Exclusives

FEATURE

Bolder Plans, Bigger Dreams

November 12 - Martha Frish

BLOG POST

Prince Charles, Vancouverism, and the search for Sustainable Urbanism

This past Saturday, I had the honour of joining a group of invited urbanists and sustainability experts, in a special dialogue put on by <a href="http://www.princes-foundation.org/" target="_blank">The Prince's Foundation for the Built Environment</a>, and Vancouver's Simon Fraser University. Among other things, the event was to launch a new partnership between these two innovative organizations around research and curriculum for sustainable urbanism.

November 10 - Brent Toderian

FEATURE

Planning for Sustainability in New York City

November 9 - Nate Berg

BLOG POST

Class Conscience: When Is Clean-Slate Planning Okay?

My classmate was up in front of everyone, flapping and flailing, pleading his case and getting shot down at every turn. It was a bit like watching a train wreck in slow motion. It was also kind of like looking in the mirror. I’m just more than halfway through a planning school studio project working on the beautiful (no, really) Lower Schuylkill River in Philadelphia. They’ve teamed up about 15 planner/urban designers with about 45 landscape architects, who, as I mentioned <a href="/node/40796">last time</a>, are reasonably bonkers. That was about a month and a half ago; since then, I’ve begun to think maybe I’m the one needing a room with padded walls.

November 9 - Jeffrey Barg

BLOG POST

Fleeting Design

If you’ve ever worked in distressed communities, you’ve faced the dilemma that there simply is no private market for what you want to see built. You can chip away at the problem of vacant land with thoughtful affordable housing developments or, if you’re lucky, a new recreation center but by and large, large amounts of vacancy remain and impact the psyche of those that live nearby. So working closely with residents, and really listening, has sparked a whole new sub-discipline in our world of urban planning and design - temporary use. The shrinking cities movement shined a light on the potential of ad-hoc reuse and programming some time ago but so too has groups like the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society

November 6 - Scott Page

BLOG POST

Public Options in Transit and Health Care

<pre> Over the next few months, Congress will continue to debate health insurance reform, and in particular, whether to create a "public option"- a government-financed insurance company which would compete with private health insurers. Opponents of the public option fear that the government package might drive private insurers out of business. Are such concerns legitimate? American transportation history may give ammunition to both supporters and opponents of the public option. </pre> <pre>

November 5 - Michael Lewyn

FEATURE

Climate, Housing and Health: A Tripartite Challenge for the Poor

November 5 - Peter Williams

BLOG POST

Let Me Clear My Throat

For those who either have been wondering about, or not regularly following, the private life and times of your correspondent, I believe some sort of explanation is in order for what appears to have been my abrupt and complete disappearance off the face of the Earth. No, I did not get hit by an electric bus. No, there were no sinkholes in my proverbial bike lane. No, I didn't fatally discover an improperly phased pedestrian “Don't Walk” message on a recent signal timing field test. In fact, I have not disappeared from the face of any planet; rather, I have been devoured by the political wranglings and machinations of a very complex and tumultuous mayoral campaign in my fantastic hometown of Hoboken, New Jersey. More importantly, one week after being <a href="http://hudsonreporter.com/pages/full_stories_home/push?article--Hoboken+Mayor+Zimmer+hires+Ian+Sacs+to+head+Parking+Utility-+Corea+can+return+to+City+Hall+at+lower+salary-%20&id=3510818--Hoboken+Mayor+Zimmer+hires+Ian+Sacs+to+head+Parking+Utility-+Corea+can+return+to+City+Hall+at+lower+salary-&instance=up_to_the_minute_lead_story_left_column">appointed Provisional Director</a> of the Hoboken Parking Utility, my wife gave birth to a wonderful boy. But – sniff – I did miss you!

November 4 - Ian Sacs

BLOG POST

Don't Bogart That Joint, My Friend

"Don't Bogart That Joint, My Friend" Lyrics: Lawrence Wagner Music: Elliot Ingber (on the soundtrack of "Easy Rider") Chorus Don't bogart that joint my friend Pass it over to me Don't bogart that joint my friend Pass it over to me Roll another one Just like the other one You've been holding on to it And I sure will like a hit [chorus] Roll another one Just like the other one That one's burned to the end Come on and be a real friend [chorus] Marijuana is prescribed for certain medical conditions, such as pain relief, control of nausea and vomiting, and appetite stimulation. Since 1996, <a href="http://www.drugwarfacts.org/cms/node/54">at least 13 states have legalized</a> the sale of medical marijuana. Now, check your zoning regulations and see what districts allow this land use: "Retail Sales – Medical Marijuana." Couldn’t find it, right?

November 2 - Dwight Merriam

BLOG POST

Healthy, Wealthy and Wise Transportation Policy

An important new book, <a href="http://www.convergencepartnership.org/atf/cf/%7B245a9b44-6ded-4abd-a392-ae583809e350%7D/HEALTHTRANS_FULLBOOK_FINAL.PDF">Healthy, Equitable Transportation Policy: Recommendations and Research</a>, and its summary report, <a href="http://www.convergencepartnership.org/atf/cf/%7B245a9b44-6ded-4abd-a392-ae583809e350%7D/TRANSPORTATIONRX.PDF">The Transportation Prescription: Bold New Ideas for Healthy, Equitable Transportation Reform in America</a>, were just published by the <a href="http://www.convergencepartnership.org/transportationhealthandequity">Convergence Partnership</a>, a coalition that supports more rational and equitable health policy.

November 2 - Todd Litman

FEATURE

Starchitecture and Sustainability: Hope, Creativity, and Futility Collide in Contemporary Architecture

Can today's contemporary architects, schooled in modernism and invention, in fact incorporate the sort of green building materials and techniques that make a real difference? And does design really matter? Josh Stephens takes a look.

November 1 - Josh Stephens

BLOG POST

Mixing It Up at RailVolution

BOSTON -- If you've ever studied the bar menu at <a href="http://www.tradervics.com/index.html" target="_blank">Trader Vic's</a> then you know about such wonders as Tropical Passion, Moku Nani, and the Potted Parrot. Each is made of a unique but secret blend of dark rum, light rum, spiced rum, tropical juices, and of course "subtle flavorings." But by the time you'd realize that the only real difference is the glass they come in, you're too probably drunk to notice--or care. Minus the palm fronds, the RailVolution conference is much the same.

October 31 - Josh Stephens

FEATURE

Modernism's Olmsted

October 29 - Tim Halbur

BLOG POST

Finding Planning Schools

Confused about where to study planning? Of course there’s the Planetizen guide but in the United States two free sources of information provide extensive lists of potential schools.

October 27 - Ann Forsyth

BLOG POST

Halloween Costumes for Urban Planners - 2nd Edition

The second edition list of the best urban planning costume ideas.

October 26 - Nate Berg

BLOG POST

Rea Vaya ("We are Moving") In South Africa

To celebrate an important victory a winning team sometimes parades around the arena with their coach on their shoulders as the fans cheer in adulation. Planners sometimes deserve similar treatment! For example, regardless of who wins the <a href="http://www.fifa.com/worldcup">2010 FIFA World Cup</a> to be held in South Africa June and July 2010, the real victor will be residents of the four cities where matches will be held, who gain an efficient new public transportation system as a long-term legacy. Everybody wins!

October 26 - Todd Litman

FEATURE

Toward an Ethic of Place: Experiments in Regional Governance

Matthew McKinney argues that regional governance is essential to address transboundary issues like climate change, wildlife corridors, shared water resources, and energy development.

October 26 - Matthew McKinney

BLOG POST

Miami Adopts Largest Known Form-Based Code

After four years of political wrangling, hundreds of public and internal meetings, several revisions, and one determined planning department, consultant team, and Mayor, the City of Miami made urban planning history tonight by adopting the largest known application of a form-based code. In doing so, Miami has catapulted itself to the forefront of those large American cities serious about implementing smart growth.

October 22 - Mike Lydon

FEATURE

From Contrast to Continuity: A New Preservation Philosophy

With the emergence of new traditional design patterns among contemporary architects, the standards and rules that have defined historic preservation are becoming obsolete. Steven W. Semes calls on planners and designers to create a new ethic of harmonious intervention into historic settings.

October 22 - Steven W. Semes

BLOG POST

Open Data: Coming to a City Near You?

City data catalogs are fast moving from the exception to the norm for large U.S. cities. Washington, DC's <a href="http://data.octo.dc.gov/">Data Catalog</a>, spearheaded by former CTO Vivek Kundra, was an early leader. The site combines hundreds of static government-created datasets from across DC government with administrative feeds like the city's 311 system. Their site emphasizes providing data in multiple formats, including where possible formats that don't require proprietary software. Kundra's selection as the nation's first Chief Information Officer, and launch of the federal government's <a href="http://www.Data.gov">Data.gov</a> has elevated the principle among the federal government's vast datasets. DC's two "apps" contests sought to encourage creative uses of the data made available, and some of which are available at the <a href="http://apps.dc.gov/">DC App Store</a>. Beyond DC, many big cities have recently launched or are planning open data catalogs of their own.

October 19 - Robert Goodspeed