Urban Planning & Sustainability Projects
Running the River: A Proof-of-Concept Study for Funding Improvements & Programming on the Shiawassee River Using Tax Increment Financing
This report is a proof-of-concept study of tax increment financing (TIF) as an option for providing stable and predictable funding for programming, improving, and maintaining water trails, conducted for the Shiawassee River Water Trail Coalition. For this project, I assessed various amendments to Michigan law that might be made to authorize the creation of water trail TIF districts, and I identified four potential models of TIF structures.
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Photo: The Linden Mill Museum from Kimble Sharp Park/ Kat Cameron
Ann Arbor Downtown: COVID-19 Impact & Recory Report
Working closely with colleagues at the Downtown Ann Arbor Development Authority, I prepared this assessment of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on downtown Ann Arbor. The work involved wrangling and preparing data from multiple Ann Arbor sources. I also wrote much of the copy and helped format the design.
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Photo: Liberty St. looking west from Main St. in Downtown Ann Arbor/ Luke Ranker
UN-Habitat Assessment of Zimbabwe's Climate & Environmental Planning
To assist UN-Habitat's work supporting climate change mitigation and adaptation in Africa, I worked with a multidisciplinary team examining more than 60 existing urban laws in Zimbabwe with an eye for resilient and low-carbon urban development. We prepared a legal assessment of policies related to climate change adaptation, data sharing, intergovernmental frameworks, and equitable planning practices. UN-Habitat published the report in December 2022.
Fugitive dust, the very fine dust particles that trucks kick up when driving on unpaved roads, is a major cause of asthma and related respiratory illnesses. To help the City of Detroit improve air quality, I would with a team assessing fugitive dust sources in southwest Detroit. The city is currently using our report as the basis for new zoning ordinances currently in the works.
Improving Air Quality: Planning for Fugitive Dust in Detroit
Urbanism on Tap
Is Jane Jacobs a wheat beer? For the final project in URP 500: Planning Theory, Alex Wilkinson and I tackle urban planning theory concept over a beer for our makeshift podcast. We relate famous planners to beer types. Because we both love beer and craft breweries are often great pockets of urbanism, we'll probably do another episode.
Listen on Soundcloud.
Housing in Every Policy: A Public Health Review of Milwaukee Citywide
With a multidisciplinary team, I assessed Milwaukee's 2010 comprehensive plan for ways urban planning could improve health. Our team took the approach of "housing in everything," focusing on improving access to housing through comprehensive planning. I wrote the land use section and helped edit the entire report.
Download the PDF here.
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Photo: The Hop, Milwaukee's streetcar, moves through the Historic Third Ward / Luke Ranker
Healthy Homes: Rental inspections in Kansas City
For URP 552: Healthy Cities, I wrote a case study examining a relatively new rental inspection program in Kansas City, Missouri. Renters can file anonymous complaints, and landlords may face fines for poor living conditions. I assessed the program's implications for urban planning.
Read the case study here.
View the poster here.
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Photo: A view of downtown Kansas City from the World War I memorial / Luke Ranker
Kansas City: A Midwest hub
I built an economic and demographic profile of Kansas City, Missouri using the U.S. Census and survey for a planning methods class. The survey, conducted remotely via a Google Form, asked Kansas Citians to rank their priorities for the city and their perceptions of the city's economy among other topics. Kansas Citians are deeply proud of their city but worry about equity and economic growth, the profile shows.
Read the profile here.
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Photo: A view of downtown Kansas City from Interstate-35 / Luke Ranker
Maibocks and the Metro:
Craft Beer in the Twin Cities by Light Rail
Nothing ruins a great day of beer drinking like having to drive. In the Twin Cities it’s possible to sample dozens of brews simply by hopping on public transit. So, which of Minneapolis and St. Paul’s more than 80 craft breweries are easy to access with the Metro Blue Line and Metro Green Line, the Twin Cities two light rail lines? A geographic analysis of light rail stops with nearby craft breweries shows more than a dozen options for beer connoisseurs.
As a means to gauge neighborhood accessibilty from light rail, classmate Harrison Clark and I completed this project for our ArcGIS class.
View the interactive map here.
Read our report here.
View our poster here.
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Photo: A Blue Line train in St. Paul / Luke Ranker
