Category Archives: Cities

Placebook: Is North Carolina Ready for A Vehicle Mileage Tax?

April 2, 2014 Kristen Jeffers

My car parked. Will it be parked more because of potential new VMT? — My car parked. Will it be parked more because of a potential new VMT?

Yesterday I linked to an article that mentioned that the NC DOT has decided to study the implementation of a Vehicle Mileage Tax (VMT). I thought it was an April Fools joke. I was wrong. For those of you out of the loop, this is a tax collected by a meter either placed on your car or along roadways to register how many miles you drive. You then pay taxes based on how much you drive. This would replace the fuel tax that we currently pay at the pump and raise more money for transportation needs.

While this has become the preferred method of taxing drivers of many of my urbanist and good governance friends, I’m concerned that we as a state just aren’t quite ready to make the switch. First of all, we don’t have reasonable alternatives to driving in 90% of the state. The kinds of folks who would avoid this tax by not driving tend to be affluent or at least not burdened by having an extra or higher tax, work at home, or within walking distance from their jobs. Yet, many of the jobs that pay low, such as restaurants and warehouses, as well as many offices that pay a normal wage and require daily attendance, require a significant drive. While gas prices would drop under this plan, the taxes would be shifted and possibly increase under this plan, causing pain to even those who are somewhat well off, but not able to absorb a higher tax bill.

Which wouldn’t be so bad, if all that new tax money went to creating and strengthening transit, putting in more sidewalks and even to incentives for offices and other non-industrial grade businesses to move into easily walkable areas, so that people don’t have to drive as much. I however, don’t trust the state government in its current iteration to funnel the money properly. The article alludes to the state government considering this tax only because we are in budget shortfall for our current vehicle-related tax methods. Also, we are just adjusting to toll roads, and that’s in the populous and relatively affluent cities of the state. This tax could essentially turn every road into a toll road, in a time where salaries and wages are not keeping pace with our expenses. Things could change, as this measure is studied and tested, but right now, if it were implemented today, I believe it would be an extra burden.

And with that, today’s news:

Wake County Schools has filed suit to recover 1 million dollars of bond money from Wake County.

The state feels confident that the food stamp backlog is behind them. Guilford’s DSS named an interim director and also criticized the state for sending mixed messages about whether or not the backlog is really gone.

The City of Greensboro will not appeal to the state utilities commission to get their tree ordinance back. Everything else that happened last night can be found by searching for #gsopol on Twitter.

What’s going on in the Triad area restaurant and food scene.

Suggestions on how High Point can remain an events center year-round.

Wilmington residents are picketing for higher firefighter and police salaries.

Managers at the Hamilton Forest owned by N.C. State University may have violated the Clean Water Act.

A Southern Season is still planning to come to Charlotte.

The DOT has hired a firm to count ballots placed in a vote to determine whether or not to build noise walls on Charlotte’s I-277.

UNCG’s new pedestrian tunnel under the railroad bridge has opened. UNC-Chapel Hill has opened a new imaging research building.

Citizens and police assess Fayetteville’s Massey Hill Neighborhood, which as soon as ten years ago was ground zero for major crime activity.

Durham’s Parkwood Volunteer Fire Department has fired its chief and is restructuring as it’s been threatened with budget cuts.

Cumberland County Schools will eliminate 80 jobs next year, 50 of those teaching. New Hanover County Schools has established its teacher tenure process.

Durham’s Human Relations Commission is nearing the end of its investigation into Durham police tactics.

A former Durham school board member has suspended his legal action after losing in a runoff election, that has raised questions about the election process for school board leaders.

Harnett County Commissioners have stopped their legal action against a local shooting range.

If statewide film incentives are not increased, it may cause the loss of 4,000 jobs, according to a recent study.

Brunswick County Schools may change their daily start times for students.

A Wilmington man will be helping plant the White House Kitchen Garden.

And finally, North Carolina natives, let us be proud of how we talk.

Cities, Cityreads

Placebook: Upside Down City

April 1, 2014 Kristen Jeffers

So this is what I woke up to this morning. Happy April Fools right? The city is upside down!!!!

You know I’m kidding, but I want to be serious for a moment. There are a lot of cities that are upside down financially, spiritually and even physically. Physically, they look more fallen in, but that is still bad. Things are out of order. There are poverty and per capita income numbers that you wish were jokes, but they aren’t. Schools are failing. Youth of age are leaving. Companies aren’t coming any more and the ones that were there are shutting down. People have sicknesses that just don’t happen in cities that are right-side up.

Can these cities be turned right side up? Only time will tell. But today, despite all the jokes and tricks, I’m going to have faith in all the upside down cities.

And now, your very real news:

Greensboro City Council meets tonight at 5:30. More details here.

The Guilford County Department of Social Service director resigned, after fixing a backlog of food stamp applications that almost cost the state 88 million in federal money. However, there were other pieces of this backlog that weren’t fixed that may cost the state the funds after all.

The DOT is considering taxing North Carolina drivers by miles driven. It could raise the DOT $465 million.

A Moral Monday town hall meeting was held in Eden over the coal ash spill.

A meeting yesterday between Greensboro City Council officials and the civil rights museum was heated.

The infamous Greensboro billboard has struck again, this time making fun of Charlotte’s ex mayor.

Moving downtown? how about throwing a parade like this company did in Winston-Salem.

The latest quasi-secret “Project”? Project Foresight, which will be somewhere between High Point and Kernersville and be some sort of warehouse.

All of us baseball fans greeted Opening Day with a lively play ball yesterday; when the Greensboro Grasshoppers step to the mound on Thursday, it will be their tenth season in their downtown ballpark.

Winston-Salem City Council has decided to consider putting a $175 million bond issue on the ballot in the fall. They will also vote on April 7 about the funding arrangement between them and their minor-league baseball team, the Dash.

Charlotte City Council has postponed their vote to replace the mayor.

The EPA has slammed the DENR over the terms of their deal for Duke Energy to settle the Dan River coal ash spill.

Although approved by city leaders, the I-26 connector in Asheville has not been funded yet. One possible scenario.

Asheville City Schools are interviewing finalists for their next superintendent.

Five reasons that Wilmington may not have outlet malls.

What Wilmington officials are doing to curb gang violence.

The Wilmington Housing Authority will miss a $1.15 million dollar deadline to pay on a piece of land that has languished in their care for years.

The Fayetteville City Council has ordered sewer access expanded by 100 homes. Cumberland County officials are asking for help from those with arsenic in their septic systems to develop a solution.

A food truck in Lumber Bridge must move, since he is on state property. However, it’s also the busiest intersection in the town.

And finally, downtown Raleigh restaurants are upset that a weekly food truck rodeo is not taking a break for Mother’s Day.

Cities, Cityreads

Placebook: Oh Lamb, Where Are You?

March 31, 2014 Kristen Jeffers

So for what it’s worth, March is ending like a lamb. The lights are on and the wind is a warm wind. There’s no snow on the ground and the snow that shows up is snow flurries. Wind in March is normal. The trees are blooming and it’s supposed to be 81 in two days. Which will be in April, but that’s beside the point. I want to thank you again for another wonderful month of Placebook’s Daily News. If you are seeing this on the website, be sure to subscribe to the email. If this is the email, thanks for reading and please forward and share with your friends. And now, the news:

Greensboro City Council members will decide on Tuesday whether or not to go forward on the loan of funds to the International Civil Rights Museum and Center. The rest of Tuesday night’s city council agenda.

Charlotte will host the first Tiny House Convention this coming weekend.

North Carolina had more job losses than any state in February.

Charlotte City Council will meet to determine who will be appointed mayor today.

Decent pay and decent housing is a struggle in Asheville, but some folks are finding a way to build homes , authors have a few presses that can publish their books and people have a new place to fix their bikes. Could a land trust be part of the solution for housing and land use in Asheville?

The latest in the race for Buncombe County District Attorney.

Lowes Foods has started buying more food from local farmers.

The Rockingham County Courthouse will now accept credit and debit cards.

Kernersville is looking at property for a new library.

How Winston-Salem/Forsyth County schools are facing their budget challenges for the upcoming year.

The Guilford County food stamp backlog has dropped dramatically, thanks to state workers working overtime over the weekend to fix it. If they hadn’t, 88 million dollars for the program would have been lost.

Greensboro’s Old J.C. Price school demolition has started.

Concerns are rising about unaffiliated voters, and attorneys fighting voter ID in court are accusing the state of withholding documents.

Panhandlers may be uncomfortable, but they only expose reality, according to this News and Record editorial.

The Eastern end of the Mountains to Sea trail is set to be developed this year.

Environmentalists have joined the opposition to development on the Guilford County prison farm.

Duke Energy is trying to keep its records away from the public.

The NC Zoo turns 40 this year and there will be two new exhibits to celebrate.

Popular and legendary Raleigh bar Fat Daddy’s closed this weekend.

The News and Observer calls for more parks in Raleigh amidst the new skyscrapers.

What businesses are opening and expanding in the Durham area.

Durham will continue to help run the Carolina Theater in downtown Durham, but not the Parkwood Volunteer Fire Department.

Cumberland County Manager James Martin retires today after 44 years in local government and 13 as manager.

Wilmington’s added several fashion trucks to their food trucks.

Most of Wilmington’s crime happens within a mile of public housing complexes, prompting residents to ask how to know a neighborhood is safe.

And finally, Wilmington will remove a pump station that looks like a bad mashup of Oscar the Grouch and R2-D2.

Cities, Cityreads, placemaking

Placebook: What I Learned when the Piedmont Came Together

March 28, 2014 Kristen Jeffers

I like to think that I’m the only one in the room or at least the local blogosphere writing the way I write and caring the way I do about what makes a city great. I wrestle all the time with how to name the industry I work in, how to portray how I live my life and to tell my city and its various civic and government organizations how they can help make things better. Yet, days like yesterday reminded me that I am nowhere near along in my pursuit. Between having some of my out-of-town urbanist friends here (and sharing the stage with one), to seeing the end of an innovative grant, to observing all three major city mayors and a few key planning officials making serious statements about changes, I felt really good after yesterday’s Piedmont Together summit. Also, if you want more recaps, information and to view presentations from yesterday, go here.

Yet, it also helps me see what I can continue to do. I hope that these weekday emails, as well as social media postings, articles and my speaking and longform writing can help maintain momentum around here to keep making things better, for transit, for housing, for food and especially for jobs and our economy. I will continue to do what I can, but realize all I have is my story and the ability to share stories and assist with implementation efforts. I can create visions and plans too, but someone has to listen and all hands have to be on deck to implement.

And now the news to start your weekend:

NCSU and NCCU join the many colleges and universities that have started food banks for students on campus.

According to the Census numbers from 2012-2013, all 12 metro areas are growing faster than the country as a whole, and it’s almost all from migration from our rural towns.

Jude Ned Mangum will serve as Wake County’s interim DA.

Charlotte’s mayor could pin all his troubles on commercial real estate developers.

The website Movoto now has its “need-to-know” list for those moving to Winston-Salem and it’s also very positive.

The Guilford School Board voted to waive make-up days, reboot the Amplify tablet program and to purchase the former Catholic school in High Point for its The Academy at High Point Central.

The Guilford County commissioners also voted last night to change how they will fund the school system, tying the base budget to property taxes and numbers of students in the system. They will adopt next year’s school budget in the coming months.

The ACC Tournament will be in Greensboro in 2015 and 2020 and Charlotte in 2019.

It is unknown when the new downtown Greensboro hotels will start construction.

The PTI Airport bridge project is on schedule, but won’t begin until 2016. The state interviewed potential builders this week.

Greensboro City Council met in closed session to discuss what’s next for the tree-trimming law, part of which was struck down by the State Utilities Commission.

Guilford County has until Monday to fix its food stamp application backlog or else it will lose $88 million in federal money for administrative support for the program.

The Greensboro City Attorney, at the request of a resident, has found that it is in fact legal for the city to ban saggy pants on buses, and at bus stops, including the Depot.

State agencies have been asked by the governor to cut budgets again.

Eighteen North Carolina rural municipalities have won infrastructure grants from the NC Rural Infrastructure Authority.

Wake County Schools shifts how it does school assignments.

Raleigh businesses want the city to rewrite its new sign rules.

Fayetteville and Cumberland County leaders want to expand public transit throughout the whole county.

Half of Cumberland County’s teachers have rejected the new state teaching contract.

The NC Port Authority has a new executive director.

New Hanover County leaders are set to review a report on the economy and jobs in their region.

A Wilmington fire station gets a new rain garden.

Greenville’s homeless shelter is expanding.

Greenville is also considering a Human Relations Commission.

Morrisville Town Council has voted to fund improvements to its Northwest Park. Morrisville’s transportation commission is asking for more road funding. Apex will open its nature park on Saturday.

Cary’s Creative Reuse Center is outgrowing its space.

Some of the voter registration challenges brought forward by Buncombe County citizens groups are moving forward.

UNC-Asheville and Shaw University are named as least valuable colleges by The Atlantic.

And finally, the Charlotte city manager and executive staff wants the public to know that no other officials engage in “pay-to-play” tactics.

Charlotte, Cities, Cityreads

Placebook:That Kind of Attention, but Still Not Those Kind of People

March 27, 2014 Kristen Jeffers

Charlotte Mayor Patrick Cannon. Via the Charlotte Observer. — Charlotte Mayor Patrick Cannon. Via the *Charlotte Observer*.

Normally, the types of people and things that I report about don’t make front page news. Well, sometimes in the News and Record, but I digress.

And this is the point where I will stop and shamelessly plug my Twitter and Instagram accounts @blackurbanist, where you can find live tweets and photos from today’s Piedmont Together seminar. I’m on the program again, playing myself, well, the version that advocates for transit and writes Placebook’s Daily News every weekday just for you. If you love reading this and keep missing it because it doesn’t show up on social media often enough, subscribe to our email.

Meanwhile, back to the subject at hand. Chicago and sometimes New York and Cleveland get attention for big time city bribes and corruption deals. You know the kind, the kind profiled in American Hustle. Charlotte gets attention for being slow and southern. Well, it used to. Now, along with light rail and snarling traffic, IKEA, pro teams, major consumer financial operations and lots of expensive apartments and homes, Charlotte has a disgraced mayor.

So does that make us, us meaning the South, equal? Probably not. When Atlanta had its issues over the snow, people just laughed. However, when many of our leaders begin to show the same propensities, do we on the home front just sit back and scoff and laugh? Or do we highlight the people, on the ground and many times still in the city halls, the county courthouses and other government and office buildings that just know to do the right thing.

Think on this issue, but remember, do right by your community, always. The rest of the news:

On this list, Rocky Mount is one of the nation’s smallest dangerous cities.

Someone may get kicked off Downtown Greensboro, Inc.’s board.

More on Greensboro’s Gate City Boulevard’s new zoning restrictions.

What Governor McCrory was like in college.

North Carolina’s part of the federal transportation fund could dry up this summer.

The City of High Point is looking to improve the High Point Theater.

The Guilford County School Board may vote tonight on purchasing a former Catholic school to expand one of its magnet high school programs. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools parents have several new school options for their children next fall.

Buncombe, Henderson and Jackson County lead all population growth in Western North Carolina in the past three years.

Asheville is one of USA Today’s six small cities with an awesome food scene.

The City of Fayetteville has forced the auction of the Prince Charles Hotel.

New apartments in Wilmington are expected to ease the demand for multi-family spaces in the city.

And finally, what should North Carolina’s new slogan be?

Cities, Cityreads, media

Placebook: The Optimistic Southerner

March 26, 2014 Kristen Jeffers

Today I ran across an article that captured the essence of why I’m out here writing this page, and developing an even bigger platform. Essentially, to tell the story of the citified Southerner. Like these guys and also these guys, I’m trying to tell a different, but valid story. Of the Southerners we all know. The Southerners that are usually black or white, but increasingly Hispanic or Asian, from an Arabic country or the jungles of Vietnam. The Southerners that because they open their mouths and sprout out intelligent things through the twang are an object of shock and awe. The Southerners that consume sushi one night and then fried chicken or bone-in fried fish with their hands the next. And of course, we defy all stereotypes, including the ones I mentioned here.

I’m linking to this article one more time just to make sure you pay attention. And for those of you who are fellow citified or even just dignified on the farm Southerners, be proud. And as our friend Killer Mike says on another part of that very page, give back to your community. And in my special way of giving back, I give you the news:

There will be a DuckHead store in downtown Greensboro, along with the relocated corporate headquarters of Prospect Brands.

An outside law firm has determined that the $750,000 loan from the City of Greensboro to the International Civil Rights Museum and Center was valid despite the lack of signature on the contract.

The Greensboro City Council has formed a committee on East Greensboro. The meetings are open to the public and the next one will be held at 4 p.m. on April 17th.

This News and Observer editorial on outgoing Raleigh planning director Mitchell Silver captures perfectly what many of us feel about him moving up and us losing him as a leader in planning in the state. Also nice, these editorials on the RDU Airport land and the Raleigh mayor’s speechthat focused on transit and transportation.

Beloved Raleigh barbecue joint Clyde Coopers will reopen with some of its original touches right around the corner, while making way for a new mixed-used development in downtown Raleigh.

New apartments are planned on South Elm-Eugene Street in Greensboro, near the I-85 interchange.

A report has confirmed that Wilmington’s roads are in bad shape. However a food truck rodeo was successful and raised money for local nonprofits, and a troubled housing community is improving.

Cumberland County Commissioners are working on a plan for the arsenic-tainted wells in one community.

The Lumbee Tribal Council is questioning a loan to purchase the North Carolina Indian Cultural Center and only has two weeks to make a decision before the opportunity is given to the general public to purchase.

Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools has revealed their teacher tenure plan. Wake County Schools will hold off on introducing its behavior grade system.

Charlotte-area residents spend over 40 hours in traffic a year according to a study commissioned by an organization that supports highway construction. This same organization presented statewide figures on cost savings from repaired roads and pushed for more road projects statewide.

Charlotte home prices have also increased by 7.2% in January.

The Asheville City Council has approved the I-26 connector route. In addition, the City of Asheville is set to explain all the new rules for zoning and planning along Haywood Road, which includes an area dedicated to live-work spaces and smaller setbacks to the road for new buildings. Water rates may also go up in Asheville.

Popular Asheville eatery White Duck Taco will open it’s second location later this spring. The Asheville VA will also open more clinics.

Governor McCrory has requested federal storm recovery money.

And finally, not really urbanist related, but the Durham Bulls will be dressed up as R2-D2 for their May 4th game. And the Winston-Salem Dash has been purchased by the owners of the Chicago White Sox, which will also ensure the lease of the ballpark from the City of Winston-Salem is extended and allows the ballpark to not draw on taxpayer funds for maintenance.

Cities, Cityreads, Housing

Placebook: War Zones and Playgrounds

March 25, 2014 Kristen Jeffers

Arial View of Playground. Image via The Transom. — Arial View of Playground. Image via *The Transom*.

What do we make of what I think is the real challenge presented by gentrification? That is, if people see the areas they are moving into or have lived in as war zones or playgrounds or both? For context, I define a war zone as an area where either residents are punished or sometimes killed while going about their daily business. Examples would be areas that are violent gang zones, areas where people live near toxic chemicals and areas where a neighbor is some form of nuisance. I define a playground in this sense as an area where people go to have fun, whether they are adults or children. Also, the area may have started as a war zone, but thanks to the desire of others to make it a playground, that’s precisely what it has become. I am not bemoaning areas of pleasure here, I just want us to think about those juxtapositions.

In the cover story of this month’s The Atlantic, the bulk of the story refers to The Land, a playground for children in the UK that is full of things that we would see in a toxic dump or a war zone. The premise of building this park came from ideas originally sprouted after World War II times, to help children where bombs and other tools of war made regular neighborhoods look like this area. The modern version of the idea was to also create a space for children to learn how to be resilient and appreciate areas of danger, not run away or say they can’t conquer them. This article on The Transom goes even deeper and has more imagery, sound and observes as one is being built. There’s also a documentary and it’s mentioned in both stories. (Image above is from The Transom)

This very interesting use of public space has me asking even more questions. Are my definitions of war zones and playgrounds off base? Could they be one in the same and be productive? Of course we want more areas that are more like playgrounds, but life does challenge us, especially our practice of placemaking. What can we learn from putting two opposite ideas together, in more adult areas of our communities. Think on that with me, as you read today’s news and other views:

The North Carolina Association of Educators (NCAE) has a new leader, from Ohio.

Winston-Salem City Council has put its support behind an east-west streetcar route connecting points through and near downtown.

Changes are coming to the state’s driver’s education program.

Forsyth County has approved an architect for the Winston-Salem central library and an amphitheater at Triad Park in Kernersville.

There are questions to the legality of Guilford County Schools June 16 makeup day.

The City of Greensboro is holding a food drive for those who lost food when power was lost during the last major winter storm.

Farmers around the Dan River ash spill met to discuss its impacts on them and their crops Monday night.

The Charlotte City Council has approved a new uptown office and residential tower development.

Apartment rents in Asheville and Wilmington have been deemed unaffordable by this years Out of Reach report, the annual national report released by the National Low Income Housing Center. Here is the full North Carolina report on housing affordability.

If you didn’t know it already (or have met one or two with your car) expect a lot of potholes until they are patched in the spring.

Raleigh mayor Nancy McFarlane pushes transit and design issues in her State of the City speech.

Pittsboro’s Board of Commissioners is still seeking answers on what the impact of Chatham Park, a development that will significantly increase the size of the town, will be.

Cities, Cityreads, placemaking

Placebook: Heroes and Sheroes of Placemaking

March 24, 2014 Kristen Jeffers

We Are All Wonderwomen! Print by The Saturn Twins Art Shop, which you can purchase here.

Who are the heroes and sheroes of placemaking? Are they our leaders and planners who draw up maps and synthesize the findings of community meetings? Are they the community members themselves who come out to meetings and offer encouragement and criticism? I seem to think everyone is capable of being a hero or shero of place. While we celebrate as our leaders climb greater heights and also look back on their careers, let’s look to ourselves and see how we can make our communities a better place for today. And with that, today’s news:

Greensboro leaders are proposing major changes to our bus system, including a fare increase and service cuts.

How college campus blue light towers have managed to survive the cell phone age.

The available at-large Guilford County Commissioners seat is pitting former colleagues against each other.

Half of North Carolina’s counties are eligible for summer food assistance for children from the USDA.

The National Register of Historic Places has added ten new North Carolina sites.

A new bike shop in Mt. Airy is doubling as a museum and art gallery.

Zaycon Foods of Washington State promises online-ordering and fresh bulk meat delivery to 48 states, including North Carolina.

Places that the New York Times missed when they did their 36-hours in Raleigh.

What a local Greensboro developer believes is the solution to Greensboro’s food deserts.

The City of Greensboro has waived yard waste restrictions until all storm debris can be picked up from the storms of last month.

Why the State DOT reduced the speed limit of US 74A in the mountains.

The Asheville City Council will discuss the controversial I-26 connector at its next meeting.

The Buncombe Cultural Alliance hopes to create a new Asheville-wide arts collaboration.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools will vote to approve the new tenure plan after all.

Storing coal ash at the Charlotte-Douglas airport has been deemed better than the ponds and a plan for that will be presented to the Charlotte City Council today.

Charlotte’s plan for apartments to house those currently homeless has been proven effective by a new study.

Wilmington business owners and leaders are discussing a minimum wage hike. They are also discussing why government decision-making is slow and how to speed it up.

Fayetteville’s Crown Center will become the Crown Complex, has launched a new website and promoted staffers under its new private management, brought in by former managers Cumberland County.

Raleigh’s new parks plan has been released. In case you missed it above, Raleigh’s in the search for a new director of planning. RDU Airport has extra acreage that airport leaders are seeking to develop into hotels and other real estate properties.

Durham’s East End Connector will start construction soon, after years of negotiations.

And finally, what The Economist thinks of our state government and our governor.

Cities, Cityreads, Family and Place

Placebook: For Every Sunset, A Sunrise

March 21, 2014 Kristen Jeffers

What do we say when we are on the cusp of change, but not quite there yet? When we wonder if we’ve really messed our city or town up for good with a decision we made, either on the large-scale as an elected official or on the small-scale when that family member or friend decides to excommunicate you for something you did. Do you pack up your bags and move on, thinking that you’ll never get elected again or your dad won’t forgive you and turn the family back around for you? Are you forever doomed to be the black sheep? Not smart enough? Not in the target demographic or shopper profile?

Over the past 48 hours, I’ve been in rooms and had conversations with people over what their neighborhoods should look like, what their organizations are really doing in the community and for the community, what our transportation should or could look like and even whether or not we are a good enough city to come back home to and recommend to our friends.

And at the end of all of this, it all comes back to one thing: resilience. Resilience encompasses an open mind for change, despite the fact that there may be more failures than successes. Your neighbors will want different things, but you find something that you all like and makes the neighborhood attractive for both new and old residents. Poor have chances to become rich and have the homes the want, even if it takes a few false starts after a long period of unemployment or incarceration.Your company may not make money in its first few quarters here and same store sales might look puny at first. Those companies come to realize that growth is not just financial, but social and cultural too. Organizations and elected officials that were at odds decide to partner on big civic projects, risk their election years and sometimes realize that all that might be needed is a little vision and hope in their own minds and hearts. People fall in love with people, as friends, not as pawns or trophies or after they’ve decided that they need to settle down. The friendship is not a power struggle or an ego trip, but an honest exchange between two friends, who happen to be in love, either romantically or like father or daughter, sister and brother. Families love each other for who they are and what they can be, even though they may continue to fail a bit.

Resilience is the heart of what makes a city attractive, malleable, lovable and eternal. It’s not easy to forgive, forget and push forward. However, it ensures that for every sunset, there’s a sunrise to follow.

Chew on that this weekend, along with this news:

These three stories from the SynerG panel on rezoning and how it affected the Greensboro Trader Joe’s decision.

What Action Greensboro does have planned right now.

Don’t expect Greensboro’s Dixie apartments to survive the redevelopment of their block. What some of those tenants feel about losing their home. Also not surviving, the Zenke House, which will be demolished on Monday.

Business are concerned about the changes on Lee Street and High Point Road in Greensboro.

The City of Greensboro says it’s not picking on the civil rights museum.

While Greensboro debates restrictions on panhandlers, a couple street corner vendors in Winston-Salem are holding dance offs.

The Guilford County courts now accept credit cards.

The General Assembly is taking another look at its teacher tenure law.

There is a 6.5 millon dollar funding gap for Raleigh’s new Union Station.

A consultant hired by High Point business and tourism leaders has recommended against a downtown road diet.

Triad City Beat wants to know what downtown Greensboro project is the most important and the Triad Business Journal asks what North Carolina brands are the most important nationally.

The Bobcats and the Charlotte tourism authority want 41 million dollars of improvement monies from the city of Charlotte.

The Charlotte-Douglass Airport commissioners toured all the new facilities at the airport yesterday, even though they can’t yet run the airport.

Asheville-based Tupelo Honey Cafe is expanding into Atlanta.

Fayetteville and Cumberland County are considering reviving their youth council as a more political board that addresses concerns of students and teens. Cumberland County municipalities are also petitioning the Pentagon to not remove the 440th Airlift Wing from Fort Bragg.

Oak Island officials are considering limits to house sizes.

Pender County’s consolidation of its health and human service departments continues to be tenuous.

New Hanover County has boosted its transit funding.

The Wake County District Attorney is going back into private practice.

And finally, the Durham community is rallying around North Carolina Central’s first men’s NCAA basketball tournament appearance.

Cities, Cityreads, urbanism

Placebook: Road Runner Urbanism

March 20, 2014 Kristen Jeffers

Areas that sprawl, but have several centers of culture, vibrant human-scaled places, and housing that’s cheap, but on the periphery of town create what I like to call a Road-Runner Urbanism. Essentially, to recreate what some people get in a few city blocks, those of us in sprawling cities must jump in our cars and speed from place to place, especially if it’s two or three happy hours or community meetings and they are all starting at different times, but on different sides of town. Everyone, even those in bigger cities, can relate to the shuffle of getting to work, picking up kids or dry cleaning or both and then trying to make a meeting. Many times, it doesn’t happen and I didn’t get to all the places I planed to go to last night. Sometimes that makes me feel like I was inches from being crushed by the Coyote’s anvil. It also illustrates why density, better transit headways and a lot of other people-scaled and paced things need to happen to make our communities stronger. Fortunately, I can at least bring together some news from across the state, all in one place, and possibly in the palm of your hand or on your screen:

Downtown Greensboro’s Green Bean Coffeehouse is becoming a chain, opening their second location at Greensboro’s Golden Gate Shopping Center. In addition, the shopping center is under new management and will be renovated.

The City of Greensboro may strengthen its panhandling restrictions.

Apparently 1 million dollars can buy you about 8,000 square feet of a home in Raleigh and 10,000 square feet in Charlotte.

Speaking of square feet, I along with others learned just how much room is in this old Sears Distribution Center in Greensboro yesterday. Also, anyone who’s interested should come to the design workshops at the Lewis Recreation Center at either 9:30 or 4 p.m. They are only a couple hours long and we’ll be discussing residential and transportation changes along Lawndale Drive. On Saturday morning, at 9:30 all the ideas from yesterday and today’s session will be presented. (Yes this is a work thing for me too. However, it’s something I’m excited to see discussed and happen for the city). Also, please report any potholes, as well as malfunctioning street lamps, broken street signs and flooded storm water drains here.

The Union County Commissioners and School Boards are arguing over what parts of school system operations belong to either group.

Aldi will open a new store in Weaverville.

A lawyer for the General Assembly states that charter schools should be disclosing employee pay and other activities that they have been hiding, due to being funded by the state.

Appalachian State University has named its first female chancellor.

People requesting an absentee ballot will now have to fill out a special form and return it to their county board of elections.

Winston-Salem police is increasing the use of body cameras.

Rockingham County will be reorganizing how and who does official economic development.

Forsyth County has sold its old courthouse to a developer who will convert it to apartments and bought the Reynolda Manor Branch library building.

Developers are itching to add more apartments to Raleigh’s Hillsborough Street. Developers will be building apartments along Wilmington’s Port City Marina.

Why North Carolina and the nation need small banks.

Wrightsville Beach has changed its parking fees.

The Wilmington Housing Authority is facing a budget shortfall.