Planet X and City Building

At the outer reaches of our solar system, past Neptune and within the Kuiper belt, something odd is happening. Whereas most of our planets and objects behave in an orderly manner, neatly orbiting the sun in a relatively circular manner, there are 10 or more objects that have chosen to take a far different path. These Kuiper Belt objects (KBOs) sling out from the sun in an elongated path, swing back toward the sun and dip below the plane of the other planets before heading back out to the edge of our solar system. Here's the catch, besides the strange orbit, they all dip at the same time. This may not seem that relevant until you understand that this is no coincidence. Something is causing them to move in this manner. Something that nobody can see. Something very big. Possibly the largest planet in our little corner of the universe. Planet X.

Though this mystery object has never been seen, there is almost no question that it is there.  The reactions of the objects around it are a reflection of its existence.

We build infrastructure in our cities to enhance their economic vitality and create a better quality of life for those that live and work in them. But sometimes, our best laid plans simply don't work. We develop innovative housing options and people choose to live in other neighborhoods, we open cutting-edge schools and parents send their children elsewhere, we create parks that are rarely used as individuals gravitate to postage stamp-sized plazas blocks away. And, in terms of safety, we provide significant security only to have people express their discomfort in certain public areas. In each case there is some sort of gravitational pull drawing people to or away from the components we have collectively built within our urban centers. In order to ensure our center cities remain strong, it is imperative to understand why certain  infrastructure additions work and  others do not. We must recognize, that the reaction to the various building blocks of our cities is never by happenstance.

There is always a cause. The bigger the change in motion, direction or inertia, the bigger the cause. But, many times it is not something we can see or readily identify.  In order to best leverage our investments, plan for new investments and bring positive impacts to our cities, we must take the time to thoroughly understand why people react to them in the way that they do.

There are rich discoveries to be made when seeking the cause of the reactions. In the case of the solar system--- perhaps a planet 10 x denser than Earth. In the case of our Center Cities, thriving economic centers--- with their own increase in density.