The Value of “Good Enough Urbanism”

In the urbanist blogosphere, there's a lot of discussion about "getting density right" -- the art and science of designing good urban space and codifying those qualities in zoning.

Today at Strong Towns blog, Andrew Burleson has something interesting to add. Burleson says many of our cities have been so profoundly weakened that, short of bulldozing and starting over, they will never be "perfect." A zoning code that attempts to produce a perfect urban environment may not be the right path forward in such a case. What really matters, according to Burleson, is whether a space attracts people. Sometimes places that draw people in are less than perfect from an urban design perspective, Burleson says, and that's OK:

Burleson compares two places: a Milwaukee gas station "hidden" by a corner building that has design qualities espoused by urbanists, which is still surrounded by a terrible walking environment; and a Houston restaurant that is lacking from a design perspective but is still very successful as an urban place. Burleson says we can apply these ideas to our imperfect cities to help promote real change:

Elsewhere on the Network today: The Bicycle Alliance of Washington prepares for a big vote that could slow traffic considerably on neighborhood streets around the state. Portland Transport reports that the city is preparing to vote on new, impressively low parking minimums. And NRDC Switchboard explains why the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) is the "most important law you've never heard of."