Environment

Miami Temperature

It's Time for National Cool Communities Standards

Cities are hotter because of the way we build them, and they could be cooler if we built them differently.

June 24, 2021 - Next City

Exurban Development

What Are Exurbs?

Farther out than suburbs but still connected to a major urban center, exurbs lie at the ever-shifting border between urban and rural spaces and are defined by economic ties to a city, low density housing, and high population growth.

June 23, 2021 - Diana Ionescu

Wildfire

Visualizing the Western Drought

Lower-than-average rainfall and reduced snowpacks have led to one of the driest and most dangerous fire seasons in history.

June 23, 2021 - The New York Times

Trans Alaska Oil Pipeline

The Biden Administration's Ambiguous Position on Drilling in Alaska

The administration's support of a Conoco-Phillips project is at odds with its suspension of Trump-era oil leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

June 23, 2021 - WBUR

Wildfire

Wildfire Recovery for the Nation's Largest Urban Park

The National Park Service is seeking public comments on the redevelopment of sites within the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area that were burned in the 2018 Woolsey Fire. 

June 22, 2021 - National Park Service

San Francisco Ferry Building

8 Cities Taking Steps Toward Waste Reduction and Sustainability

These eight cities are taking steps to reduce waste and achieve sustainability of their metropolitan areas. Keep reading to learn more.

June 22, 2021 - Devin Partida

Inland Empire

Inland Empire City Pauses New Gas Station Development

The reasons for a ten-month moratorium on gas station development in the city of Rancho Cucamonga portend a major shift in transportation and land use priorities in the near future.

June 22, 2021 - Daily Bulletin

Denver Golf Course

Denver Voters Will Weigh Open Space Development

Two competing initiatives seek to change city regulations for residential and commercial development on the city's parklands and open spaces.

June 22, 2021 - Denver Post

Capitol Hill

Senate Democrats Consider $6 Trillion Infrastructure Package

In contrast to the $1.2 trillion Senate bipartisan infrastructure proposal, Senate Democrats are discussing a massive package that is more of a budget resolution than an infrastructure bill, designed to pass with 51 votes on reconciliation.

June 21, 2021 - Roll Call

Dallas

Dallas City Council Approves Urban Forest Master Plan

The plan seeks to mitigate the effects of urban heat islands by preserving and growing the city's tree canopy.

June 21, 2021 - Smart Cities Dive

New Urban Agenda

Will Planners Lead the New Urban Agenda?

The United Nation’s New Urban Agenda has created a playbook for planning advocates. It opens possibilities for building inclusive, integrated urban planning in countries where planning has been top-down and limited in scope.

June 20, 2021 - Bruce Stiftel

Trick Biker

Sunday Fun: The Bicycle Powered Car

Mounting a tandem bike to the front of a Honda to generate the power to operate the car has never looked so fun.

June 20, 2021 - Life OD via YouTube

Vineyard, Napa Valley, California

Lawsuit by Malibu Wineries Challenges Ban on New Vineyards

A coalition of winemakers claims that the county ignored CEQA requirements in instituting a blanket ban on new vineyards in the Santa Monica Mountains.

June 18, 2021 - LAist

Car-Centric Planning

Mapping Environmental Justice Hotspots

A new map of Virginia illustrates the stark contrasts in pollution burdens depending on location.

June 18, 2021 - The Virginia Mercury

California Gas Statin

The Big Taboo of the Senate's Bipartisan Infrastructure Proposal

Ten bipartisan senators have proposed a nearly $1 trillion infrastructure deal with no new taxes, but it does include indexing the current gas tax of 18.4 cents per gallon, unchanged in 28 years, to inflation, thus potentially increasing gas prices.

June 17, 2021 - The Washington Post

Sea Level

The Changing Risks of Coastal Communities

An excerpt from "A Blueprint for Coastal Adaptation: Uniting Design, Economics, and Policy," published in May by Island Press.

June 17, 2021 - Carolyn Kousky

National Park Campgrounds

Return of the National Parks

After more than a year of COVID-19-related restrictions and limited travel, rising attendance figures across national parks show Americans are eager to explore the great outdoors.

June 16, 2021 - CNN

Nevada Grass

Nevada Bans the Use of Colorado River Water for Ornamental Grass

AB 356 could be "the most aggressive municipal water conservation measure that's been taken in the western United States."

June 15, 2021 - The Nevada Independent

Williamsburg Bridge

15 of the 'Worst Highways in America'

The Congress for the New Urbanism's "Freeways Without Future 2021" report leverages the current political moment by spotlighting 15 U.S highways for removal.

June 15, 2021 - CNU Public Square

Tidal flooding at Brickell Bay Drive and 12 Street, Downtown Miami

Miami Residents Resist the Idea of a 20-Foot Seawall

As climate change accelerates sea level rise and flooding in South Florida, locals hope to mitigate the impacts with less dramatic interventions.

June 11, 2021 - New York Times

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.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.