The California Planning & Development Report, a monthly newsletter geared to professionals in the field, covered the resurgence of “master planned” communities ("Post-Recession, Master Planned Communities Come Back to Life," April 17, 2017). Dan Silver of EHL provided his perspective:
“Master planned greenfields remain a very dominant form of development in Southern California,” said Silver. “[They] have been repackaged to have a veneer of walkability . . . But it’s really just a veneer. At their heart, they’re auto-dependent.” “From a [vehicle miles traveled] standpoint, I think it makes very little difference . . .” Silver explained that even if these developments shorten the drive for some errands, daily commutes to work still contribute the majority of greenhouse gas emissions. “I’m sorry to say that SB 375 from my perspective in Southern California has been a failure,” said Silver. “I just don’t see any difference it’s made.” Silver said he is more optimistic about climate action plans that cities are adopting.
