pressing is the continued viability of our global industrial civilization. Human history is littered with the remains of previous civilizations, with each major civilization having collapsed due to one or more factors

unplannernoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10572808.post-1115656114636266772005-05-09T09:09:00.000-07:002005-05-09T09:28:34.646-07:00

Just like our population and average waist size, our homes have been growing as well. After World War II, the average American home measured only 900 square feet. Today it is over 2,100, despite a decrease in the size of the average American household. Pictures tell part of the story.The original Levittown model had two bedrooms a kitchen/dining area and a living room. Built with limited frills,

unplannernoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10572808.post-1115279366045254692005-05-05T22:46:00.000-07:002005-05-06T00:35:42.270-07:00

Immigration has been a hot subject in the US and some European countries in recent years. Any discussion of the issue, regardless of the side one takes, always manages to strike a raw nerve. It is an issue that has direct impacts to all of us, even those who may never actually encounter an immigrant in their daily life. Regardless of your personal position on the matter, the subject of

unplannernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10572808.post-1115110168449886462005-05-02T23:47:00.000-07:002005-05-03T08:11:31.493-07:00

Monday’s posting is later than usual so I could relate today’s planning events.My county is in the midst of conducting its general plan update. At this time, we have reached the part of the process where the discussion turns to constraint analysis. Constraints, according to Websters is “One that restricts, limits, or regulates; a check”. By most measures of the definition, that would mean

unplannernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10572808.post-1114676429026998962005-04-28T08:45:00.000-07:002005-04-30T00:17:26.423-07:00

By the time most of you read this, Las Vega’s newest resort the Wynn Las Vegas will have opened. This 2.7 billion dollar spectacle features a 50-story hotel structure featuring 2700 rooms, 18 restaurants, a few dozen high end retailers, one full-service Ferrari and Maserati dealership, an art gallery and theater complex. Outside, in addition to the usual pool and spa, the Wynn features a full

unplannernoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10572808.post-1114457647760641272005-04-25T12:01:00.000-07:002005-04-25T21:00:03.370-07:00

Well we know where we’re goin’But we don’t know where we’ve beenAnd we know what we’re knowin’But we can’t say what we’ve seenAnd we’re not little childrenAnd we know what we wantAnd the future is certainGive us time to work it outWe’re on a road to nowhere…(With respect to the Talking Heads).In countless locations around the world, thousands of planners are dutifully engaged in preparatory

unplannernoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10572808.post-1113901316014747982005-04-19T01:56:00.000-07:002005-04-21T08:25:36.223-07:00

Real late posting but so worth it...______________________________________________________As a natural resource planner for a county updating its General Plan, understanding resource use and depletion is important to understand when formulating a plan of action for the next quarter century. Getting the best information to present to the decision makers is tough when there is an overload of

unplannernoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10572808.post-1113523701522611542005-04-14T16:50:00.000-07:002005-04-15T08:21:44.133-07:00

In planning, much like every other field, energy availability is overlooked or taken for granted. From the identification of ideals to the development of concepts to the formulation of alternatives and on to the adoption and implementation of the final plan, all steps assume that no significant changes in energy availability manifest themselves during the plan’s duration. Any consideration to

unplannernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10572808.post-1112256325534364962005-03-31T00:04:00.000-08:002005-03-31T08:16:21.460-08:00

When it comes to truly understanding peak energy and its implications, you either get it or you are clueless. Based on some recent experiences at work I would have to say most people still do not get it. The Gas Company supply procurement representative I spoke with certainly appeared clueless. After a few unsuccessful attempts, I finally reached a representative that handles the “big picture”

unplannernoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10572808.post-1112029953510668022005-03-28T08:47:00.000-08:002005-03-28T09:12:33.516-08:00

On a few occasions Unplanning has discussed the challenges of keeping everyone fed in the future. Currently, agriculture as we know it refers to the use of land and sunshine to convert natural gas and oil into large amounts of edible food at the lowest possible price. In the process, it allowed a wholesale reworking of the rural landscaping as well. With a stable subsidy of cheap energy

unplannernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10572808.post-1111426102110418102005-03-21T09:06:00.000-08:002005-03-23T00:07:47.343-08:00

As discussed in previous posts, changing course at this point (as beneficial as it may be) is not viable due to political concerns. What commissioner, councilman or supervisor is going to adopt a “no-suburban housing ordinance”? Which jurisdiction would opt to take a pass on a large economic development project? What politician could stand behind a platform of decline, shortfalls and cutbacks?

unplannernoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10572808.post-1110877353071074992005-03-14T23:59:00.000-08:002005-03-15T01:02:33.076-08:00

A trip to Los Angeles the past few days allowed the following realization: there are parts of the world that exist way beyond their carrying capacity. Once the era of cheap energy is behind us, Los Angeles, like many other urban areas will be due for a long period of unplanning. It may be orderly, chaotic or catastrophic but one way or another, LA will have to wind its way back to a sustainable

unplannernoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10572808.post-1110443983254104322005-03-10T08:39:00.000-08:002005-03-10T09:02:27.740-08:00

Time and time again you hear this expression in the news, in advertisements and in pop culture itself. It is also very much a part of the planning profession as well. Just this past week, it came up in a General Plan forum on a number of occasions. Most of those were made in reference to the common desire to own one’s very own 2,300 sq foot, two car (minimum) with a little yard and a little

unplannernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10572808.post-1109872939271893412005-03-03T09:29:00.000-08:002005-03-03T10:02:19.276-08:00

Working in a high growth county in a state undergoing significant population growth itself presents a unique set of challenges to us planners. How those challenges are met determine how well a jurisdiction’s planning department is viewed.The continuous addition of people to an area results in the ever-present need to add a whole range of goods and services to support the newly enlarged

unplannernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10572808.post-1109584285543027542005-02-28T09:02:00.000-08:002005-02-28T09:29:32.000-08:00

The UNplanning Journal is going to try and balance the subject matter between a discussion of our problems and an introduction of some potential solutions. Spending too much time dwelling on our problems without offering solutions can lead to a feeling of despair. One such positive idea worthy of discussion is ruralization. This idea, discussed by Folke Günther from the Dept. of Systems Ecology,

unplannernoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10572808.post-1109235219874959312005-02-24T09:00:00.000-08:002005-02-24T09:28:36.630-08:00

Physics provides us with an apt comparison to the situation we find our civilization in. Newton’s first law of motion states that an object in motion will tend to stay in motion unless acted upon by an opposite force. An object’s inherent tendency to resist changes in motion is referred to as inertia. The larger the object, the harder it is to stop. Planning, like many other elements in modern

unplannernoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10572808.post-1108676548469543022005-02-17T13:42:00.000-08:002005-02-23T08:21:57.696-08:00

In an earlier posting, UNplanning discussed the proliferation of garages in modern residential developments. No longer content to offer just the “standard” two car garage, a number of developers have taken to building standard three-car garage house subdivisions. Now whole neighborhoods sport an endless line of garage door faces. But recently UNplanning became aware of another brilliant idea in

unplannernoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10572808.post-1108111394911656462005-02-10T23:41:00.000-08:002005-02-17T17:39:05.693-08:00

One of the interesting hallmarks of contemporary suburban development is its detachment and retreat from the surrounding environment. Prior to the war, most development proceeded on some form of modified grid pattern or free-flowing organic network of streets. Housing and commerce were focused on the street and everything took a more pedestrian scale. Neighborhoods just flowed together, yet

unplannernoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10572808.post-1107851921541500392005-02-07T01:37:00.000-08:002005-02-17T17:39:38.620-08:00

One of this country’s contributions to the world was the development and marketing of the indoor shopping mall. First seen in Edina, Minnesota, this new phenomena quickly spread across the country wherever convergence between major arterials, cheap land and under served residential neighborhoods could be had. As was the case with most things in modern American history, these projects started

unplannernoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10572808.post-1107851690704723932005-02-05T01:33:00.000-08:002005-02-17T21:42:33.333-08:00

Well according to the dictionary, no such word exists. The prefix “un” typically adds the meaning “not” to the word it modifies. When the adjective “planned” acquires the prefix “un” it transforms to mean accidental or spontaneous. Unplanned growth is of course spontaneous and fits that definition perfectly. Now when the prefix is placed in front of words such as “done” or “assemble” it changes

unplannernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10572808.post-1107682137953836492005-02-04T01:25:00.000-08:002005-02-17T21:41:57.976-08:00

According to the Webster’s dictionary there are six definitions for the word “plan.” Of most interest to us is the first one: “A scheme, program, or method worked out beforehand for the accomplishment of an objective.” Webster’s goes on to elaborate the verb tense of the word for this very definition as “to formulate a scheme or program for the accomplishment, enactment, or attainment of.” Hence

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