The Phoenix metropolitan area is growing again, but the water supply isn't. Many development plans derailed by the Great Recession won't find it easy to start where they left off.
"With 8,500 homes, space for a 35-acre resort, golf and winding trails, Lake Pleasant 5000 was billed as a place where the desert would be at your doorstep, and hailed as what would be one of the largest master-planned communities in Arizona," reports Jen Fifield.
The whole plan depended on the developer, Harvard Investments, securing the drinking water supply to support the development, but it couldn't overcome the effects of the Great Recession, and has been on hold for over a decade.
"Now, as development picks up, and with water across the Valley in short supply, a West Valley city is making a grab for the water that Lake Pleasant 5000 thought it secured long ago," according to Fifield. The problem: the city of Surprise is asking Maricopa County Superior Court to condemn Circle City, the water company that promise the necessary water to Lake Pleasant 5000.
The ensuing controversy is being litigated by the parties involved, and the water supply for this fast-growing corner of the northwest Valley near Phoenix.
FULL STORY: A developer had plans to build a luxury community by Lake Pleasant. Now, its water supply is in limbo
Why California Should Not, Cannot Solve Its Housing Crisis By Building New Cities
A recent essay advocates for the development of a new city in California to alleviate the state's housing crisis. The argument needs a few tweaks.
380-Acre Development Planned in Southwest Boise
One of the fastest-growing cities in the country could be making space for even more growth.
150 Acres of Undeveloped Land to Become 2,350 Homes Outside Denver
The church that owns a unique parcel of agricultural land in the middle of the Denver metropolitan area is prepared to sell to a developer that plans to build a mixed-use, master planned community.
‘Forward Together’ Bus System Redesign Rolling Out in Portland
Portland is redesigning its bus system to respond to the changing patterns of the post-pandemic world—with twin goals of increasing ridership and improving equity.
Plan to Potentially Remove Downtown Milwaukee’s Interstate Faces Public Scrutiny
The public is weighing in on a suite of options for repairing, replacing, or removing Interstate 794 in downtown Milwaukee.
Can New York City Go Green Without Renewable Rikers?
New York City’s bold proposal to close the jail on Rikers Island and replace it with green infrastructure is in jeopardy. Will this compromise the city’s ambitious climate goals?
700-Acre Master-Planned Community Planned in Utah
A massive development plan is taking shape for lakefront property in Vineyard, Utah—on the site of a former U.S. Steel Geneva Works facility.
More Cities Ponder the End of Drive-Thrus
Drive-thru fast food restaurants might be a staple of American life, but several U.S. cities are actively considering prohibiting the development of new drive-thrus for the benefit of traffic safety, air quality, and congestion.
Air Pollution World’s Worst Public Health Threat, Report Says
Air pollution is more likely to take years life off the lifespan of the average human than any other external factor, according to a recent report out of the University of Chicago.
Placer County
City of Morganton
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Dongguan Binhaiwan Bay Area Management Committee
City of Waukesha, WI
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Indiana Borough
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
