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Old Posted Mar 16, 2007, 9:20 PM
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BrianSac BrianSac is offline
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Join Date: Apr 2006
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Quote:
Originally Posted by greenmidtown View Post
That's really funny because my mom's cousin visited us from Stuttgart in Portland and said it reminded him of Germany. Of course he was referring to the geography, forests and hills, rain. I would love for Sac to become something like Stuttgart but that's really a pipe dream. Europe just has the right mentality, community instinct, and willingness to tax for the benefit of all that we'll never have. I think even for Sac to reach Portland's level of urban planning will be a long, uphill struggle. People are really involved in local politics up their. Politicians and suburbanites alike fear Portland's urban core and capitulate willingly to their demands. Like the recent sky tram they finished building at a cost of I think 60 million dollars! We're just trying to get light-rail to the airport, streetcars, high-rise condos, a denser urban core; these are all things Portland already has and then some. We struggle to get freeways cutting through the urban core converted into streets in this city, how do we expect to set our city apart from auto-centric anytown USA if we don't even take the smallest risks?
Ya, I know, i was not serious, Stuttgart is light years ahead of us. Its not possible to have what they have in this century.

Our suburbs are already built.

Our model cities should be Portland, first, Denver, Second. Maybe Salt Lake, but have not been there recently.

Can you think of other cities we can/should take notes from?

Other note: How many think CEQA is the golden ticket for anti-development advocates. Should we modify CEQA? Is CEQA untouchable? How would we change it?


Does Portland have CEQA like hurdles to overcome and if so, how do they get things done? Honestly, Portland didn't do anything for me. I dont know anyone there, anymore, he moved to Seattle.... so that may be why I dont get Portland....need to visit again.

The cities that I like have a special cool energy about them, you just love to be in them, i.e., NYC, LA (despite the cars and suburbs), SF, Seattle, New Orleans (pre-katrina), Chicago, Miami Beach, etc.....Portland just doesnt have that energy, despite its greenery, hills, rivers. I'd like to think that Sacramento could be more than that.
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