Rural Planning

A long farmhouse is visible in winter agricultural fields, Snow-covered mountains loom above low clouds in the background of the photo.

Toward Better 'Rural Places and Planning'

The authors of the new book "Rural Places and Planning" expand beyond stereotypes of the rural to describe a more supportive approach to rural planning.

March 8, 2022 - Menelaos Gkartzios

Rural California Road

Bringing Rurality Back to Planning Culture

Michael Hibbard at the University of Oregon and Kathryn I. Frank at the University of Florida write about their recently published article in the Journal of Planning Education and Research.

February 23, 2022 - JPER

Los Angeles County

Understanding Regional and Rural Park and Recreation Needs

The Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation is doing a study to inventory and analyze the need for facilities like beaches, natural areas, open space, regional parks, trails, and local parks in rural areas.

March 28, 2021 - National Recreation and Park Association Open Space Blog

Central Valley

3 Myths About Rural America and How to Debunk Them

The effort to debunk common myths about rural America in academia and the news media continues.

November 16, 2020 - Urban Institute

Gilpin County, Colorado

New Ruralism Initiative Releases Report

"Lessons in New Ruralism" shares 20 case studies of prosperous rural communities from across the United States.

October 22, 2020 - Maine Association of Planners

Highway Construction

$900 Million in BUILD Transportation Grants Announced

The U.S. Department of Transportation this week announced $900 million in BUILD grant funding for transportation projects around the country, supporting a similar focus on rural and highway projects as in previous rounds of spending.

November 13, 2019 - Engineering News-Record

Chain Creep: Coming to a Small Town, or Big City, Near You

Dollar stores were already a presence in rural communities, but recession has caused dollar chains to ramp up development to keep pace with the public's growing need to stretch their paychecks. Urban communities aren't immune from chain creep either.

January 31, 2013 - Rooflines

Taking the 'Urban' out of Planning

What do we lose when we narrowly associate planning with an 'urban' or 'city' context? The ability to effectively plan for rural, transitional, regional, and even urban areas, says Ruth Miller.

November 1, 2012 - Colab Radio

A Paean For Rural America and Its Working Landscape

Lee Epstein and Kaid Benfield pen a post on the importance of working rural landscapes to the sustainability agenda, which seems to be increasingly overlooked by smart growth advocates.

March 5, 2012 - Switchboard

A Prefab Prototype for Kenyan Villages

A Kansas City design team hopes its model for a prefabricated village can bring "simple, high-quality vernacular architecture" to the country's rural communities.

December 21, 2010 - The Architect's Newspaper

The Complexity of Rural America

Gary Toth and Hannah Twaddell untangle the complexity of planning for rural communities.

May 19, 2010 - Blueprint America

The Art of Civic Engagement

In Starksboro, Vermont, planners are using storytelling and community art projects to get at the heart of what matters to residents.

November 9, 2009 - Burlington Free Press

Rural Economies Imprisoned by Prison Building

Prison construction is flourishing under the assumption that it boosts rural economies, but as Eric Lotke points out, investing in other types of building would yield greater returns to society.

December 14, 2008 - Campaign for America's Future

High Gas Prices Making Rural Life Difficult

Both farmers and the rural poor are hurting because gas prices are not only higher in Canada's rural areas, but the distances required to obtain food and other necessities are so great.

June 3, 2008 - The Globe and Mail

Young Author Writes About Human Impact of Sprawl

Gina Olszowski's first book focuses on the personal stories of rural residents impacted by sprawl.

May 30, 2008 - The Beacon News

Minnesotans Split Over Sod Farmland

Ham Lake, Minnesota, residents are torn over the best way to preserve the rural character of their St. Paul suburb.

May 26, 2008 - Star Tribune, Minneapolis-St. Paul

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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.