The town hall meeting the other day mentioned setting up Village centers - in my mind areas of mixed use, cafes, restaurants, surrounded by neighborhoods of rentals and owners. I imagine these centers to include libraries, post offices, grocery stores, a community center, a community garden, recycling center, a neighborhood weekly farmer's market, and even an annual street fair where vendors from around the area come in, streets are closed down, music and performers come in, and the neighborhood in general gets together and enjoys the day.

In Seattle each neighborhood had such a street fair and it always marked the coming of Spring and gave you something to do any given weekend.

It'd be great if these could also be sustainable "meccas", LEED buildings, living roof buildings, with solar panels and various educational tidbits for the public.