Environment

Climate Resilience Planning

Proposed Citywide Rezoning Would Layer Resilience in New York City

With 520 miles of coastline, New York City is ready to implement the lessons of Hurricane Sandy in the zoning code for the entire city.

October 22, 2020 - NYC Planning

Coronavirus

North Dakota Physicians Plead for State and Local Leaders to Mandate Masks

The medical community is sounding the alarm in North Dakota, where hospitals are overwhelmed with COVID patients. With the governor opposed to issuing a statewide mask mandate, physicians are asking local governments and the public for help.

October 21, 2020 - Grand Forks Herald

Detroit Vacant

Detroit Continues Demolition Program After Lead Risks Revealed

The city of Detroit said it would halt a demolition program after a report revealed the amount of lead released by demolitions into the environment, risking the health of children and other local residents.

October 20, 2020 - Detroit Free Press

Main Street

A Short-Term Approach to Climate Change Planning

The climate change discussion is usually defined by timelines that reach the end of the century, but some cities are preparing for the future of an altered climate by taking a short-term approach.

October 19, 2020 - Energy News Network

Washington D.C.

Environmental Agencies Failing at Civil Rights, Report Says

A report from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Inspector General calls out state environmental agencies for a lack of civil rights enforecement and makes recommendations for resolving shortcomings.

October 15, 2020 - Grist

Willowbrook, Los Angeles,

Transformation of South Los Angeles Park Offers Hope to the Community

Earvin "Magic" Johnson Park in Willowbrook has been transformed with $70 million worth of improvements, including a 20,000-square foot event center for community gatherings and events.

October 15, 2020 - Los Angeles Sentinel

Honolulu

How to Increase the Urban Canopy in Cities

Former University of Hawaii professor Tom Dinell makes a case for the need for more trees in Honolulu, with recommendations that can be applied in other cities as well.

October 13, 2020 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Northridge Earthquake, 1994

Earthquake Preparation for Resilience

A look at San Francisco's building resilience plan illustrates the pertinent need to include earthquake preparedness in resiliency planning.

October 13, 2020 - Smart Cities Dive

Atlanta Ocean

Florida Real Estate Market Sounds Climate Alarms

New research suggests that real estate values were declining before prices started falling, but a climate-driven housing crisis could already be here in coastal Florida.

October 13, 2020 - The New York Times

Coronavirus Protest

Do We Know Any More About the Future of Cities Than We Did in April 2020?

The conversation about how the pandemic might alter the direction of planning and urbanism, unlike the spread of the coronavirus, has remained steady since March.

October 12, 2020 - James Brasuell

North Carolina Flooding

Flood Risk Upends the North Carolina Housing Market

Inequalities in the housing market of coastal North Carolina communities have already been exacerbated by the effects of extreme weather and climate change.

October 9, 2020 - NRDC

Chicago, Illinois

Willis Tower, Largest LEED Platinum Building, to Switch to 100 Percent Renewable Energy

The Willis Tower in Chicago, once the tallest building in the world, is still making history in superlative terms.

October 7, 2020 - Commercial Property Executive

6th Street Viaduct

Designing Safe Passage for Steelhead Trout Through the L.A. River

The Southern California steelhead was added to the federal endangered species list in 1997. Today, planners are working to create a new home for the trout in the L.A. River.

October 7, 2020 - Los Angeles Times

Trees

A New Study Asserts the Importance of Urban Trees in Conservation Efforts

Data collected from 13 million tree planting records in 473 urban areas across 73 countries provides insight into the role of urban trees in biodiversity conservation.

October 7, 2020 - Cosmos Online

Carbon Tax

Reducing Emissions From Transportation Would Produce Huge Health Benefits, Study Says

New research suggests that cutting greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector would have tremendous benefits to public health.

October 7, 2020 - Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

Antelope Valley, California

Park Planning in a Pandemic

In pursuit of a grant for park development, Los Angeles County engages community members virtually to gather input and design a new park.

October 6, 2020 - Antelope Valley Press

Pittsburgh Steel City

U.S. EPA To Reclassify Thousands of Major Polluters

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimated its new rule change will result in up to 1,258 tons of additional emissions of hazardous materials every year.

October 6, 2020 - The Hill

Houston, Texas

The Social Dynamics of Houston's Urban Expansion

A new study published in the Land Use Policy journal explains how Houston's rapid expansion occurred, and why it matters.

October 6, 2020 - Rice Kinder Institute for Urban Research: The Urban Edge

Boston Skyline with Dome

Boston Launches a 20-Year Urban Forestry Plan

The forthcoming Boston Urban Forestry Plan is expected to support communities that have been disproportionately exposed to environmental stressors.

October 6, 2020 - Smart Cities Dive

Boston, Massachusetts

Ambitious New Boston Common Master Plan Revealed

The oldest city park in the United States, used as a cow pasture until the 19th century, is slated for a major upgrade.

October 2, 2020 - The Architect's Newspaper

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.