Downtowns Plus

Downtowns Plus, a blog on downtown planning and placemaking that incorporates planning practice and academic concepts and research, is written by Blake Roberts, principal of Roberts Planning in Davis, California.  The blog examines issues that concern downtowns of different sizes and in different settings (rural, suburban, urban), such as planning processes, land use planning and zoning, urban design, economic development, transportation, and infrastructure.

Blake Roberts, Ph.D.

Blake Roberts has been involved in community and regional planning as an educator, researcher, writer, and practicing planner.  His professional and academic experience has focused on downtown and neighborhood revitalization, urban design, environmental review, public participation, and plan implementation.  He has prepared numerous planning and environmental documents, including general plans, specific plans, community plans, transit-oriented plans, form-based codes, zoning codes, design guidelines, and environmental impact reports, and has conducted public outreach to a range of stakeholders.  He has taught at Sacramento State, the University of California, Davis, UC Davis Extension, and the University of California, Irvine on urban and regional planning, downtown revitalization, economic development, and sustainable development.