Potential Raleigh

Ideas and opinions on Raleigh urban issues from @davidlbrown4 while living in London, UK

[Alicia, Courtyard Urbanist @UrbanCourtyard]

By providing residents convenient access to a private (but shared), car-free yard where children can safely play, courtyard blocks are ideal housing for families, who can enjoy both the “big yard” of the suburbs and the walkability, density, and convenience of the city.

[Potential Raleigh @potentialral]

@_dmoser Can we plan bulldoze most North American cities and build Paris?

[Potential Raleigh @potentialral]

@oevans82 And electric trolley buses are an excellent fit for transit buses. All-day service on static routes!

[Potential Raleigh @potentialral]

@Cobylefko Wellington House, London SW19 by @MATT_architect

[Potential Raleigh @potentialral]

@OakCityCRE The main difference is that the left pic had a large plot of undeveloped land owned by a single developer, rather than a bunch of individually owned parcels with houses on them already

[Potential Raleigh @potentialral]

@OakCityCRE @JWDemby If this was a nice 4-plex, then one $300k home could become 4 $300k homes…

[Potential Raleigh @potentialral]

@ShellStationsUK Please don’t. This is a poor use of land and the shift to EV should be an opportunity for us to rethink use of space in our cities that has been dedicated to cars…

[Potential Raleigh @potentialral]

@oevans82 @OaksAndSpokes A city-wide streets plan would be one of the best activities a planning department could undertake that is rarely done

[Potential Raleigh @potentialral]

@oevans82 @NC_By_Train I wonder if they extended the Piedmont service west to Gastonia and east to Clayton and then all the counties contributed their commuter train funds to the state to modernise the fleet and run one giant statewide regional rail service?

[Potential Raleigh @potentialral]

What if BRT just became the standard, where most (all?) bus routes had frequent service, dedicated lanes, and good stop/station facilities et al?

[America Walks @americawalks]

"Every time you improve a street, you can improve it for everyone."

[Potential Raleigh @potentialral]

@HeadwaysMatter @WakeTransit

[M. Nolan Gray 🥑 @mnolangray]

Minimum lot sizes are the most underrated element of the exclusionary zoning triangle. Parking mandates and apartment bans are bad, but in most cities, you'll get mass-produced affordable housing via oneplexes on small lots before you get it via zero-parking midrise or duplexes.

[Potential Raleigh @potentialral]

Eliminate exclusively single-family zoning

[Potential Raleigh @potentialral]

Eliminate parking minimums

[Potential Raleigh @potentialral]

@YIMBYDurham @UNC_System @HabitatNC Just as long as they are not greenfield SFRs!

[Potential Raleigh @potentialral]

@_jcaruso That said, why spend the money to build it at all if you aren’t going to run regular all-day service which would actually generate ridership? That’s the problem that we haven’t had answered yet...

[Potential Raleigh @potentialral]

@_jcaruso The only argument I can make is that if we get it built, it *should* be easier to add service down the line. If the project gets killed then it’s another wasted opportunity and many years until the next one...

[Potential Raleigh @potentialral]

@_jcaruso @RaleighGov All free

[Potential Raleigh @potentialral]

@_jcaruso @RaleighGov And then minimum lot sizes