When I saw “livable cities” it made me think of the publicity campaign our county government embarked upon about 12 years ago. We were self-deemed a “livable community.” While the motto wasn’t wrong - I’ve lived here for 20 years and, indeed, I am alive here, right now - I always thought we could aim higher than “livable.”
“Lancôme: our fragrances are smellable”
So the Qonservatives are conflating the ultra-capitalist smart cities and the green-socialist 15-minute cities. Why do I get the feeling it will be the 15-minute cities that get killed first, then all opposition will disappear?
Some arsehole keeps posting this propaganda through my door, and it is completely detached from reality.
As always, you nailed it!
The big tell is when they say 15 minute cities will “destroy small businesses”. Tbf many small business owners are part of the lobbying that makes any minor proposal to reduce car hegemony have to go through endless “consultation” that the opposite never has to.
They’re also leaping from restrictions on cars (e.g. low traffic neighbourhoods with only one road in and out) to people not being allowed to leave their neighbourhoods. That’s how they get to the idea that villages and neighbourhoods with local shops are “un-British” tyranny.
ETA:
I wonder what Lady Izdihar would have to say about that!
SOMEBODY SAVE US FROM WOKE SIDEWALKS /s
Plus, one wonders if they’ve encountered any modern automobiles, given how ostensibly concerned they are about privacy…
Wait until they find out about how their own party intends to gut data protection legislation as “un-British”.
Which to be fair, it is.
I’ve heard that you can Jerry-rig a rat trap onto your mail slot. Martha Stewart.
How did I miss this thread!
Fellow urbanistas might enjoy this Donald Shoup primer.
(Worth it just for Shoup’s metaphors about free parking.)
This makes me wonder how many studies have been done on how municipalities monetize parking through fees, fines, ticketing, and towing:
In some towns, they are making contracts with companies that replace meters with parking payment kiosks and apps. If they fail, higher costs and/or tickets are the result. Following the profits from all the above might help in identifying the real source of opposition to making towns and cities more walkable, with less dependence on cars and providing lots of parking.
Not gonna lie, whenever any car hegemon is arguing for free on street parking as a right I loudly agree with them and talk about how I want the council to provide me with a shipping container or something outside my house so I can store my records in it. Public is paying to store private property I deserve my share: socialism for the cars, capitalism for the poor.
I’m curious to see how long this lasts. If it spreads to more areas, that would be a good thing!
Presumably related to this thread… (&/or seen IRL), the 12th grader and I were visiting a potential college over the weekend & found ourselves right by this place:
I heard about the place when I was in 5th grade or so (via In the News; remember that?) & turned out our encyclopedia had an article about Soleri. I knew Arcosanti was in AZ but had no idea we’d happen upon it.
There was something very profound about visiting the place, & then I read more about Soleri which fairly much deflated that… 
