Category Archives: Miscellaneous
Is the Call for “Car-Free” Streets a Good Idea?
by Dom Nozzi Long ago, I was somewhat enthusiastic about “car-free” efforts. However, my view of such efforts has matured since then. It seems to me that car-free advocacy is both premature and counterproductively extreme. As long as the price … Continue reading
Filed under Miscellaneous, Urban Design, Transportation, Walking
Are Robotic Cars a Good Thing?
By Dom Nozzi A friend of mine – who is a dedicated environmentalist, and in agreement with me on a great many issues — recently gushed about how much she was looking forward to the growing advances in cars that … Continue reading
Filed under Miscellaneous, Urban Design, Transportation
Why Do Americans Hate High Residential Densities?
By Dom Nozzi Most Americans dislike density because they are so utterly car-dependent. Since cars consume vast amounts of space, higher density is despised because, by definition, density creates compact, human-scaled spaces. Therefore, it is an awful aggravation to own … Continue reading
Filed under Diet, Miscellaneous, Politics, Sprawl, Suburbia, Urban Design, Transportation
Suggestions for a New Student
by Dom Nozzi, AICP Occasionally, in my work, I will have a young person ask me for a suggestion about what line of study should be pursued for a person seeking an education or degree that would help them find … Continue reading
Filed under Miscellaneous
We are “Pro-Growth”… But Only on Our Terms
We are “Pro-Growth”… But Only on Our Terms By Dom Nozzi Frequently, citizens striving to protect their neighborhood or community quality of life find themselves opposing most, if not all, proposed new developments in their community. And who can blame … Continue reading
Books Dom Read in 2010 and His Recommended Readings
By Dom Nozzi I have always been an obsessive list-maker, as most of my friends have been amused to learn. I make lists of nearly everything. One of the lists I started making about 30 years ago, that I have … Continue reading
Should We Toss Out Our Regulations for Better Community Design?
By Dom Nozzi The most wonderful, timeless neighborhoods and communities in the world were built without regulations or zoning codes. The regulations that did exist were less voluminous and less formalized. By contrast, nearly every detail of new development is … Continue reading
A Curious Profession
By Dom Nozzi City planners toil in a curious profession. The vast majority of the work they do at the office consists of two things. First, they work tirelessly to make it easier to drive a car. They often pride … Continue reading
Filed under Miscellaneous, Urban Design, Transportation
On Being a Persuasive, Effective Town Planner
By Dom Nozzi I have a very bad habit of misleading people into thinking I’m upset or defensive or angry when I write. Even when I speak, my spouse thinks I’m arguing with her, when I’m thinking I’m just having … Continue reading
Filed under Miscellaneous, Politics
Top Ten Urban Design Books
By Dom Nozzi In no particular order, here are the ten best, most influential urban design books that I have ever read. Each of these books changed the course of my life and how I view … Continue reading
