Have you heard of Walla Walla? It's a city of 32,000 located in the southeastern region of Washington state, in the Walla Walla valley. Given that it's a fairly secluded place (the closest big cities, Portland and Seattle, are four or more hours away), we wouldn't blame you if it hasn't turned up on your radar.
You should definitely be paying attention to Walla Walla, though, because starting in 2018, it's been quietly adapting zoning changes that have eliminated single-family-only zones.
These changes were prompted by the recognition that the city is growing, but it is unable to grow outward. Walla Walla acknowledged that it must reinvest in itself. So, after a two-year process, the city consolidated its neighborhood zoning districts into one, and reformed the regulations to allow a broad spectrum of neighborhood-friendly uses. The site and development standards have been radically simplified.
On this week's episode of Upzoned, host Abby Kinney and special guest Strong Towns Board Member John Reuter "upzoned" this story—i.e., they look at it through the Strong Towns lens. They discuss why single-family zoning is ultimately unhelpful for the evolution of communities, and look at Walla Walla as a case study for possible alternatives to single-family zoning.
Then, in the downzone, John has been reading about the toll of racism, and Abby just got back from a hiking trip.
Additional Show Notes“Walla Walla: A Washington City Without Single-Family-Only Zoning,” by Stephen Fesler, The Urbanist (July 2021).
Abby Kinney (Twitter)
John Reuter (Twitter)
Theme Music by Kemet the Phantom (Soundcloud)
The Global Energy Crisis Is a Story of Fragility
A Downtown Baseball Stadium in KC: Who Pays?
CDOT‘s Proposal for Transit-Induced Pollution
Let‘s Talk Great Streets
American Cities, Through European Eyes (and Vice Versa)
We Cannot Rely on Large-Scale Development
The Reconnecting Communities Act: What Was Promised Vs. What's Being Delivered
Sustainable Source of Income Snatched Away from Seattle's Black Churches
Where Should We Be Focusing Climate Change Efforts?
COVID Reveals the Unsustainability of Monoculture Downtowns
Condos: American Local Governance in a Nutshell
Mayors Are Turning Talk into Action On Reparations
45,000 Bridges in the U.S. Are 50+ Years Old. And They Are Beginning to Fail.
What Comes Next, When the Freeways Are Gone?
Are Self-Driving Cars a Solution Looking for a Problem?
Strong Towns Filed a Lawsuit—and the Internet Has Been Talking About It
Parking Requirements: Cheaper Driving for Costlier Development
A New Direction for Car-Dependent Orlando?
Scaling Down America
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
The Commercial Edge: Unleash the Power of People
The emPOWERed Half Hour
Social Dallas Podcast
Change Church Podcast
Six Degrees with Kevin Bacon
Advocacy Scoop Podcast
Nonprofits Are Messy: Lessons in Leadership | Fundraising | Board Development | Communications