Land Use

Community Impact Funds Could Subsidize a Fossil Fuel Railroad
A railway project designed to move oil and gas across eastern Utah has received millions in grant money from a fund designed to mitigate the impacts of fossil fuels.

Water Use and Land Use Are Deeply Intertwined
It's time to recognize the interconnectedness of land use planning, water policy, and sustainability initiatives.

New Single-Family Homes Shrank in 2019
The Census Bureau's "Characteristics of New Housing" report shows declining size among single-family homes built and sold new in 2019.

Comprehensive Update to Washington State's Growth Management Act Expected in 2021
Effective planning processes offer immense financial savings, and there's never been a more pressing need for both. The state of Washington is setting out to prove the planning dividend.

Open Container Laws Ditched in Cincinnati's The Banks Entertainment District
The trend toward the liberalization of outdoor drinking laws continues in Cincinnati. The turned is prevalent enough that this isn't even the first example of a "designated outdoor refreshment area" on the Ohio River.

Special Permits Could Be Required to Develop a Hotel in New York City
It could become a lot harder to develop a hotel in New York City, even in areas where hotel developments are zoned as-of-right and even after the pandemic has ravaged the industry.

The Race to Preserve America's Black Cemeteries
America's historic Black cemeteries, which have long fallen victim to displacement, relocation, and outright destruction, could have a new ally in the fight for preservation and recognition.

Upzoning Isn't a Silver Bullet for Housing Affordability
Zoning changes have been a popular way to increase density and affordable housing, but more diversified policies could fill in the gaps where zoning fails.

A Farewell to One-Size-Fits-All Urbanism
Sustaining culture and character is more than a black or white proposition. It requires a careful blend that depends on local circumstances, meticulous research, and self-knowledge.

Study Touts the Housing Affordability Benefits of Density for the State of Utah
The density debate can't be avoided in fast-growing Utah, according to the researchers and political leaders who support the findings of a new report from the University of Utah's Kem C. Garner Policy Institute.

The Link Between Smart Cities, Fleet Technology, and Economics
The theoretical planning of smart cities could help make city economies stronger as purchasing becomes more straightforward.

Residential Development Tax to Fund Affordable Housing Programs
Philadelphia's city council passed the city's first-ever residential development impact tax, a plan that could boost the city budget by $9 million a year.

A Comprehensive Overhaul of Planning Considered in New York City
The New York City Council this week released a report that suggest the city do away with its "piecemeal" approach to planning in favor of a new comprehensive planning framework.

Citywide Zoning Reform Approved in Everett
Few cities are accomplishing such a swift and sweeping overhaul of its land use regulations as Everett, Washington, which just wrapped up its second major planning initiative in as many years on its way to launching a third.

Locals Say Trump Can't Live at Mar-a-Lago
And they have the receipts.

Austin Hopes to Buck Tradition with Anti-Gentrification Measures in its New Transit Plan
Project Connect promises to prioritize equity and inclusion with $300 million dedicated to anti-displacement efforts.

Age-Friendly Columbus Offers Solutions for Aging Cities
Age-Friendly Columbus and Franklin County, a program of The Ohio State University College of Social Work, celebrated five years of community engagement and advocacy aimed at improving quality of life for older adults.

Pandemic, Equity Dominate 2020 Planning News
Even with the world shut down, many California planning issues continued to be debated online, fought over in court, enacted in city halls, and realized on the ground. And yet, racial equity and the pandemic are the defining stories of 2020.

Bogotá Uses 7,000 Public Design Proposals to Redesign its Main Artery
To reimagine the city's most important artery, Bogotá sought community input via an innovative online platform.

Statewide Zoning Changes Adopted in Oregon to Limit Parking, Add Missing Middle
The state of Oregon made planning history in 2019 by adopting House Bill 2001, paving the way for the state to preempt local exclusionary zoning laws. Now, over a year later, the state land use board has decided how to implement that goal.
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