Land Use

New York City

Cities as a Climate Change Solution

With the urban exodus hysteria of the early pandemic in the rearview mirror, urban apologists are staking high ground on urban soil.

April 22, 2021 - Bloomberg Green+CityLab

Columbus Ohio

Ohio Economists: Relax Zoning to Lower Housing Costs

A panel of Ohio economists make the case for more multi-family housing and businesses in single-family neighborhoods.

April 22, 2021 - Ohio Capital Journal

D.C. Land Use Map

D.C. Comprehensive Plan Update Needs Equity Improvements, Report Says

The new D.C. Office of Equity has produced an evaluation of proposed changes to the D.C. Comprehensive Plan.

April 22, 2021 - DCist

Cambridge Massachusetts

The Thinking Behind Cambridge's Affordable Housing Overlay

A podcast discussion with Cambridge Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui details how and why the Massachusetts city become a planning trendsetter by adopting an Affordable Housing Overlay earlier this year.

April 21, 2021 - Land Matter Podcast

San Carlos, California

Outdoor Dining a Victim of its Own Success in One Wealthy Bay Area City

The California city has received complaints about overcrowding even as the program sought to create more outdoor public space during the pandemic.

April 20, 2021 - Climate Magazine

Boston SUburbs

Opinion: Regional Growth Requires Regional Planning

To avoid the pitfalls of disconnected, car-centric suburbs, local governments must proactively plan for sustainable development in growing areas.

April 20, 2021 - CommonWealth Magazine

Washington, D.C. Historic District

Balancing Aesthetics and Affordability

Policies too narrowly focused on design can drive up the cost of construction and prevent the development of affordable housing.

April 20, 2021 - Slate

Nashville

Op-Ed: Don't Reverse the Progress Made by 'Pandemic Streets'

In many cities, the public realm saw a drastic shift towards pedestrian-oriented infrastructure. The L.A. Times editorial board argues we should keep it that way.

April 19, 2021 - Los Angeles Times

Cincinnati Over-the-Rhine

Uneven Redevelopment on Cincinnati's Vine Street

While the southern end of the thoroughfare is seeing rapid redevelopment and gentrification, the northern end has yet to reap any benefits from the nearby projects.

April 19, 2021 - WCPO

San Francisco, California

6 Principles to Manage Wildfire Risk With Effective Housing Policy

The connection between housing policy and climate change is made clear by the increasing damage of wildfires in California.

April 18, 2021 - SPUR

Underground Parking

California's Proposed Parking Reform Bill Analyzed

A Terner Center for Housing Innovation at U.C. Berkeley analysis predicts that statewide parking reform, as proposed in Assembly Bill 1401, would have a significant impact on the cost of developing residential and commercial buildings in California.

April 16, 2021 - Terner Center for Housing Innovation

Urban Infill

Density Skepticism and Neighborhood Protection

Resistance mounts to the zoning reforms gaining traction in the United States.

April 16, 2021 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

Tokyo Expressway

Tokyo Expressway to Become a Linear Park

A major expressway in Ginza will be converted to a park similar to New York City's High Line.

April 15, 2021 - Japan Property Central

Rhode Island Interstate 95

The Foundational Myth of America's Interstate Highway System

The erroneous belief that the negative impacts of interstate highways are simply "unintended consequences" fails to demand accountability for the project's failures.

April 14, 2021 - The Metropole

Hennepin Avenue in Uptown Minneapolis, Minnesota during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

Minneapolis Business Owners Decry Loss of Parking

The city's plan to reduce street parking by 90% in favor of bus lanes and pedestrian infrastructure is receiving backlash from local businesses.

April 14, 2021 - Minneapolis Star Tribune

Washington, D.C. Rowhouses

Transformers Vs. Historical Preservation

A row over two Transformers statues in a D.C. neighborhood lays bare the "absurdities" inherent in historical preservation, one writer argues.

April 12, 2021 - Georgetown Metropolitan

New York Bike Signage

NYC Bike Advocates Want Federal Funding to Connect the City's Greenways

Cycling advocates and environmental groups want to accelerate the expansion of bike infrastructure and fill crucial gaps in the city's bikeway network.

April 12, 2021 - The City

Tejon Ranch

Massive Tejon Ranch Development Paused; Judge Cites Wildfire, Greenhouse Gas Emissions

In the works since 1999, the Centennial Project by Tejon Ranch Co. seemed to have cleared its final hurdle in 2018, but a Los Angeles County court ruling has created another hurdle for the sprawling development.

April 11, 2021 - Los Angeles Times

Street Vendors, New York City

New York's Street Vendors Fight Back Against Displacement

Despite operating on public right-of-way, food vendors claim that developers are pushing them out of established vending spots.

April 11, 2021 - Curbed

Back Yard

With Regulations Loosened, Granny Flat Construction Soars in California

Less restrictive permit laws and pre-fabricated, pre-approved building options are spurring more homeowners to build backyard additions.

April 9, 2021 - Bloomberg CityLab

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.

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.