Published: April 05, 2008 05:17 pm      

Thomaides, Alarcon attend New Urbanism Congress

San Marcos City Council Member John Thomaides attended the Annual Congress for New Urbanism and the Booming Metropolis this week in Austin.

Also attending was Chief Planner Andy Alarcon.

Sponsored by the Congress for New Urbanism (CNU), the event addressed cities and suburbs facing high growth, preserving local character and the environment, as well as new rail systems and transit projects.

Speakers included Peter Calthorpe, author and founder of CNU; Robert Caro, Pulitzer prizing-winning author and urban historian; and Henry Cisneros, former HUD Secretary and Mayor of San Antonio.

The annual Congress for the New Urbanism is the nation's leading forum dedicated to advancing urbanism and promoting alternatives to sprawl.

New Urbanism is an urban design and development movement dedicated to implementing community-oriented principles of traditional town and city planning in contrast to the prevailing system of formless sprawl.

New Urbanist developments are walkable, provide a diverse range of housing options, encourage a rich mix of uses, and provide welcoming public spaces.