Strong Towns is crisscrossing the nation to engage in important conversations about building stronger communities. Chuck Marohn, director of Strong Towns, is spreading that massage as part their Curbside Chats. In this video, Strong Towns explains that America is fixated on growth, but that growth itself is not enough. Instead, they argue that we need productive growth that brings healthy, vital, and shared benefits to all. Or put another way, “productive growth is greater than the sum of its parts; it’s the magic that happens when we all improvise in harmony.”

More of the short series is available online touching on traditional development, incremental development, and the illusion of wealth. Strong Towns will bring a local version of their Curbside Chats to Lacey in early January. If you’re interested in that event, consider RSVPing with the American Planning Association Washington Chapter.

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Stephen is a professional urban planner in Puget Sound with a passion for sustainable, livable, and diverse cities. He is especially interested in how policies, regulations, and programs can promote positive outcomes for communities. With stints in great cities like Bellingham and Cork, Stephen currently lives in Seattle. He primarily covers land use and transportation issues and has been with The Urbanist since 2014.