15 Minute City

Ron Davis is running for the Seattle City Council in District 4 on a progressive, stridently urbanist platform and he shared his positions on transportation, housing, and other issues at The Urbanist’s lunch and learn event this Thursday.

Here's an excerpt from the transcript:

And so, as we think about how to get people around the city, we do have to start to think more smartly about it. In terms of, how we do that, obviously, there are a million layers to this, so maybe we can pick them apart. But I think about our neighborhoods first. So before we think about moving from neighborhood to neighborhood, we should also think about satisfying people’s needs in their own neighborhoods. So you often hear this term, 15-minute city, and some jurisdictions use different terms.

I’m particularly impressed by Barcelona. Its goal is to get 85% of trips to stay in their neighborhood within the next five years. Now, Barcelona is denser than us, and has been doing mixed use for a long time. So I don’t think we can hope for solutions that are that ambitious to happen here that fast. But I do think, intentionally legalizing retail in neighborhoods without having to build parking is a start. And doing so in a way that strategically makes sure that the vast majority of trips can be satisfied on foot, or maybe on a bike, by people of all abilities, is the first thing, right, we will reduce car trips, right? Most people don’t like driving. While I do prefer riding on the train and listening to, you know, a book on tape or a podcast, I also really prefer walking just around the corner to satisfy my needs.

City Beautiful’s video on “How did planners design Soviet cities?” – first talking about khrushchevkas and then their organization into microdistricts – daily shopping, necessities, and services were to be located no more than 500m from any residence and (and major services like health were no more than 1500m away) – BUT all of this was predicated on easily accessible public transit and mass transit …

One of the first designs of this I have seen, an intentional 15-minute City that is in the heart of Tempe Arizona. They are accepting move-ins this october!

This is all about ’living locally’.

The ‘15-minute’ city concept – developed primarily to reduce carbon emissions by decreasing the use of cars and motorised commuting time – is a decentralised urban planning model, in which each local neighbourhood contains all the basic social functions for living and working.

Many people argue that the concept of creating localised neighbourhoods in which residents can get everything they require within 15-minutes by walking, cycling or on public transport will ultimately improve the quality of life.

Such spaces entail multi-purpose neighbourhoods instead of specific zones for working, living and entertainment, reducing the need for unnecessary travel, strengthening a sense of community, and improving sustainability and livability.