4 ms·

I'm all for more green in cities but don't let perfect be the enemy of good. Suburban sprawl destroys far more environment. Density stops sprawl. This is net po

I'm all for more green in cities but don't let perfect be the enemy of good. Suburban sprawl destroys far more environment. Density stops sprawl. This is net positive for trees and the environment.

ISL 6y ago
From where I sit in Seattle, I'm watching the trees around our home disappear in favor of five-over-one cubes. I've chosen to live here, in part, because it doesn't feel like a city. When the trees disappear, we are likely to contribute to that sprawl.
- JamesBarney 6y ago
  That kinda sounds like "Yeah no one goes there anymore, it's way too crowded". It sucks to watch the trees disappear, I love trees in neighborhoods too. But at an urban level if trees disappear that's about aesthetics not the environment. Density is really great for the environment because of reduced commute, better insulation(apt vs house), etc..
- seanmcdirmid 6y ago
  Where are you experiencing the construction of a bunch of five over ones? Definitely not Ballard, which is mostly townhomes. This seems to be a bigger problem in downtown Bellevue (I didn't know what five over ones meant before then!), maybe West Seattle?
  - egypturnash 6y ago
    When I left the U District a couple of years ago, it was in part because the entire area was being razed and replaced by those things.
    - seanmcdirmid 6y ago
      The U District? They've been putting up a bunch of town homes north of 45th (so 3 stories, not 1 + 5s), down near U village maybe? We considered buying a place out there for like 30 seconds, the U District just felt so depressing. We bought in Ballard which has a lot of townhomes (we bought one), but it doesn't feel depressing.
      - egypturnash 6y ago
        Nah, the U, I was a couple blocks off the Ave by 50th. When I'd walk a couple of blocks to Morsel's new location in the bottom of one of those on 50th and the Ave, I could see 3-4 more of various sizes (ranging from "filling up one plot" to "two or three entire blocks" while I ate if I got a window seat. The U was a lot less depressing when I moved in around, what, 2012/3 I think it was?
  - ISL 6y ago
    Roosevelt/Ravenna/U-District.
- harryh 6y ago
  Seattle is a city. If you want to live someplace that "doesn't feel like a city" then....don't live in a city. While, perhaps, you moving might "contribute to that sprawl" that impact will be more than offset by multiple people moving into the greater density being created in Seattle. Overall it's a significant net win for the environment.
  - CincinnatiMan 6y ago
    >Seattle is a city. If you want to live someplace that "doesn't feel like a city" then....don't live in a city. Seattle is expensive. If you want to live someplace that "isn't expensive" then....don't live somewhere that is expensive.
    - harryh 6y ago
      To the degree that Seattle is inherently expensive, then sure. But to the degree that it is unnecessarily expensive because of laws that make it illegal for people to build sufficient housing on property they own, then those laws are bad.
- mleonhard 6y ago
  Economic growth, dense housing, and nature-destroying sprawl with soul-crushing commutes. Every city must pick two. If you don't want your city to grow, how about voting for anti-business policies? That will stop the jobs growth and stop your city from growing. Then you won't have to deal with change. Another option is to go full NIMBY and try to block new housing. This will cause housing prices to skyrocket, which will harm all the young people who grew up in your city, the folks who come to fill all the new jobs, and the poor (many will become homeless). You must decide by yourself what you wish to do. I hope you will make a decision that reflects your core values, even if it comes with some disappointment.

I'm all for more green in cities but don't let perfect be the enemy of good. Suburban sprawl destroys far more environment. Density stops sprawl. This is net positive for trees and the environment.

ISL 6y ago

From where I sit in Seattle, I'm watching the trees around our home disappear in favor of five-over-one cubes. I've chosen to live here, in part, because it doesn't feel like a city. When the trees disappear, we are likely to contribute to that sprawl.

JamesBarney 6y ago
That kinda sounds like "Yeah no one goes there anymore, it's way too crowded". It sucks to watch the trees disappear, I love trees in neighborhoods too. But at an urban level if trees disappear that's about aesthetics not the environment. Density is really great for the environment because of reduced commute, better insulation(apt vs house), etc..
seanmcdirmid 6y ago
Where are you experiencing the construction of a bunch of five over ones? Definitely not Ballard, which is mostly townhomes. This seems to be a bigger problem in downtown Bellevue (I didn't know what five over ones meant before then!), maybe West Seattle?
- egypturnash 6y ago
  When I left the U District a couple of years ago, it was in part because the entire area was being razed and replaced by those things.
  - seanmcdirmid 6y ago
    The U District? They've been putting up a bunch of town homes north of 45th (so 3 stories, not 1 + 5s), down near U village maybe? We considered buying a place out there for like 30 seconds, the U District just felt so depressing. We bought in Ballard which has a lot of townhomes (we bought one), but it doesn't feel depressing.
    - egypturnash 6y ago
      Nah, the U, I was a couple blocks off the Ave by 50th. When I'd walk a couple of blocks to Morsel's new location in the bottom of one of those on 50th and the Ave, I could see 3-4 more of various sizes (ranging from "filling up one plot" to "two or three entire blocks" while I ate if I got a window seat. The U was a lot less depressing when I moved in around, what, 2012/3 I think it was?
- ISL 6y ago
  Roosevelt/Ravenna/U-District.
harryh 6y ago
Seattle is a city. If you want to live someplace that "doesn't feel like a city" then....don't live in a city. While, perhaps, you moving might "contribute to that sprawl" that impact will be more than offset by multiple people moving into the greater density being created in Seattle. Overall it's a significant net win for the environment.
- CincinnatiMan 6y ago
  >Seattle is a city. If you want to live someplace that "doesn't feel like a city" then....don't live in a city. Seattle is expensive. If you want to live someplace that "isn't expensive" then....don't live somewhere that is expensive.
  - harryh 6y ago
    To the degree that Seattle is inherently expensive, then sure. But to the degree that it is unnecessarily expensive because of laws that make it illegal for people to build sufficient housing on property they own, then those laws are bad.
mleonhard 6y ago
Economic growth, dense housing, and nature-destroying sprawl with soul-crushing commutes. Every city must pick two. If you don't want your city to grow, how about voting for anti-business policies? That will stop the jobs growth and stop your city from growing. Then you won't have to deal with change. Another option is to go full NIMBY and try to block new housing. This will cause housing prices to skyrocket, which will harm all the young people who grew up in your city, the folks who come to fill all the new jobs, and the poor (many will become homeless). You must decide by yourself what you wish to do. I hope you will make a decision that reflects your core values, even if it comes with some disappointment.