ptbrennan.bsky.social
@ptbrennan.bsky.social
Where I live (S. Phx), the PV naturally propagate as large shrub-trees. When trimmed as shade trees, the limbs don't hold up as well. Somewhere in-between seems like a good balance.
November 27, 2025 at 5:51 AM
Where I live (S. Phx), the PV naturally propagate as large shrub-trees. When trimmed as shade trees, the limbs don't hold up as well. Somewhere in-between seems like a good balance.
I worry that your "somewhat" qualifier here is not going to be well understood. This is an ongoing and generally frustrating debate because these types of trees should be much more prevalent and (I'd say) shouldn't be watered or pruned like a typical shade tree.
November 27, 2025 at 1:47 AM
I worry that your "somewhat" qualifier here is not going to be well understood. This is an ongoing and generally frustrating debate because these types of trees should be much more prevalent and (I'd say) shouldn't be watered or pruned like a typical shade tree.
These trees should do the trick!
November 27, 2025 at 1:38 AM
These trees should do the trick!
Anything over 10% is technically a wine
October 23, 2025 at 1:19 PM
Anything over 10% is technically a wine
But this translates nicely into small individual actions that can make a big difference -- like using less water when brushing teeth. Shouldn't we at least try?
October 17, 2025 at 12:57 PM
But this translates nicely into small individual actions that can make a big difference -- like using less water when brushing teeth. Shouldn't we at least try?
Pretty cool, but why exceed 100' for bike + pedestrian + transit + cars? There are plenty of good examples with narrower total ROW widths. Is this a county/MPO/state requirement?
October 14, 2025 at 11:40 PM
Pretty cool, but why exceed 100' for bike + pedestrian + transit + cars? There are plenty of good examples with narrower total ROW widths. Is this a county/MPO/state requirement?
But it might bring down prices, right?
October 7, 2025 at 3:26 AM
But it might bring down prices, right?
Let's please add Trader Joe's $5 frozen pizzas to this list. I believe I've already been impacted by tariff-related shortages.
October 7, 2025 at 12:21 AM
Let's please add Trader Joe's $5 frozen pizzas to this list. I believe I've already been impacted by tariff-related shortages.
Whoa, this must mean Portland is finally cheap because no one wants to live there!
September 27, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Whoa, this must mean Portland is finally cheap because no one wants to live there!
Assuming that the sizing is warranted, then the next question is probably about location/configuration. The builder and utility both probably want to keep it on the lot perimeter for the benefit of project phasing and future O&M, so maybe that could be improved via better screening? Win-win.
September 6, 2025 at 9:43 PM
Assuming that the sizing is warranted, then the next question is probably about location/configuration. The builder and utility both probably want to keep it on the lot perimeter for the benefit of project phasing and future O&M, so maybe that could be improved via better screening? Win-win.
Are you suggesting that they serve more than just the subject properties, or are they simply needed based on an increased number of households on that one parcel? If dispersed transformers could replace substations by enabling higher voltage throughput on old distribution lines, that seems clever.
September 6, 2025 at 9:34 PM
Are you suggesting that they serve more than just the subject properties, or are they simply needed based on an increased number of households on that one parcel? If dispersed transformers could replace substations by enabling higher voltage throughput on old distribution lines, that seems clever.
That helps explain how prideful they are about it, which I'd never really understood -- especially in light of all their actual development restrictions. It may also help explain why the Houston market was sort of an early adopter of form-based code ideas, so long as they applied only as platted.
September 6, 2025 at 9:13 PM
That helps explain how prideful they are about it, which I'd never really understood -- especially in light of all their actual development restrictions. It may also help explain why the Houston market was sort of an early adopter of form-based code ideas, so long as they applied only as platted.
Yep, and the subdivision requirements can be sticky. They've taken away the public zoning regs, kept many of their development codes (like setbacks, aka "building lines" that are platted), and effectively privatized many city functions through HOAs and similar entities.
September 6, 2025 at 8:09 PM
Yep, and the subdivision requirements can be sticky. They've taken away the public zoning regs, kept many of their development codes (like setbacks, aka "building lines" that are platted), and effectively privatized many city functions through HOAs and similar entities.
This reply didn't fall far from the tree
August 30, 2025 at 8:50 PM
This reply didn't fall far from the tree
I don’t see the causal analysis here. Has this been studied, or are we just observing the increased commercial/geopolitical value of climate data?
July 26, 2025 at 4:08 PM
I don’t see the causal analysis here. Has this been studied, or are we just observing the increased commercial/geopolitical value of climate data?
It took me a while to figure out what "micro-mobility" means in the context of transportation planning. It's basically just deciding where to let companies store their rentable scooter/bike fleets.
July 23, 2025 at 8:59 PM
It took me a while to figure out what "micro-mobility" means in the context of transportation planning. It's basically just deciding where to let companies store their rentable scooter/bike fleets.
Reposted by ptbrennan.bsky.social
As a rule of thumb, families that live in compact neighborhoods have low transportation costs. Generally, as apartment heights rise, transportation expenses fall. Since transportation is the 2nd largest expense for most families, this matters.
June 26, 2025 at 9:27 AM
As a rule of thumb, families that live in compact neighborhoods have low transportation costs. Generally, as apartment heights rise, transportation expenses fall. Since transportation is the 2nd largest expense for most families, this matters.
I bet the TB franchisee's decision was driven by context and a desire to serve a sizeable walk-up crowd in this location (or corporate for SB, if not the convention center itself via licensed product). Either way, it was probably a very boring and rational choice. We should tap into that mindset.
May 17, 2025 at 8:04 PM
I bet the TB franchisee's decision was driven by context and a desire to serve a sizeable walk-up crowd in this location (or corporate for SB, if not the convention center itself via licensed product). Either way, it was probably a very boring and rational choice. We should tap into that mindset.
Most cities require special use permits for drive-thrus. A walk-up window would be a brilliant conditional requirement (as opposed to just saying "no"). Make it 1-for-1 and I bet you'd start to see fewer double loaded drive-thrus, which have become increasingly popular.
May 17, 2025 at 7:49 PM
Most cities require special use permits for drive-thrus. A walk-up window would be a brilliant conditional requirement (as opposed to just saying "no"). Make it 1-for-1 and I bet you'd start to see fewer double loaded drive-thrus, which have become increasingly popular.
Commercial real estate projects get built when they can demonstrate a strong likelihood of consistently high returns. LOIs from national brands (or their franchisees) = greater certainty, therefore value, and therefore credit worthiness and profitability. Independent biz typically moves in later.
May 17, 2025 at 7:43 PM
Commercial real estate projects get built when they can demonstrate a strong likelihood of consistently high returns. LOIs from national brands (or their franchisees) = greater certainty, therefore value, and therefore credit worthiness and profitability. Independent biz typically moves in later.
Unless I missed it, I was surprised by the lack of discussion about cities + rivers + alluvial flow. This seems like the simplest framing of this complex problem. It's interesting from the historical perspective and helps illustrate both the problem and potential solutions more clearly.
May 11, 2025 at 5:13 PM
Unless I missed it, I was surprised by the lack of discussion about cities + rivers + alluvial flow. This seems like the simplest framing of this complex problem. It's interesting from the historical perspective and helps illustrate both the problem and potential solutions more clearly.