Op-Ed

Rising gas prices and thickening traffic congestion make small, fuel-efficient scooters seem like a great way to get around. But on roads built mainly for speeding cars, scooting can be scary. Occasional scooter-rider Pam Diaz argues it shouldn't be.

It is no longer good enough to plop housing on top of a retail strip, call it "mixed-use," and expect to intelligently improve the urban setting, or build real value. True metropolitan development – and real, long-term commercial success – fuses many uses together, including hotels, retail, restaurant-bars, museums, stadiums, libraries, movie theaters, housing and even creative live/work light industrial, writes Keith Ray.

Planning and zoning commissions need to be diverse to make sure the broad range of issues and concerns are considered. That requires commissioners who are from different parts of town, different walks of life, different ethnic backgrounds, and now, different age groups.

With the rise of corporate farming and the decline of small farming operations, Americans are increasingly disconnected from their food. Some are attempting to counteract this disconnect through local small farming operations known as Community Supported Agriculture.

The apartment where Ishmael Sanchez lives was randomly selected to participate in the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey. He's not a planner or a demographer, and doesn't use or particularly care about Census data. But, because he was required by law to do so, he responded to the survey.

Neighborhoods -- their habits, their participants, and their values -- are what create and define value in a city and in a home. Cities need to embrace this fact if they want to preserve values and retain residents.

The continuing education program of the American Planning Association's American Institute of Certified Planners has stirred much controversy amongst members, educators and officials. Many agree the system's flaws need to be addressed. But where is the public discussion?

The current housing crisis in America is a product of greed -- not just the greed of homebuilders and mortgage lenders, but also the greed of consumers. Could planners have done more to prevent this greed from crashing the market?

Unsightly and space-consuming, parking is nonetheless a key component for most urban development. But the rise in innovative parking solutions and mechanization technologies is poised to transform the parking garage from an eyesore into a cohesive element in any sustainable, walkable and livable project.

The new continuing education program set up by the American Planning Association's American Institute of Certified Planners is an unfair system that will prevent AICP-certified planners from getting affordable, high-quality education.

Transportation is becoming increasingly difficult in the Indian city of Bangalore. With motorized vehicles taking over much of the city's transportation mode share, the congested city needs to follow the examples of many other world cities and design its roads to be more bicycle- and pedestrian-friendly.

Is suburban growth really a product of the natural progression of human development, and if not, could a a different growth pattern better meet our desires and reduce our impact the climate?

After decades of decline, downtown Detroit is undergoing a broad redevelopment. City-led efforts focusing on attracting corporate dollars and new residents have noticeably changed the city and its economy, but some grassroots organizations say this method ignores the issues faced in Detroit's inner-city neighborhoods. Increasing collaboration among the advocates of these disparate strategies will be crucial to creating a socially sustainable Detroit.

With little else to do, teenagers in the rural Indiana town of San Pierre have found a new place to hang out: community meetings. But they're not just hanging out, they are actively participating in the planning and revitalization of their community.

There are many voices in the process of community planning. To create effective plans, planners need to welcome these many voices and their respective differences, not suppress them into consensus.

Two high-profile Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) systems are currently under construction, and their implementation could serve as a model for how cities can better connect their existing transit systems to improve mobility.

Keeping track of the weird things that occur in the planning and government world – from rules prohibiting screaming on amusement park rides to “green” cremation techniques – isn't really necessary. But someone should do it anyway.

For politicians and developers, advocating for "smart growth" is easy. But for small towns, pursuing those goals can be a challenge. Researchers Anna Haines and Mary Edwards examined the "smart growth" plans of 30 small communities to see just how well small towns can adopt smart growth ideals.

Community design, the availability of amenities, and ease of mobility have a tremendous impact on the aging population, but the 50+ community is often ignored when these elements are being planned. AARP's Livable Communities Initiative offers guidance to planners on how to better understand, evaluate and plan for the needs of older adults.