Plannerese

Bike Share Electric Scooters

Toward a Vocabulary of Micromobility

All these newfangled devices and no universal nomenclature.

January 23, 2020 - The City Fix

Campus Martius

Different Types of Pro-Development Urbanism, Explained

Can't tell New Urbanism from YIMBY? This post tries to help.

December 3, 2019 - Greater Greater Washington

Berkeley Maintenance Hole

No More 'Manholes' in Berkeley

In removing all gendered language from its civil code, the city of Berkeley is tossing out some familiar nomenclature.

July 20, 2019 - The Mercury News

Austin

Defining Key Zoning Code Terms for the Masses

What it means when planners use their words.

June 9, 2017 - The Austin Chronicle

'NIMBY' Too Gentle a Word: How About 'New Urban Luddites'?

Richard Florida calls for the use of the term "New Urban Luddites" to describe the embedded interests that obstruct the growth of cities. The consequences of New Urban Luddite politics, according to Florida, are too severe for such an innocuous term.

April 19, 2017 - CityLab

City Hall

'Define Each and Every Acronym'

A participant in some of Seattle's most consequential planning processes puts out a call for a more inclusive use of language.

January 14, 2017 - The Urbanist

Crowd Community Meeting

Good Jargon and Bad

Some planning jargon actually clarifies rather than confuses.

January 10, 2017 - Michael Lewyn

Confusion

8 Planning Terms to Retire in 2017

A collection of planning and transportation experts humbly submits a list of words and terms that have lost their value (if they ever had any to begin with).

January 9, 2017 - Next City

Writer Dude

Ask the Editor: Planning Grammar Edition

The Planetizen managing editor answers questions about some of the post consistently befuddling grammar questions that arise when writing and talking about planning.

April 1, 2016 - Planetizen April 1st Edition

20 Google Chrome Substitutions for Planners

Extensions that automatically change the appearance of words in the Google Chrome browser have provided serious laughs. Now for a planning edition.

April 1, 2016 - Planetizen April 1st Edition

Word Cloud detail

Tips for Writing Better Planning Documents

Writing may not be the key focus for urban planners, but it is a necessary skill for better communicating with the public on important planning issues, writes Clement Lau, a Los Angeles County planner.

September 17, 2015 - UrbDeZine

On the Sudden Rise to Prominence of the Word 'Infrastructure'

At some point in the past 35 years, the word infrastructure became common in policy discussions and even in the common tongue. But why did we suddenly prefer the word "infrastructure" to other terms like "public works"?

August 28, 2015 - Governing

Writing

I Use the Word 'Vibrant' (and You Can Too)

Planners and designers should not be afraid to reclaim overused and misused words—as long as they know what they're doing.

July 30, 2015 - James Brasuell

Toward a Definition of Mixed-Use

A panel at the recent Urban Land Institute conference in Houston considers the imperative of understanding mixed-use development and its various forms.

June 13, 2015 - Rice Kinder Institute for Urban Research

Plannerese

Spell Check Now Speaks Planner

Microsoft announced a big update to the Word spell check dictionary today to include the constantly evolving and often incomprehensible language of planning.

April 1, 2015 - Planetizen April 1st Edition

Neil DeGrasse Tyson

Will the Neil deGrasse Tyson of Planning Please Stand Up?

Do you have to be a “plannerd” to think planning is cool? Is there a planner alive who can bridge the divide between the mysteries of planning and general public interest? One writer dares to hope.

April 23, 2014 - Medium

Friday Funny: Can You Understand This Planner?

Planner Robert Voigt created this XtraNorml video to poke fun at the incomprehensibility of planner speak, and how it sabotages community engagement.

January 21, 2011 - Civic Blogger

News from HUD User

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Call for Speakers

Mpact Transit + Community

New Updates on PD&R Edge

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Websites

The best of the Internet—since 2002.

Top Apps

Planning apps for a brave new world.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

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.