Land Use
FEMA Flood Insurance Updates Reflect Actual Risk to Each Home
Changes to how FEMA calculates flood risk will assess risk at a home-by-home level, rather than estimating the same risk to all homes in the same floodplain.
Opinion: Outdated Zoning Codes Stifle Growth and Development
Strict separation of uses may be an inefficient way to zone dynamic modern cities.
Opinion: It's Time to Rezone Gowanus
As the New York City Council considers a controversial plan for the Gowanus neighborhood in Brooklyn, Moses Gates calls on the city to pass "one of the best and most inclusive community planning processes in recent times."
Federal Dollars Could Pave the Way for Greener, More Equitable Infrastructure
Houston's director of Transportation and Drainage Operations wants to see more sustainable development in the city that has historically depended on freeways as its critical infrastructure.
A 'Pro-Homes Playbook' for Planning and Land Use Commissioners
Desegregate Connecticut, the organization working for planning and zoning reforms in the Constitution State, recently published a series of "playbooks" intended to spur action at the local level.
Norwegian City Plans for Zero-Emissions Neighborhood
As it winds down port operations in the area, Bergen plans to transform its Dokken district from a busy shipping hub to a car-free, 'regenerative' zone.
Houston's Land Market Heats Up
The pandemic has spurred a sharp spike in land sales in the Houston area as more people look to buy homes and developers buy land for industrial uses.
Missing Middle Housing, Form-Based Code Added to the Zoning Menu in Iowa City
The Iowa City Planning Commission approved a rezoning amendment that will allow new missing middle density and implement a form-based code for the city's South District. The city could expand the concepts as it expands the city in the future.
The Role of Play in Public Space Design
'Playable' public spaces can be a powerful tool for creating vibrant, communal, and equitable cities.
Affordable Housing Planned Around Atlanta's New Westside Park
The 65 new units will include single-family homes with ADUs, duplexes, and fourplexes, according to Invest Atlanta.
Affordable Housing Bonus Program Expanded in Philadelphia
The city of Philadelphia launched a height and density bonus in 2018 to create incentives for the development of affordable housing, but so far the results have proven underwhelming.
How Do We Calculate Demand for Housing?
Actual demand for a place's housing might exceed increases in the number of residents or households.
Atlanta's Pro-Density 'Comprehensive Development Plan' Stalls in City Council
Planning is politics, an Atlanta case study.
Eliminating Single-Family Zoning Alone Won't Solve California's Housing Crisis
While zoning reforms can help reduce barriers to building more housing, high construction costs and local opposition mean that the state won't see an immediate boom in density.
Outdated State and Federal Road Design Rules Hinder Freeway Removal
Although some cities are in favor of removing or reducing urban freeways in favor of more walkable spaces, guidelines like the 11-year-old MUTCD still encourage a 'throughput at all costs' mentality.
Is Historic Preservation Zoning?
In a victory for preservationists, the Texas Supreme Court upheld Houston's Historic Preservation Ordinance despite a lawsuit alleging that the ordinance constitutes illegal zoning rules.
Obama Presidential Center Breaks Ground on Chicago's South Side
Years of controversy and delay were in the rearview this week when the Obamas joined the governor of Illinois and the mayor of Chicago to break ground on the Obama Presidential Center .
NYC Mayoral Candidate Proposes Ambitious Housing Plan to Convert Dormant Hotels
Eric Adams, Democratic candidate for New York City mayor, announced a proposal to convert existing hotel rooms to supportive and affordable housing. The plan faces obstacles in statewide building codes and local zoning regulations.
Proposed Law Would Open Beach Access in Massachusetts
It's harder to access the ocean in Massachusetts than any other coastal state in the country, but that could soon change.
Seattle Freeway Lid Expected by 2030
When complete, the SR 520 Montlake Project will reorganize the street grid to provide new connectivity for pedestrians and cyclists.
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
