Articles and op-eds

Kim Tanzer explains why she believes Commissioner Eastman's lot-size proposal is "not at all sensible"...

Former Mayor Aaron Green argues that, “Mayor Poe and The Sun continue to state that these policies were racist and were designed to keep Black families from living in white neighborhoods. Nothing could be further from the truth.”

The Alachua Chronicle’s Jennifer Cabrera reports on the City Plan Board’s June 23 meeting, which included various efforts to increase population density near downtown Gainesville.

Mayor Lauren Poe maintains that the City’s 1958 zoning code “sought to maintain racial segregation that was no longer allowed by law.”

The Alachua Chronicle’s Jennifer Cabrera reports on the City’s June 21, 2022 workshop, which was attended by nearly 100 residents.

Pam and Casey Fitzgerald write in advance of City of Gainesville Commission workshop, alerting residents about proposed zoning changes.

Letters to the Editor on the topic of written by Ken McGurn, Ted Nichols, Jeanne Galligan, David Jenkins, Ethan Howick, and Katherine James and Emily Whitehead are included

UF Landscape Architecture Professor Emerita and former Associate Dean Peggy Carr spoke with Bob Rose about Gainesville’s proposed upzoning. The 10 minute podcast is here.

Gainesville Sun guest columnist Tana Silva summarizes efforts by the Gainesville City Commission to upend local land use practices, arguing their approaches are not supported by either evidence or public input.

Gainesville Sun guest columnist Gary Gordon argues that Gainesville’s effort to brand itself the ‘New American City’ is misguided, and out of step with community values.

Guest Gainesville Sun columnist Robert Mounts explains the details of the City Commission’s plan to eliminate single family zoning city-wide.

Gainesville Sun guest columnist Robert Mounts explains some of the many proposals working their way through the City Plan Board intended to eliminate single family zoning and add additional renters to the UF context area. These include eliminate bedroom limits, reducing setbacks and parking requirements, and eliminating single family zoning.

Gainesville Sun guest columnist Kim Tanzer summarizes the three ways the City Commission is attempting to justify random developer-driven changes to the City’s fabric.

Gainesville Sun guest columnist Kim Tanzer argues that, until the community has a shared understanding of the term “affordable housing” and related terms, it will be impossible to move forward.

Kim Tanzer compares Gainesville to Houston, where, lacking a strong comprehensive plan, developers act as “shadow planners” and citizens are often shut out of the development process.

Kim Tanzer describes a sampling of local problems addressing affordable housing, arguing that “affordable housing” does not have one audience, and cannot be addressed with only one solution.

Author Kim Tanzer explains that, because around 50% of Gainesville residents are students, new housing is being built for students, not for permanent residents, to the detriment of the city’s working poor.

Kim Tanzer describes city planning best practices—top down and bottom up—and how they work together to make better cities. She argues that Gainesville is no longer using best practices.

In this op ed Kim Tanzer describes a future Gainesville in which natural systems are intertwined with built form to create a walkable, more resilient city.