Besides those obstacles, new urbanists must also win the approval of retailers and mortgage lenders who are more likely to prefer conventional suburban planning, the conference was told. A panel of speakers included Charlotte developer Neal Coker and Todd Mansfield, president of the Crosland Group in Charlotte.

In a published report, Coker says new urbanism can be tough to promote even in urbanized areas. He was recently lambasted in a meeting by more than 100 angry residents who object to his proposed project at Oberlin Road and Wade Avenue in Charlotte.

Coker notes that for every five people who buy a condo in his new building on Glenwood Avenue, an additional 100 would rather buy a house in the suburbs. He thinks it's understandable that he try his hand at new urbanism, but government should not try to impose new urbanism concepts at a location where it won't work. He plans to build homes, offices, shops and a movie theater in mult-tenanted buildings near some of Raleigh's oldest neighborhoods.