The industrialization of cities created undesireable living environments. Those who could afford it looked into options outside the city. The frist "suburbs" were reached by train and were wealthy sprawling Visctorian mansions surrounded by large park-like estates. Then came the trolley-car suburbs, which allowed the middle class to move out of the polluted city center. After World War II the increased need for housing pushed the development of suburbs as we know today, made possible by the invention of the automobile. The question is:

Is this was of life sustainable?

"The Oil End Game" suggests not. Currently more than half of the population resides in suburbia. What would happen if oil was no longer available?

New Urbanism suggests a way of living that does away with current zoning regulations seperating housing from business. The idea is that people should shop and work near where they live.

Several such developments have been built in the United States, noteably:

 Seaside, Florida - a vacation community with smaller houses, more closely spaced, pedestrian walkways between houses and a centralized shopping/recreation area

King Ranch, Rockville, Maryland - a recent development combining high rise apartment buildings with office space, restaurants and retail businesses.  Both office space and apartment space in the complex sell and rent for approximately 40% more than the equivalent property elsewhere in the area.

What about Fort Wayne? What can we do here?

Several people present pointed out the zoning laws that prevent this type of development. Also, the fact that the city seems to approve developers plans for large housing additions without much consideration for the future effects of such developments was also mentioned.

"I have hope," one participant said, in reference to the future of this area.

If nothing else, we are learning to think outside the box in terms of today's problems and possible solutions.