http://www.baylock.com/main.php?action=newsitem&Page=164&id=100

 

Burlingame named Top Ten Most Progressive Suburb in Nation

By Peter Katz and Jay Walljasper, Utne magazine

 

 

Suburbs are often stereotyped as selfish and soulless, but the communities highlighted here could teach towns everywhere a thing or two about civic spirit and livability. We’d like to hear your thoughts on other great suburbs throughout the world. Send us your suggestions ([email protected] or Enlightened Suburbs, c/o editor, Utne, 1624 Harmon Place, Minneapolis, MN 55403) and we’ll take another look at enlightened suburbs in a future issue.

 

1. Montgomery County, Maryland (Washington, D.C.)

 

A mostly affluent stretch of communities northwest of D.C., it’s home to probably the leftiest ’burb anywhere (Takoma Park) and one of the very first New Urbanist communities (Kentlands). Montgomery County stands out as a national leader in preventing sprawl by preserving thousands of acres of farmland. It has also achieved impressive results on affordable housing by requiring developers to include 15 percent lower-income units in all major projects or subdivisions.

 

2. Tempe, Arizona (Phoenix)

 

Standard-issue Sun belt sprawl has been transformed into a genuinely lively town through smart redevelopment and historical restoration. Local planners capitalized on the presence of Arizona State University to create a lively main street that attracts shoppers, cultural patrons, and lovers of urban atmosphere from around the area.

 

3. Suisun City, California (Bay Area)

 

Once a tough town notorious for pollution, drugs, and crime, Suisun City took bold steps in revitalizing its waterfront, investing in its tatty downtown, and building a handsome city hall and two public plazas. To the surprise of numerous skeptics, it worked, and this suburb on the way to Sacramento is now enjoying a renaissance.

 

4. Shaker Heights, Ohio (Cleveland)

 

A classic 1920s garden suburb built around a rapid-transit stop, Shaker Heights has worked hard since the 1960s to encourage racial diversity. Controversial pro-integration policies have prevented it from becoming either a segregated white fortress or a resegregated black enclave. (Oak Park, Illinois, has accomplished much the same thing.)

 

5. Royal Oak, Michigan (Detroit)

 

Sure, some suburbs can be progressive, public-minded, and even pedestrian-friendly, but hip? Well, take a look at Royal Oak—a suburbohemia filled with ethnic restaurants, sidewalk cafés, art galleries, theaters, a farmer’s market, and some of the Motor City’s best live music.

 

6. Hammond/Whiting/Gary, Indiana (Chicago)

 

Folks in these hard-hit steel towns might be excused for feeling hopeless about the future. But they’ve refused to give up on their communities. As part of the Northwest Indiana Federation of Interfaith Organizations, a coalition of religious congregations, local activists won a five-year uphill battle to establish a regional transit system. This victory not only will make it easier for residents to get to jobs in outlying suburbs, but also demonstrates the power of people working together.

 

7. Burlingame/San Mateo, California (Bay Area)

 

Burlingame offers a grand example from the early 1900s of what a suburb can be: a bustling downtown clustered around a train station and surrounded by tree-shaded neighborhoods. Neighboring San Mateo is newer but is increasingly recognized for its vital and pedestrian-friendly downtown. This has made a big difference for the community’s many older people, who suffer isolation in most suburbs when they no longer drive.

 

8. Delray Beach, Florida (Palm Beach)

 

Suburban civic spirit is not an oxymoron here. This mixed-income beach town has won national awards for programs that help at-risk youth, minority senior citizens, and low-income elementary school students. Atlantic Avenue has been revitalized and low-income neighborhoods nearby are seeing signs of revival without wholesale gentrification.

 

9. Markham, Ontario (Toronto)

 

toronto has been described by some wags as “Vienna surrounded by Houston.” But this booming technoburb defies the sprawling, ticky-tacky, no-there-there image of the region’s suburbs. Municipal officials in Markham have embraced New Urbanism more sincerely than almost anywhere else, working hard to instill a vibrant, bustling feeling to new developments.

 

10. Naperville, Illinois (Chicago)

 

An old town on the Fox River encircled by suburban development, Naperville has maintained the amiable spirit of Main Street USA. But these charms have made it a target for tear-downs—classic old homes being razed to make way for oversized new McMansions. Community First, a local citizens group, established successful guidelines for maintaining the character of Naperville’s neighborhoods without stifling homeowners’ creativity.

 

 

oh, I've lived in three of them, Does that make me cool?

Utne Cool, perhaps.

Utne Cool, perhaps.

 

that's good enough for me

 

i'm utne cool.

off the bat, 2 glaring omissions i notice: green twshp-western hills, oh and grove city, oh

and oh btw, just in case you ppl dont pick up on it...... :wink:

off the bat, 2 glaring omissions i notice: green twshp-western hills, oh and grove city, oh

 

huh?

^ im confused about your confusion. 

Wait, so Shaker Heights is now in the same company as Gary and Hammond?

 

Congrats.  Not even East Cleveland could do that.

^why are they 'glaring omissions'?

Wait, so Shaker Heights is now in the same company as Gary and Hammond?

 

Congrats.  Not even East Cleveland could do that.

 

we're all Gary wannabes.

Gary Style.

Scary.

^why are they 'glaring omissions'?

 

sorry, i guess i was just making a rather worn out joke.  the two suburb areas I listed, imo, are the exact opposite of progressive so i was just joking. 

^I had heard of Grove City, but not the other one. 

Naperville is not on the Fox River.  Its on one of the branches of the Dupage, which is really just a very big creek.

 

3. Suisun City, California (Bay Area)

 

Once a tough town notorious for pollution, drugs, and crime, Suisun City took bold steps in revitalizing its waterfront, investing in its tatty downtown, and building a handsome city hall and two public plazas. To the surprise of numerous skeptics, it worked, and this suburb on the way to Sacramento is now enjoying a renaissance.

 

Actually I am somewhat familiar with this place as I used to go to a country & western place on the slough there. Friendly crowd!

 

Suisun is actually pretty interesting as its not that suburban in the "old town" part, as this is an old wheat port on one of those sloughs that works its way inland through the marshes from the Bay.  So there are some of the neat Northern California victorian houses in the old town area.  There was also a bulk fuels terminal on the slough so aircraft fuel could be barged in, offloaded, then shipped over to nearby Travis AFB. 

 

Travis excessed that real estate and I think they redeveloped the land into one of those plazas.  The other plaza was the original plaza from the towns founding, right on the water.

 

Id say Suisun was cool even before Utne Reader came around as it had this real laid-back vibe to it.  Never felt much of a crime/drugs menace there, thought it was sort of older/run-down compared to the shiny suburban feel of nearby Fairfield and Vacaville.

 

And it was, after all, and the head of a huge marsh or swamp.

 

 

 

Funny to see Burlingame on that list as "cool".  I guess if Indian Hill or Pepper Pike or Chagrin Falls is cool, so is Burlingame.  Burlingame is very "old money" for the Bay Area. 

Gary Style.

 

Gary Fresh.

Wait, so Shaker Heights is now in the same company as Gary and Hammond?

 

Congrats.  Not even East Cleveland could do that.

 

Thanks CDM -- Constantly Depressing Man. We're happy for Shaker Heights, too.

 

Actually, when I saw Gary/Hammond on the list, I thought the most-progressive list had ended and the "contra list" had begun.

 

I never knew that cities (like Gary) and entire counties could be considered suburbs. Chicago is one of the best suburbs in the country.

What is this "Utne" company?

Wait, so Shaker Heights is now in the same company as Gary and Hammond?

 

Congrats.  Not even East Cleveland could do that.

 

Thanks CDM -- Constantly Depressing Man. We're happy for Shaker Heights, too.

 

That's my job!

^I had heard of Grove City, but not the other one. 

 

oh ok, west side of cincy.  green township is huge with almost 60,000 ppl.  i refer to it as past of western hills since calling it green seems dumb to me. 

^can a 'township' really be that large? interesting.

^Keep in mind, Cincinnati area "townships" are really gigantic suburbs.  West Chester, Liberty, Colerain, Green, Deerfield, etc are all suburbs, really.  They just opted not to do the whole "tax" thing.

^Keep in mind, Cincinnati area "townships" are really gigantic suburbs.  West Chester, Liberty, Colerain, Green, Deerfield, etc are all suburbs, really.  They just opted not to do the whole "tax" thing.

 

Sounds like a republican idea to me :) LOL

 

Naperville is not on the Fox River.  Its on one of the branches of the Dupage, which is really just a very big creek.

 

But the "river" walkway is actually very pleasant! ;)

1. Montgomery County, Maryland (Washington, D.C.)

 

A mostly affluent stretch of communities northwest of D.C., it’s home to probably the leftiest ’burb anywhere (Takoma Park) and one of the very first New Urbanist communities (Kentlands). Montgomery County stands out as a national leader in preventing sprawl by preserving thousands of acres of farmland. It has also achieved impressive results on affordable housing by requiring developers to include 15 percent lower-income units in all major projects or subdivisions.

 

Shaker Heights is way more progressive than Montgomery County. How is Montgomery County a national leader in preventing sprawl when Rockville - Clarksburg is sprawl central? The county's growth patterns are centered on an expressway (I-270). BTW, I-270 is up to 12 LANES wide. County leaders have used that 'rural reserve' as an excuse to cut down the forests of central and northern Montgomery Co. for low-rise office buildings and subdivison hell. Also, Takoma Park's history is more aligned with it's PG county neighbors like College Park...than say Potomac or even Bethesda. In terms of progessiveness and urbanism...Montgomery dosen't hold a candle to Shaker.

^Keep in mind, Cincinnati area "townships" are really gigantic suburbs.  West Chester, Liberty, Colerain, Green, Deerfield, etc are all suburbs, really.  They just opted not to do the whole "tax" thing.

 

Sounds like a republican idea to me :) LOL

 

 

Not the sharpest tool in the shed, are we? ;)

 

town·ship (toun'sh?p')

n. (Abbr. Twp. or Tp. or T)

 

A subdivision of a county in most northeast and Midwest U.S. states, having the status of a unit of local government with varying governmental powers.

 

A public land surveying unit of 36 sections or 36 square miles.

 

^Keep in mind, Cincinnati area "townships" are really gigantic suburbs.  West Chester, Liberty, Colerain, Green, Deerfield, etc are all suburbs, really.  They just opted not to do the whole "tax" thing.

 

Sounds like a republican idea to me :) LOL

 

 

Not the sharpest tool in the shed, are we? ;)

 

town·ship (toun'sh?p')

n. (Abbr. Twp. or Tp. or T)

 

A subdivision of a county in most northeast and Midwest U.S. states, having the status of a unit of local government with varying governmental powers.

 

A public land surveying unit of 36 sections or 36 square miles.

 

 

Um, I know what a township is.........I grew up living in a township!  And I was referring to the tax aspects of townships.......which USUALLY do not have income taxes and minimal property taxes..............less taxes = typical republican ideal (which is, in my opinion and many others', good.........who wants to be burdened with too many taxes?)

 

My blades need not be sharpened ;)