Land Use
How Downtown L.A.'s First 'Re:Code' Community Plan Embraces Density and Affordability
Vince Bertoni addresses his city’s efforts to incentivize affordable housing and noted the responsibility shared at the state, regional, and local level for policy & regulatory change to incent provision of affordable housing.
6 Zoning Keys for Effective Missing Middle Housing
The inventor of the term missing middle housing has advice on writing zoning codes that effectively deliver on the potential of the tool.
Local Planning Departments Shutting Down in California
The entire state of California is now on a shelter in place order, but planning desks and public hearings on land use issues were already in the process of shutting down.
Debating the Future of Cities, and Urban Density, After the Pandemic
Numerous writers and experts are already examining the question about what happens to ideas about urbanism in a future forever altered by recent events.
Economic Argument for Historic Preservation in L.A.: Older Housing is Affordable Housing
Donovan Rypkema and Adrian Scott Fine highlight myth-busting findings on the impacts of historic preservation overlay zones (HPOZs) on affordability, density, diversity, and economic resilience of neighborhoods across Los Angeles.
Mayor Lightfoot Expected to Push for Legal Coach Houses in Chicago
Mayor Lori Lightfoot is expected to introduce legislation that would relax zoning restrictions on coach houses, known widely as accessory dwelling units, in the city of Chicago.
What the Future Looked Like Before the Coronavirus
Common Edge surveyed mayors and urban designers for ideas about what the next decade holds in store for cities. There were plenty of challenges in facing the world before the pandemic.
Parking Enforcement Reduced in L.A., Intact in New York City
The two largest cities are headed in two different directions when it comes to parking enforcement for street sweeping during the coronavirus pandemic—for now at least.
Controversial 315-Unit Housing Plan Again Moving Forward in Lafayette
Planetizen has been tracking the development proposal for the Terraces of Lafayette in California since 2015. The saga isn't over yet.
Free Parking as a Restaurant Business Incentive During Coronavirus
As restaurants and other local retail businesses ponder how to stay open as people stay at home and social distance for the foreseeable future, parking regulations will likely be reevaluated—they already are in Cincinnati.
Planning Stops in New York City; Same for Construction in Boston
Planning and building the future will have to wait.
Mountain Coal States vs. West Coast Cities
A legal battle is being waged between the coal-exporting states of Utah, Wyoming, and Montana and coastal cities in California, Oregon, and Washington that pits the power of local land-use authority against the protection of interstate commerce.
Gentrification Architecture—It’s Baffling
Critics say the design of homes that come with gentrification is too often uninspired, incompatible, and downright ugly.
Why Is Housing in the D.C. Area So Pricey? It’s the Land
It’s not "luxury" factors that make housing in Washington, D.C., extremely expensive.
10 Land Use Policies to Address Social, Economic, Environmental Challenges
The Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning (ACSP) and the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy recently recognized ten land use case studies for addressing some of the biggest challenges facing the world.
The Architectural Glory of Historic Warehouses
Chicago warehouses were once built with architectural flair, but today’s industrial structures don’t come close.
'The Art of Classic Planning' Critiques a 'Century of Bad Planning'
A book review of a book published this year with the title, "The Art of Classic Planning: Building Beautiful and Enduring Communities," offers stinging criticism of the past and present of planning.
Anchorage Confronts History of Housing Discrimination
Urban growth in Anchorage was tied to restrictive covenants forbidding the sale of property to minorities.
Reforming Local Development Regulations for Sustainable Megaregions
Managing development at the scale of megaregions is possible. An excerpt from the recently published book, "Designing for the Megaregion: Meeting Urban Challenges at a New Scale," written by Jonathan Barnett, explains how.
A 'Cul-De-Tax' for the Cul-De-Sac?
A recent study studying the contemporary planning profession's rejection of the cul-de-sac includes a proposal to create more economic disincentives for inefficient street grid patterns.
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.
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
