North Carolina

Small NC town changes zoning ordinance to accomodate Walmart.

Commuters in North Carolina's greater Triangle area do not have any choice but to drive amidst skyrocketing gas prices. Local urban planning experts blame consumer attitudes and the region's suburban character.

In a city where big-box retail has been approved without much discussion for years, the Planning Board of Winston-Salem, NC, sends a message that the community may be ready to take a different path.

The Charlotte Observer offers a list of questions they want the city's next planning director to answer.

North and South Carolina are aggressively diversifying their economies to survive a devastating loss of the region's manufacturing base.

How a mall near Charlotte, North Carolina symbolizes a continual problem of urban development.

Design-based coding is gaining popularity in Macon County's stalled planning process.

A new study by transportation expert David Hartgen suggests that highway projects do not play a large role in determining the amount of growth in local communities.

A study commissioned by NCDOT finds that HOV lanes for the research Triangle region are far more expensive than anticipated.

Two planning experts say schools built too far from neighborhoods make sprawl worse.

The Charlotte Observer editorializes on the process of hiring a new planning directory for the city of Charlotte.

A neighborhood in Charlotte, NC,grapples with transition to higher density, mixed uses, and rail service.

A 2-part story looks at efforts to preserve North Carolina's coast which are undermined by actions of the state legislature.

Not long ago, schools were built as the cornerstone of communities. Today, many new schools are built on the periphery, far from the neighborhoods they serve.

Hatteras Island's lax zoning laws left the door open to developers, and now local residents are paying the price.

Energy-efficient and environmentally sensitive architecture using solar energy is gaining in popularity.

Independent columnust Burtman offers a scathing analysis and indictment of the failed plan to improve South Columbia Street in Chapel Hill, N.C.

The Charlotte Observers offers a summary of how zoning and "matter of right" allows for the building of junk, regardless of city plans or desires for a quality environment.

Stormwater Magazine offers a monitoring system that makes the best use of buildable land.

A contest inspired by 'SimCity' gives middle-schoolers a taste of the complexities of city planning -- and the fun of making a perfect place