Regarding Greensboro’s new land development ordinance, I would agree with David Wharton that Greensboro indeed is at risk of “becoming the General Motors of southeastern American cities,” but for a different reason. Just like GM, Greensboro apparently is comfortable with the role of federal government ward.

The downtown hotel mess is evidence, considering the fact that the City Council ceded its authority after it was misled by city staff (inadvertently or not —does it really matter?) for the sake of the so-called federal stimulus. If that’s not good enough, the city wants to hire a federal lobbyist to seek out more fed cash.

On that note, I don’t see where G’boro’s strategy is any different from other Southeastern cities lining up for fed money for projects such as you guessed it —- streetcars.