Land Use

Brooklyn Waterfront

1.5 Million SF of Development Proposed for Brooklyn Waterfront

Current zoning doesn't support the range of uses proposed for a new "Innovation Economy District" at the Industry City location on the Brooklyn Waterfront.

March 5, 2019 - The Real Deal

Columbus, Ohio skyline reflected in the Scioto River

Columbus Considers Its First Community Land Trust

Citing a dire housing situation for low-income renters, Columbus, Ohio is considering its first community land trust. The aim is to create housing alternatives for low-income residents of revitalizing neighborhoods.

March 4, 2019 - Next City

Utah Public Lands

Op-Ed: Congress Passes Public Lands Bill, Ducks Harder Questions

The Natural Resources Management Act enjoyed bipartisan support in both houses of Congress. But it left out contentious issues like wildfires, greenhouse gas emissions, and protecting wildlife corridors.

March 4, 2019 - High Country News

UC Davis

Nation's Largest Student Housing Project Breaks Ground

Located at the University of California, Davis, The Green at West Village is set to house nearly 3,300 students. The development includes nine four-story buildings, community space, and recreational fields.

March 4, 2019 - The Mercury News

Surface Parking

Four Parking Spots for Every Car in Phoenix

A new study quantifies just how much of the city of Phoenix is parking.

March 3, 2019 - Streetsblog USA

Chicago Bungalows

Mapped: Chicago's Shrinking Middle Class

In 1970, half of the city's census tracts were middle-income. Now, only 16 percent of them remain so. Polarization between the well-off and the poor essentially splits the city in two.

March 3, 2019 - WBEZ 91.5

Salesforce Park

High-Speed Rail Galvanized Development in San Francisco's Transbay District

Even as prospects for high-speed trains dim in California, San Francisco's Transbay Transit Center has already spurred a development spree in the surrounding area.

March 2, 2019 - San Francisco Chronicle

Shibuya, Tokyo

Dog Parks and Gentrification

When is a dog park more than just a park for dogs?

February 28, 2019 - CityLab

Winter Parking

Parking Tax Considered to Fund Pedestrian Improvements Around Transit Stations

New Jersey is considering a law that would give cities the option of implementing a new 3.5% parking tax on public and private parking facilities.

February 28, 2019 - Smart Cities Dive

UC Berkeley and North Berkeley

Berkeley to Study Missing Middle Housing Options for Single-Family Residential Neighborhoods

The city of Berkeley, famed for its radical left politics in the 1960s, is now considered a bastion of anti-development obstructionism. Those politics could be changing, however.

February 28, 2019 - The Bay City Beacon

Minneapolis Waterfront Development

48-Acre Mega-Development Taking Shape on Minneapolis Waterfront

The Minneapolis City Council will consider initial mixed-use development plans for critical riverfront industrial site surrounded by a struggling residential neighborhood.

February 28, 2019 - MinnPost

Car-Centric Planning

Tax Breaks Offered in Exchange for Affordable Housing in Downtown Phoenix

The state of Arizona doesn't allow local jurisdictions to charge affordable housing fees for new developments, so the city of Phoenix is offering tax breaks as an incentive instead.

February 27, 2019 - Arizona Republic

The High Cost of Free Parking

Pushing the Austin City Council to Ditch Parking Minimums

Austin seems like a safe bet to be one fo the next cities to end parking minimums citywide, and advocates are already pressing for the change.

February 27, 2019 - Austin Monitor

Toronto from the CN Tower

Growth Plan Debate Heats Up in Toronto

The question of how and where to grow is causing controversy in Toronto. A recent op-ed picks a side.

February 27, 2019 - Toronto Sun

Basement Apartment

ADU Results Fall Short of Intentions in D.C. Region

Accessory dwelling unit regulations vary but results are consistently underwhelming in the D.C. region.

February 26, 2019 - Greater Greater Washington

PPG Plaza

Pittsburgh's Big Development Plans Ready to Switch Gears

There are plenty of big, splashy projects to track in Pittsburgh's development pipeline.

February 26, 2019 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Arlington County, Virginia

More Planning Staff Needed to Keep Up With the Amazon Boom in Northern Virginia

The arrival of Amazon's HQ2 facility in Northern Virginia is expected to multiply development investment in the area, requiring more planners to review project proposals.

February 26, 2019 - Washington Business Journal

Broadway Los Angeles

Auto-Centric City Dichotomy: More Mobility Options and More Risk

As cities strive to improve mobility for all users, the existing auto paradigm is slow to change

February 25, 2019 - The Conversation

Washington

$738 Million Parks Levy on the Ballot for Seattle Area Voters

King County, Washington voters will vote on a parks levy reauthorization in August—at stake is $738 million over the six years to fund improvements to the Seattle area's parks, trails, and open space.

February 25, 2019 - The Urbanist

San Francisco Parklet

Role of S.F. Parklets as Public Space Not Always Clear

Parklets in San Francisco are available for public use, but often they serve as extensions of the dining rooms of eateries.

February 25, 2019 - San Francisco Chronicle

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.