Exclusives
BLOG POST
A Bipartisan Case for Mass Timber—Combating Wildfires and Developing Local Economies
What’s good for our forests and planet can also be good for our jobs, communities, and the economy. That’s why we’re writing this together—an ex-Democratic political operative and an ex-Republican staff member who want to see mass timber flourish.
FEATURE
Seeing the Street
A San Francisco-based design studio describes the thought process behind an effort to push outdoor lighting design beyond the lowest common denominator allowed by bureaucracy and status quo thinking.
PLANOPEDIA
What Is a Specific Plan?
Specific Plans are unique to the state of California, but come up frequently in media coverage of planning. Understanding the purpose of Specific Plans can also open a window to understanding of how planning works all over the country.
BLOG POST
3 Cities That Will Thrive Post-Pandemic—and 2 That Might Struggle
The most promising cities after COVID won't necessarily be the same that were ideal before.
PLANOPEDIA
What Are Complete Streets?
Complete Streets prioritize the safety and mobility of all users instead of the speed of cars and flow of traffic. After a century of prioritizing automobile travel, the concept of complete streets offer a chance to make streets a place to be used and enjoyed rather than glimpsed through a windshield.
BLOG POST
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.
BLOG POST
As U.S. Transportation Infrastructure Holds Back Economic Recovery, It's Time for Change
Opinion: Six months into the pandemic, the state of the U.S. economy reveals that the planning profession can support struggling Americans by focusing on transportation and the land use patterns that enable mass transit.
BLOG POST
An Excellent New Book: Right of Way
In Right of Way, Angie Schmitt explains why U.S. pedestrian fatalities have increased in recent years.
BLOG POST
How COVID Impacts the Future of Light Rail in Austin
The budget for Austin’s massive transportation plan was cut by nearly a third in the wake of the pandemic, but a tax rate increase to help pay for it is still on the ballot for November.
FEATURE
An Academic Debate With Very Real Consequences: Land Use Regulations and the Cost of Housing
An article from the journal Urban Studies is inspiring debate and controversy over a year after publication, presenting opposing opinions on fundamental questions about how land use regulation affects the housing market.
BLOG POST
4 Urban Planning Fails We Need to Correct in 2020
Here are four urban planning fails that should be near the top of the list as professionals assess what to address in 2020 and 2021.
FEATURE
The Hypocrisies and Troubles of Local Control
President Trump has opinions about the sanctity of local control that don't agree with his other opinions about local control. This is a cautionary tale.
BLOG POST
Which Cities Are Becoming More Violent?
Some cities have become significantly more violent since the George Floyd protests began—but not all. Why have some cities been more successful than others?
BLOG POST
Wildfires in the West Are Climate Change Lessons for Everyone
The wildfires burning throughout the West, with terrible but photogenic consequences, come with a reminder that it's only going to get worse unless massive changes are made right here in the United States.
BLOG POST
7 Grassroots Strategies Empowering Urban Communities
These grassroots strategies are helping urban neighborhoods improve the quality of life for many of their citizens.
BLOG POST
'Place-Healing': From Adaptation to Manifesto
Amid pandemic and protest, the need for urban mending has become abundantly clear, with responses that invoke the more ethereal elements of a physical place I like to call it "place-healing," a term that seems right for the times.
FEATURE
Beyond Complete Streets: Could COVID-19 Help Transform Thoroughfares Into Places for People?
Key considerations for those with a vision to make change on city streets.
BLOG POST
The Media Can't Stop Talking About the End of Cities
The latest installment of Planetizen's ongoing effort to track the stories about the future of planning in a world forever changed by COVID-19 notices a recurring theme.
BLOG POST
The Trouble With Equity
Equity is a fine value—but on contentious land use issues, equity can be used to support either side of the argument.
FEATURE
Missing Middle Housing: Thinking Big and Building Small to Respond to Today’s Housing Crisis
Dan Parolek, inventor of the term Missing Middle Housing, has written a new book on the subject, available now from Island Press. The following excerpts offer insight into overcoming planning and regulatory barriers to deliver the desired housing.
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
Tyler Technologies
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
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.
