I just found out that our local planning vocabulary is impoverished.
Until recently, we could get by with simple terms like "naysayer," "NIMBY," "developer," and "TREBIC" to describe the players in the local planning and development scene.
But Sue Schwartz of Greensboro's deptarment of Housing and Community Development (not Action Greensboro's Sue Schwartz) sent me a link that has opened up a whole new language of development to me.
For example, BANANA is not just a fruit any more. It means Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anything. And a DUDE? It's a Developer Under Delusions of Entitlement. And CAVEmen? Citizens Against Virtually Everything.
Now what about GUMBY, QUIMBY, Ranchburger, Fauxburb, Gagplanistan, Taupeville, and Urban Fabric Softner? And what's an Italianalienate vavavoomburb? You'll just have to read the whole thing.
Thanks, Sue!
Sunday, August 7, 2005
DUDEs, BANANAs, and CAVEmen
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2 comments:
That was quite the informative and imaginative piece. Thanks to you and Sue for sharing the link.
The comments are good too - I'd thought LOMBARD Street was just in San Francisco, but walking around town last weekend, it looks like we're getting some enclaves of our own.
One question - what's the term for an "obese house" that's straining up against the property lines, providing fantastic views into the neighbors' private lives?
I was talking to someone today who was oddly unappreciative of this feature.
oh, and Charlotte makes me drool. Wherever the foresighted planner is now, I hope s/he is being rewarded.
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