Viewpoint: Urban planning can save the earth

Unlike the cure for the common cold, solutions to a significant cause of global warming are commonly known. In fact, more than a few middle-schoolers understand that reducing the number of personal automobiles on the road, reducing the length of time such cars are driven, will in-turn reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The challenge is persuading millions of American commuters to abandon a cherished member of the family, a combination mobile office, breakfast nook and makeup vanity hand-washed and waxed with love.

The solutions to global warming are found in modern urban planning and zoning and three little words: Transit Oriented Development. Build well-designed, affordable housing within walking distance of efficient mass transit, and the air-fouling traffic jams will unclog themselves. Better yet, build well-designed, affordable housing within walking distance of jobs, schools and retail, and car use will plummet.

A decade ago, Mountain View redeveloped 18 acres of auto dealerships and outdated shops into “The Crossings,” built between 1994 and 1998. Residents of the 128 condominiums, 129 townhouses and 102 detached, single-family homes are a few minutes walk from major retail, including a Safeway, plus a Caltrain station. In 2002, the American Planning Association recognized Mountain View with an Outstanding Planning Award.

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