Author: The Planning Lady
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Mastering Advocacy: Key Strategies for Effective Policy Influence
The American Planning Association held it’s sixth State Legislative Summit in Des Moines, Iowa this past week. The two-day event began with a morning bootcamp covering strategies and information to successfully lobby and champion good legislation at the state level. By waiting for legislation to pass and report the results, we lose a valuable opportunity…
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Accidental Ecosystems
Book Review Our urban spaces are teeming with life, though we often overlook it. This life isn’t merely human but encompasses an array of flora and fauna, insects and animals, all contributing to a vibrant and complex urban ecosystem. In one of my favorite podcast episodes this year, my co-host Jennifer and I talked with…
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Valuing Historic Preservationists
The foundations of historic preservation are rooted in volunteerism and community activism. The formal profession evolved centuries after the first attempt to save a home, that to the women with extra time to spare felt was a key symbol of our young nation. After those beginnings we moved into a period of organized activism on…
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Historic Preservation: Balancing Restoration and Demolition
In my many years working in the field of historic preservation I have seen some communities commit to preserving as much of their built history as possible, others demolish nearly all of it, and a majority that falls somewhere in between. What I could never understand is how different cities decide when preservation is worth…
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Hawley Hamlets: A Nebraska Eco Village
Building a community around an urban food forests may seem like a European idea, but it is gaining interest here in the U.S. as well. With climate change becoming an imminent concern, some community members are investing in their own communities food security. One example is in the heart of one of the more dense…
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Designing with Local Context
A few weeks ago I attended my first Association of Preservation Technology conference, held in Seattle. One of the keynote speakers at the conference was Yasmeen Lari, winner of the RIBA 2023 Royal Gold Medal. Yasmeen is Pakistan’s first female architect and has done amazing work to bring affordable home building to her home country.…
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My Transportation Story
For an upcoming interview on the Booked on Planning podcast I read Veronica O. Davis’s book Inclusive Transportation which is a quick and impactful read for anyone working in the transportation industry, or just engaging with the public. The reason I found it impactful is she asks her readers to stop and reflect several times…
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Philadelphia’s Iconic Squares
Back in 2017 I wrote a short paper for the International Making Cities Livable Conference titled “A Return to the Town Square.” I spent a lot of time doing research and came up with three case study cities—Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia, Times Square in New York City, and the Railyard in Santa Fe, NM. I…
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Restoring Historic Built In Cabinets: A DIY Guide
My least favorite find in an old home is painted wood. I know it was fashionable at one point and painting it offered a cheap way to freshen up a space, but now that we’re back to seeing the value in bare wood it kills me to see it painted over with multiple layers, the…
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8 Tips For Raising Backyard Chickens
In March of 2022 I bought three Rhode Island Red chickens and set them up in a plastic tote in my basement. I was so excited to raise chickens in the backyard of my city lot and had spent all winter reading and taking notes on what to do or not do. Now that I’m…
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The Planning Lady 