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Jason C (@jasonc_nc) posted on 2026-06-28 that "virtually every great…

Brief

Jason C (@jasonc_nc) argues that virtually every great neighborhood predates the American Planning Association’s predecessors and that increasing planning control has steadily worsened urban quality (post dated 2026-06-28). Carol Walsh (@CarolWalshReal1) offers Esplanade Street as a counterexample, detailing one-way side streets, a bike lane, landscaping, set-back mixed uses, trees, and high walkability.

Why it matters

Jason C (@jasonc_nc) posted on 2026-06-28 that "virtually every great neighborhood" was created before the American Planning Association’s predecessors existed and claims that as planning became more controlling the quality of cities "steadily got worse."

Key details

  • Carol Walsh (@CarolWalshReal1) highlights Esplanade Street: a main road paired with small one-way side streets that include a bike lane and landscaping, set-back homes and businesses for safer driveway access, a mix of residential, business and multifamily uses, abundant trees, and strong walkability.
Source evidence

Virtually every great neighborhood was created before the American Planning Association’s predecessors existed, and almost certainly before they gained authority over the built environment.

As planning became ever more controlling the quality of our cities steadily got worse.

🐝 Carol Walsh ^Monterey Bay^ (@CarolWalshReal1)

The people who live on Esplanade Street are probably wondering when I'm going to stop driving by really slowly.

But besides the gorgeous houses, the thoughtfulness of the infrastructure on this street needs to be studied!

Because you've got the main road but then you have these little small one way streets, with a bike lane and landscaping.

So the homes and businesses are set back, it's much safer to access the driveways without the busier main street.

There's a mixture of residential but also businesses and multifamily too, and it all just works together really nicely to make a super walkable neighborhood.

Oh and trees!

— https://nitter.net/CarolWalshReal1/status/2069837931175723508#m