Land Use

Supreme Court

U.S. Supreme Court Won't Overturn California's Inclusionary Zoning Laws

The U.S. Supreme Court turned down a case with the potential to eradicate inclusionary zoning and in-lieu housing fees in the state of California.

November 3, 2017 - Los Angeles Times

Parking and Driving

A Parking Success Story in Philadelphia

It's much easier to talk the parking talk than to walk the parking walk. Philadelphia, however, is showing how to actually replace overabundant parking with walkable housing developments.

November 3, 2017 - Streetsblog USA

Pedestrian Only

Fresno Returns Cars to a Pedestrian Mall in the Name of Downtown Revitalization

While global cities in other parts of the world are taking steps to ban cars from city centers, Fresno, California has taken the opposite approach. Time will tell if the return of vehicle traffic to Fulton Street project pays dividends.

November 2, 2017 - The Fresno Bee

When Controversy Erupts Between the Master Plan and the Zoning Changes

Most planners have been there before: it's time to implement the goals of a newly approved Master Plan by rewriting the zoning code, and suddenly the public becomes outraged.

November 2, 2017 - Greater Greater Washington

Capitol Hill

Caps on Mortgage Interest, Property Tax Deductions Included in Republican Tax Reform Package

The mortgage interest deduction would be capped, as would property tax deductions, under a sweeping tax reform package proposed today by Republicans.

November 2, 2017 - The New York Times

Minnesota

Challenges of Access to Low Wage Jobs in the Suburbs

Companies struggling to get employees to work are turning to a variety of transportation alternatives not traditionally covered by transit agencies.

November 2, 2017 - Star Tribune

Restaurant

Restaurant Development Leads to Fear of Oversaturation

A microcosm of development in the United States, a suburban strip near Chicago has seen a proliferation of restaurant development in recent years, fueled by Wall Street.

November 2, 2017 - The New York Times

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Voters Could Eliminate Property Taxes

A measure on the Pennsylvania statewide ballot in next Tuesday's election would change the state's constitution to allow local jurisdictions the ability to eliminate property taxes.

November 2, 2017 - WHYY

National Harbor

Prince George County Zoning Rewrite Is Greener, Less Car-Dependent

Now open for public comment, a proposed rewrite to the county's zoning code embraces green buildings, lower parking minimums, and increased public engagement by developers.

November 2, 2017 - Greater Greater Washington

Seattle

Revisiting Single-Family Zoning After a Political Setback

Few cities have gone so far in considering drastic changes to single-family zoning as Seattle did in 2015. Still, the discussion about single-family zoning would have to go a lot further to turn into meaningful reform.

November 1, 2017 - The Urbanist

Rome

A Land-Management Plan for Catholic Properties Around the World

One of the largest landowners in the world—historically known for creating maps of the Earth—the Church doesn't yet have a cohesive understanding of its global footprint.

November 1, 2017 - Curbed

Nuclear Weapons Plant

Report: Benefits in the Billions for a New Highway Through the Denver Suburbs

The proposed 10-mile Jefferson Parkway expansion would cross land once home to the Rocky Flats nuclear weapons plant—site of one of the country's largest environmental crimes.

October 31, 2017 - The Denver Post

Normal, Illinois

National Partners Launch the 10-Minute Walk to a Park Campaign

The 10-Minute Walk to a Park Campaign launched earlier this month.

October 31, 2017 - The Huffington Post

Dunwoody, Georgia

Transit-Oriented Development Coming to the Atlanta Region

Public meetings to learn more about TOD will be hosted in November by MARTA and the DeKalb County government

October 30, 2017 - SaportaReport

Manhattan Skyline

Manhattan Community Group Resists 'Super Tower'

Plans for an 800-foot tower have attracted well-funded opposition from a community group. Its campaign to regulate the structure's height has spiraled into a big fight.

October 30, 2017 - Politico

Dallas

Downtown Dallas 'Smart District' in the Works

Spanning eight blocks, plans for the Dallas Smart District include offices, hotel space, and retail. Anchoring the development: a 78-floor tower that would become the tallest building in town.

October 30, 2017 - Dallas News

Wine Country Fires

Three Congressional Bills Respond to Western Wildfires

Two GOP bills and one bipartisan Senate bill hope to reduce the wildfire risk in the West. The "Wildfires Management Act of 2017" is sponsored by the two Republican senators of Idaho and three of the four Democratic senators of Washington and Oregon.

October 30, 2017 - The Associated Press

Dangerous Intersection Gets an Overpass and a Cap Park in Golden, Colorado

The city of Golden, Colorado celebrated the opening of the Linking Lookout earlier in October

October 29, 2017 - The Denver Post

Washington

Livability Standards Have Arrived in the Pacific Northwest

The city of Bellevue, Washington has adopted new zoning and land use standards as part of an ongoing Downtown Livability Initiative.

October 29, 2017 - The Urbanist

6th Street Viaduct

A Bold Housing Vision for the L.A. River

An unsolicited proposal from the engineering firm reimagines a stretch along the L.A. River as a mixed-use mega-development, rich in housing and jobs.

October 28, 2017 - The Architect's Newspaper

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.

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.