Environment

The Inequities of Beach Access
Over 80% of Californians live within an hour’s drive of a beach, but that does not mean that everyone has easy access to beaches.

E-Bike Sales are Booming in the U.K. and U.S.
As more people buy e-bikes for regular commuting and transportation, cycling advocates are calling for cities to beef up investment in safe infrastructure.

New Study Ranks the Urban Heat Island Effect in U.S. Cities
A new analysis by Climate Central evaluates the intensity of urban heat islands in cities around the United States—New Orleans tops the list.

Documenting L.A.'s Reclaimed Industrial Sites
Community activists across the city have fought to clean up, preserve, and enhance former industrial sites as parks, community gardens, and green spaces.

Atlanta Highway Cap Project Gets New Life
The city council voted to apply for a $1 million federal grant to study the potential benefits of building a park over downtown freeways.

Army Corps Rescinds Permits for Massive Master Planned Community in Arizona
A plan to conjure 28,000 new homes from the landscape fed by the San Pedro River in Southern Arizona is once again on the wrong side of regulators.

Surfside Collapse Highlights Florida's 'Unique Vulnerabilities'
A coastal geologist urges state leaders and residents to start planning for 'managed retreat' away from the coastal communities most vulnerable to sea level rise.

APA Recognizes Los Angeles County's Sustainability Plan
The American Planning Association (APA) has honored Los Angeles County with the Award of Excellence in Sustainability for the 2019 OurCounty Sustainability Plan.

Assessing Biden's '30 by 30' Conservation Plan
The president's ambitious commitment to protect 30% of U.S. land and water by 2030 might be too broad in attempting to satisfy all land users.

What Makes a High Quality Park?
A new report can help park developers and managers assess quality, park by park and systemwide, to make investments and address disparities in access to high quality parks.

Ideas for Urban Resilience
Five experts reflect on developing trends and future possibilities for resilience in Honolulu and other cities.

This Map Shows Tree Inequality Across Neighborhoods
A new mapping tool visualizes the unequal distribution of urban trees in U.S. cities.

How to Attract Post-Pandemic Transit Riders
After seeing dramatic cuts in service and ridership during the pandemic, transit agencies have a small window of opportunity to gain and retain regular passengers.

A New Approach to Park Equity
A new approach prioritizes investments in the capacity of people closest to the problem to achieve population-level impacts.

Harris County Will Use Toll Road Revenue to Pay for Flood Control
A new Flood Resilience Trust will create a permanent source of funding for flood control purposes, but the county still faces a shortfall for planned projects.

House Bill Would Invest Up to $750 Million in Wastewater Recycling Projects
HR 4099, which recently passed a House subcommittee, would create a new pool of money for 17 western states to use for new wastewater recycling capacity.

Parks Overwhelmed by Record Numbers of Visitors
Already understaffed and underfunded, the agencies that manage state and national parks are struggling to keep up with the spike in demand for outdoor recreation over the past year.

'Tiny Forests' Take Hold in Urban Centers
A movement to plant small patches of plants in urban neighborhoods is taking off in Europe and Asia as cities work to mitigate the effects of climate change and provide increased access to green space.

How Bad Transit Encourages Car Ownership
The lack of robust public transit networks in many U.S. cities reduces access to opportunity and drives those who can afford it to buy private vehicles.

Taking Care of the Santa Monica Mountains
Learn more about the Resource Conservation District which promotes land stewardship and resource conservation in the mountains through habitat restoration, planning, research, and education.
Pagination
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.
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions