Moved to the suburbs so their children would not have to look at black children? What an assinine statement. More accurately is that people moved to where the good schools are and they do not have to worry about being shot, mugged, robbed or raped. Who wants to live with a self-defeating culture of violence and ignorance? Go for it Larry!

If you mean Los Angeles, Greta, you are correct.

Uncontrolled growth of any kind leads to disaster, or at least to a degree of ugly soulless blight. The key is to control it.

I considered replying to today’s T-D editorial about forgiveable loans.

I think an ownership society and so fogiveable loans is a decent idea, and I agree that one large component of the financial meltdown we are in is lack of self-discipline.  Where I disagree is where the T-D decries zoning based on lot size or dollar amount.

They say it is bad. I say it is the best things since sliced bread because it is backdoor zoning. It enforces some degree of logic to zoning requests. For the longest time, Goochland remained pristine and unspoiled due to its acreage requirements. You could even see the dividing line by simply driving out on 250 to the point where crass Short Pump ends and beautiful Goochland begins.

Affordable housing is just the latest shibboleth designed to give us more housing anarchy like we have in NoVa.  Sure, there should be low income housing, but in areas zoned for such and of a density keyed to traffic patterns and other concerns. It should be “planned” for, not legislated for.

All hail LA! Suburbs in search of a city..

Larry,

Not just flight from minorities alone, particularly considering minorities like suburbs too. 

Flight from blight and overcrowding. 

In fact, if you believe Kotkin, he is essentially saying that he thinks the suburb has so many appealing qualities that it will absorb the city (in a sense) rather than the other way around.

That makes the typical screed on “sprawl” somewhat hypocritical. People write how bad sprawl is but then go back home to the suburbs.  If it’s that bad, why do they live there.

You are correct though, there is a certain poetic justice to it. It isn’t clear how it will sort out either. Some just think we will end up a little more like Europe where there are fewer big cars and more little cars and biodiesel.

I think its poetic justice. The people who built their fortresses miles from the city are the ones getting hit the hardest. They moved way out there because they felt black people were too nasty for their children to look at. NOW they’ll be seriously considering whether or not it is actually worth it—common-sense wise. I love it!!!

Joel Kotkin had something to say on the issue before the gas crisis, namely that he envisions the suburbs becoming more urban and cultural as a trend. Now that the gas crisis has hit add to that vision that suburban areas will be more complete. No need to get in the car to go to the market or see a film.

You don’t see that now in area “planned communities”, or maybe I just don’t give them full due. They put a convenience store and a pharmacy in a cul-de-sac and then call it “pedestrian friendly”. Add a tree and call it “green”. Add a few small office centers that no one can locate on a map (suburban wilderness) in a strip and call it “mixed-use”. I wonder if current planning is realistic or is it just a gimmick to get over on the planning board patsies. 

This is the trend; will probably improve over time. Kotkin would add to it that if you live in a place like the NoVa exurbs you might expect Starbucks and art galleries and trendy stuff, assuming those are not the very Starbucks being cut back right now.  Cut backs can be expected if personal travel is curtailed. If you don’t go out to eat, a business suffers as a result.

Innovations could include minibuses to take people to Walbox for shopping. Massed transit will get a new wind but it seems terribly unsuited for the sprawling neighborhoods typical of Richmond. Bicycles and scooters might work downtown but doubt if they will be safe to travel in the suburbs.

Another trend you might see is more decentralization. Instead of big central warehouses, smaller satellite locations. Instead of big office buildings, work centers that feature connectivity, cubicle supplies, etc. Telecommuting might work if business were to endorse it, but face-to-face is still the norm, no matter what they say, but it could be decentralized all the same.

Will the speculative oil bubble burst ? Possible. Doubt it.

Bacon’s Rebellion quotes CIBC World Markets to note that Saudi oil production increases don’t even begin to match the lessening of oil production worldwide and instability in supplies.

Bacon’s conclusion is that Virginia transportation strategy may need drastic revision. CIBC states that poor Americans will find it increasingly difficult to afford a car, which means current estimates of needs should be revised downwards.

In sum, possible things might go back to normal but highly unlikely. The outlook is we are in the midst of an unpleasant but far-reaching metamorphosis in the way we drive, live, and work.

The LATimes has a breezy (not overly stimulating) but nice writeup:

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-oil28-2008jun28,0,5485259.story?page=1 

By the way, is there any place to complain about the Walter Williams column yesterday ?  He was basically saying that overpopulation is good.  Anyone else notice ?!

Maybe I didn’t get the memo. Overpopulation good. Suburbs bad. Move back to overcrowded Irish tenements we abandoned two centuries ago. Be happy, die young.