What if the most innovative community in America is built around what's missing?

In this episode of The Upfront Planning Podcast, Jessica sits down with Ryan Johnson, founder and CEO of Culdesac, the groundbreaking developer behind America's first purpose-built car-free neighborhood. From a childhood spent in suburban Phoenix cul-de-sacs to a life-changing trip to Europe, Ryan shares the inspiration behind a development concept that is challenging decades of conventional planning and reshaping how people think about community.

Ryan discusses the journey of bringing Culdesac Tempe to life, the challenges of navigating zoning and development regulations, and why walkable neighborhoods continue to be some of the most sought-after places to live. He also offers an exclusive look at the upcoming Culdesac Mesa project and explains how transportation, local businesses, public spaces, and community connections can work together to create healthier, happier neighborhoods.

Whether you're a planner, developer, elected official, or simply someone interested in the future of cities, this conversation offers a fascinating glimpse into how innovative design can transform the way we live.

Steve Betts talks with Jessica about creating a forever building with the Helios Education site in Phoenix.  Hear about the innovative ways the design team thought 100 years in the future for the buildings' use, energy needs, future water needs, the impact of less parking needs, and how to expand the buildings' usable space without expanding the footprint. Most impressive is hearing how they built a site that stays cool in the summer and warm in the winter without much assistance from utilities, if at all.  Listen in on this very impressive building, which we hope everyone will one day get to tour.

Town Manager Terry Hinton in Duncan, Arizona talks about managing a small Town and what goes into being a man of many hats in rural Towns and how all the amazing goals he has achieved in 3 short years!

Jessica talks about the recent 2026 National Planning Conference in Detroit, Michigan and what ideas and discussions she is bringing back to use in AZ.

Jessica does a download of the recent Arizona Association of Economic Development (AAED) Spring Conference iin Tucson, AZ.  Hear about the great sessions, the first teaming conference with RVi and how she handles a very active extrovert conference... was she able to network all the entire time!?

Why are architect’s so sensitive? We’ve got Ben Ayers and Dane Astle, both Arizona Architects who tell us about why they are the way they are in this entertaining episode. They will tell us what creates good looking projects and how we can get more of those great designs and places. We will talk about what’s hot and what’s not in their eyes of architecture.

Amy Weidman with Harvard Investments joins the podcast to talk about thier development projects moving forward as well a thier massive new development in the west valley, Rio 1900 "Soltstice".  Hear about why and how this project came to be and what it means for West Phoenix area.

Jessica quickly downloads all the sessions and takeaways from the Baltimore ULI Housing Opportunity Conference in March.  Hear about great ideas, tools, upcoming housing opportunities, and what we can take from the past.

Carolyn Oberholzer of Bergin, Frakes, Smalley & Oberholtzer and Lindsay Schube of Gammage and Burnham join the podcast to talk about what it's like to be a zoning attorney and what even is a zoning attorney.  Learn what makes land attorneys so cool and why they need to be so different from what you may think an attorney is. Listen in as we hear about all their crazy stories as these two friends join us for a fun time, which will need to be revisited for sure!

 Tempe Mayor Corey Woods and City of Phoenix Planning Director Josh Bednarek join the Upfront Planning podcast to talk about the big housing issue and what needs to be done locally, at the state and federal level to get housing opportunities and costs for everyone back on track.  Discussion goes further into why there is so much opposition to housing and what is at the heart of the matter.