The prior code, adopted in 1962 and amended with with nearly 1,000 ad-hoc revisions since then, required a strict separation of uses and outlawed the classic Philadelphia rowhouse typology.
According to David Morley, writing for the APA Sustaining Places blog, the prior code was also seen as a major barrier to investment. The new code, nearly five years in the making, has been streamlined and is geared towards encouraging sustainability, protecting neighborhoods, and promoting quality and design.
While a successful document in many ways, Morley finds it somewhat odd that zoning reform will be enacted ahead of completion of the city's concurrent comprehensive planning effort: the Philadelphia 2035 Citywide Vision.
"In some ways, the approach of simultaneous plan making and zoning reform sounds ideal. The time for completing both projects is shorter and there were many opportunities for participants to see relationships between planning themes and zoning provisions. In other ways, it seems a little strange. The planning team and the zoning team operated independently, and specific plan policies generally followed the development of specific zoning standards, rather than vice versa."
FULL STORY: Promoting Sustainability through Zoning Reform in Philadelphia

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

Cleveland to Boost Bike Safety With New Bike Lanes, School Programs
The program, using curriculum created by Cleveland Bikes, is part of a broader effort to improve safety along school routes.

Florida Home Insurers Disproportionately Dropping Low-Income Households
Non-renewal rates are highest in inland counties, not the coastal areas most immediately vulnerable to storms.

Half of Post-Fire Altadena Home Sales Were to Corporations
Large investors are quietly buying up dozens of properties in Altadena, California, where a devastating wildfire destroyed more than 6,000 homes in January.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont