Land Use

Opinion: Less Is More When it Comes to Politics in Planning
A proposal from the provincial government of Ontario would revive an appeals process for planning and development processes in Toronto. An elected official and former planner writes to oppose the idea.

Report: Coworking Spaces Common Only in a Few Big Cities
Coworking might be one of the most common buzzwords of the contemporary real estate market, but shared office arrangements are confined to only a few cities in the country.

First Tiny Home Neighborhood Planned in Georgia
Eight homes, varying in size from 250 square feet to 500 square feet have been approved in an Atlanta suburb.

Planning for Future Cities Today With Urban Nexus Science
The Urban Nexus is an approach to sustainability that seeks to integrate sectors and silos int he design and development process.

Big Redevelopment Opportunity Pops Up in Seattle
This unique redevelopment opportunity is possible because the Washington National Guard plans to abandon a 25-acre property in Seattle, with a mandate to achieve the "highest public benefit" for taxpayers as a result of the redevelopment.

Soccer Stadium Plans Amended Over Concerns About Displacement in Cincinnati
Planning Commissioners in Cincinnati talked a lot about the severed trust between the city, residents, and the Major League Soccer team FC Cincinnati at a hearing last week.
Designing Park Space on the Former Location of a Post Office
A planning process launched after Portland bought the former location of the city's Central Post Office from the federal government has yielded a final design concept.

Accessory Dwelling Units as Mansionization Control
One benefit of more accessory dwelling units (ADUs) could be less mansionization of oversized single-family homes.

Trade Group Established to Lobby for Opportunity Zone Policy
There is now an organization calling itself a "Chamber of Commerce" for opportunity zones.

New Airport Proposed for Chicago Suburbs Has Supporters and Doubters
Questions raised by a proposal to build a new airport 37 miles south of Downtown Chicago: Does the region even need a new airport? And would this particular airport proposal serve to induce more sprawl in the region?

Parking Requirements Could Come to an End in Edmonton, Alberta
The latest North American city to take up the cause of Donald Shoup and "The High Cost of Free Parking" is located in Canada.

Study Documents the Public Health Effects of Long School Commutes
Richard Florida cites new research to argue that car culture and car oriented communities are the main culprits in the unhealthy lifestyles of U.S. school children.

Leonardo da Vinci and Urbanism
Leonardo Da Vinci gets credit for many inventions and creative breakthroughs, but his contributions to the theory of city making gets less credit.

Community Planning Gives Voices to the Voiceless
People who can't vote can still have a say in the processes by which their neighborhoods are planned and developed. An example from New York City illustrates the point.

Hudson Yards as a Cautionary Tale
As the city of Philadelphia considers the prospect of building a massive private development called Schuylkill Yards, lessons from New York City's Hudson Yards are considered.

The Practical Confessions of an Urbanist Pilgrim
After 12 days of walking the Portuguese Camino, the importance of many urban planning and development debates—from balanced growth to banning cars—became abundantly clear.

Op-Ed Exposes The Land Use Connections to Congestion in North Texas
The rapid economic growth of North Texas might not translate to economic mobility for many residents if the region can't better connect land use and transportation planning, according to this opinion piece.

Predictions That Phoenix and Tucson Will Merge Revisited
Before the recession, bumper Arizona home sales led to predictions that the state's two largest cities might merge by 2040. The downturn stalled those forecasts, but now they're being revisited.

Toward a More Useful, and Accurate, Definition of Gentrification
Recent studies have called into question the predominant narratives on gentrification. A more precise definition of the term as it works in the United States is required.

Twin Cities ADU Construction Slow, but Expected
Easing ADU regulations has led to some new construction in the Twin Cities, but the additional units have made a small dent in the area’s affordable housing problem.
Pagination
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