Land Use

Drought

Researchers Propose the Concept of 'Anthropogenic Drought'

As climate change heightens the risk of intense drought periods, a new framework can help scientists better understand the interconnected causes and effects of drought.

May 10, 2021 - Eos

Midwest Flooding

Most Americans Unaware of Flood Risks, Study Finds

The lack of disclosure laws in most states has led to an overvaluation of homes located in floodplains across the country.

May 10, 2021 - Grist

Bureau of Land Management

Can the U.S. Preserve 30 Percent of its Lands and Waters?

The Biden administration released its preliminary report on a plan to conserve 30 percent of the nation's lands and waters by 2030, one big, ambitious component of the administration's climate plans.

May 9, 2021 - The Washington Post

Tokyo Skyline

Japan's Rental Housing Market Defined by Land Scarcity, Earthquakes, Demographic Shifts

The island nation's housing market faces a discrepancy between existing stock and rapidly changing demographics.

May 9, 2021 - Brookings Institution

Cleveland Park, D.C.

How Historic Districts Supersede Local Zoning Regulations

How one historic district in a growing corner of Washington, D.C. is able to effect downzoning.

May 7, 2021 - Greater Greater Washington

American River Bike Trail, Sacramento, CA

Regional Bikeway System Planned for Sacramento Area

The proposed network would improve connectivity between the area's existing bikeways and increase access to regional job centers.

May 6, 2021 - Sacramento Bee

Dorchester Avenue, Dorchester Massachusetts

Transitional Housing Project Rejected Due to Parking Concerns

The nonprofit developer of a transitional housing project in Dorchester, Massachusetts argues that most residents of the proposed project won't own cars, but neighbors worry the added density will put a strain on local parking.

May 6, 2021 - Universal Hub

Chicago Six-Way

A Traffic Forecasting Model for Pedestrians

A new methodology can help cities assess the impact of new developments on walkers.

May 6, 2021 - Streetsblog USA

Racial Equity in Planning

Equity and 'Righting Past Wrongs' to Start the 2021 National Planning Conference

The American Planning Association's 2021 National Planning Conference started streaming this morning, with an obvious focus on equity and the historical role of the planning profession in perpetuating systemic racism.

May 5, 2021 - James Brasuell

Congress for the New Urbanism

Meet CNU's New Executive Director

The Congress for the New Urbanism has announced the hiring of Rick Cole as the its new executive director, filling a role left vacant by the departure of Lynn Richards earlier this year.

May 5, 2021 - CNU Public Square

Grand Connection

Poised for a New Era of Parks Planning in Bellevue, Washington

The last round of capital investment made possible by a 2008 parks levy offers a chance to look further into the future in Bellevue, Washington.

May 3, 2021 - The Urbanist

Los Angeles River

A Comment for the L.A. River Master Plan

Five themes proposed to achieve justice and sustainability for the Los Angeles River and its surrounding communities.

May 3, 2021 - Richard Dion

I-71 I-70 Columbus OH

Northeast Ohio Agency Set to Reject Three Highway Proposals

The agency's recommendations are based on a new method of cost-benefit analysis that includes equity and environmental sustainability as key measures.

May 3, 2021 - Cleveland.com

Atlanta Civic Center

Atlanta Launching Affordable Housing Development Program for City-Owned Land

The Atlanta Department of City Planning has identified 877 acres of land on 490 parcels for potential affordable housing development.

April 30, 2021 - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Houston, Construction

Watch: Debunking Myths About Houston's Lack of Zoning

A video published last week by City Beautiful reveals the myths and misconceptions of Houston's land use regulation system.

April 29, 2021 - City Beautiful

Oil field and houses in Signal Hill, California

Your Not-So-Friendly Neighborhood Oil Well

Much of California's oil and gas extraction takes place in residential neighborhoods, posing significant health risks to entire communities.

April 29, 2021 - Yale Environment 360

Waldorf-Astoria

Special Permits Could Be Required for Hotel Development in New York City

Mayor Bill de Blasio is pushing ahead with a controversial approval step for hotel development, despite the warnings of city budget office staff about the long-term consequences of the move.

April 29, 2021 - The New York Times

Downtown Detroit

How Easy Is it to Repurpose Offices into Apartments?

Adaptive reuse is a hot concept, but regulatory and financial hurdles have made it slow to catch on in practice.

April 28, 2021 - Slate

Vacant Lot

Unpermitted RV Park Faces Code Enforcement Pressure in Oakland

A controversy over the unpermitted use of RVs for shelter on an otherwise empty lot in West Oakland reveals a confluence of Bay Area housing crises.

April 28, 2021 - The Mercury News

Welcome to Brooklyn

Brooklyn Bridge Bike Path Could Be Wider, Safer

Advocates want to see a safer plan for the proposed two-way path on one of the country's busiest commuter corridors.

April 27, 2021 - Curbed

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.