Land Use
Conceding Density, SoHo/NoHo Rezoning Plan Clears Final Hurdles
A closely watched rezoning effort in New York City cleared a key City Council committee last week, while making some concessions from the original vision to get across the finish line.
Aspen Presses Pause on New Construction, Short-Term Rentals
Residents and elected officials of the famously wealthy mountain town of Aspen don't like the way the city is headed.
Opinion: 'Instant' Delivery Services Could Decimate Street Vitality
The race to deliver goods at lightning speed has the potential to create 'dark cities' as street-level storefronts give way to closed-off warehouses only frequented by delivery workers.
What Is By-Right Development?
A by-right approval (also known as an as-of-right approval) is granted when a development proposal strictly conforms to zoning and building codes and, thus, qualifies for construction without requiring discretionary approval.
Atlanta's Buckhead Plans to Secede Over Upzoning
One Atlanta neighborhood is campaigning to secede from the city as the battle over zoning reform heats up.
L.A.'s New Housing Element Calls for 456,000 New Homes
The newly updated Housing Element of the city of Los Angeles General Plan makes an ambitious commitment to housing construction—after decades of slow construction and a population out of scale with the city's housing stock.
Contentious Houston Freeway Widening Project Inches Forward
Federal officials have given TxDOT the go-ahead to resume work on a small portion of a controversial interstate widening project in downtown Houston.
What Is Smart Growth?
Smart growth describes an approach to planning and development that prioritizes compact built environments, designed for benefits to the economy and the environment.
What Is the City Beautiful Movement?
Known for grand buildings and sweeping green spaces, the City Beautiful movement combined philosophy and architecture into a powerful planning ideology that still drives urban design into the present day.
Land Use Regulations on a Collision Course in California
The future of planning in California depends on how lawyers reconcile the Housing Accountability Act with the California Environmental Quality Act.
Upzoning Plan Faces Opposition in Prince George's County
A rezoning plan in Prince George's County, Maryland is receiving strong criticism from residents who worry redevelopment without tenant protections will lead to displacement.
Are Movie Studios 'Highest and Best Use' During a Housing Affordability Crisis?
Toronto's answer to the question posed in the headline is, "yes." One columnist wonders if the city can do more to balance its priorities.
Cities Finding Ways to Resist State-Mandated Upzoning
The resistance to state-mandated zoning reforms, already well underway in Oregon, is now starting to whiplash through California as well.
New Development Continues in Wrigleyville
New mixed-use projects bring residential units, retail, and entertainment venues to the neighborhood surrounding Chicago's Wrigley Field as stadium-adjacent development grows in popularity.
Leadership Change at the D.C. Office of Planning
D.C. Planning Director Andre Trueblood is leaving the helm of the District's Office of Planning.
Urban Development in African Cities
Rising populations and political challenges complicate the future development of Africa's major metropolitan centers.
Reimagining San Francisco for the Post-COVID Era
A San Francisco nonprofit is developing a set of recommendations for making downtown neighborhoods more flexible and welcoming to a more diverse set of users.
Climate Change Law: A Primer for Cities
A report from the Sabin Center provides a legal framework for municipal-level action on climate change policy.
How Urban Design Affects Children's Cognitive Development
A European study suggests that good urban design can affect cognitive and motor function development in young children.
Toronto Reconsidering its Parking Requirements
Parking reform is reaching new frontiers.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
One Hundred Miles
County of Mendocino
planning NEXT
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
Montrose County
Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA)
The Pocatello Development Authority
