Land Use

Michigan Map

Community Mapping Project Pays Off in More Ways Than One for Flint

The community's hard work has helped Flint planners take an inventory of its building stock, as well as secure needed funding from the federal government.

September 8, 2017 - Center for Community Progress

Electric Car Charging

First 'Smart Cities' Grant-Enabled Hardware Online in Columbus

Columbus has spent the first year since its selection as the $50 million Smart Cities Challenge grant recipient devoted to planning and research. The grant has also proven a very enticing fundraising tool.

September 8, 2017 - Columbus Business First

BART Map

A Decade-Plus in the Making—Transit Village Comes to a Posh Bay Area Suburb

The city of Walnut Creek, located in the East San Francisco Bay Area, will soon gain 600 new, transit-adjacent apartments and a whole lot of parking.

September 7, 2017 - The Mercury News

Columbia River Gorge Fire

Columbia River Gorge Resilient After the 30,000-acre Eagle Creek Fire

Good fire news from Oregon offers some relief from several weeks of scary environmental news from around the country.

September 7, 2017 - Willamette Week

Rosa Parks, Jane Jacobs, Frederick Law Olmsted

Vote for the Most Influential Urbanists

After accepting nearly 200 nominees for consideration, we're asking for votes to determine the "Most Influential Urbanists" of all time.

September 7, 2017 - Planetizen

Warehouse Project Could Bring Thousands of Jobs to Chicago's South Side

A 50-acre complex called Pullman Crossings could bring new jobs numbering in the thousands to the South Side of Chicago.

September 6, 2017 - Chicago Tribune

San Francisco

Houston and San Francisco: Urban Development Patterns Gone Awry

With the media rightfully pointing to Houston's sprawling urban development patterns that exacerbated the epic flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey, Paul Krugman also finds fault with cities where urban development is too tightly regulated.

September 5, 2017 - The New York Times - Opinion

Federal Building

Making the Most of the Federal Government's Vast Portfolio of Commercial Properties

As the largest commercial property holder int he United States, the federal government's development plans can contribute to the economic and cultural success of communities.

September 5, 2017 - Governing

Lessons from an Inclusive Suburb

The suburban experiment of Clarksburg, Maryland hasn't been totally successful, according to this article, but it still offers many lessons for other communities like it.

September 5, 2017 - Greater Greater Washington

Beverly Hills

Report: The 'Retail Apocalypse' Is Fake News

Reports of the death of brick and mortar retail have been greatly exaggerated, according to a new analysis.

September 4, 2017 - St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Boston Waterfront

Boston Waterfront Planning Still Delayed

Massachusetts officials will consider zoning changes for an area of Boston's waterfront until November—well beyond the expected due date in August.

September 4, 2017 - The Boston Globe

Texas Flood

The Culprit of Houston Flooding: Sprawl, Not Lack of Zoning

As Houston's flood waters recede and attention turns from rescue to recovery and soon rebuilding, critics have pointed to the city's lack of zoning as the cause of the devastation. But are they looking in the right direction?

September 4, 2017 - New York Magazine

Editorial Raises Concern About Access to Planned Golf Course Near Obama Library

It doesn't get anymore high profile than the names behind planned projects in Jackson Park on the South Side of Chicago. The question is whether a new Tiger Woods-designed golf course will be accessible to residents.

September 3, 2017 - Chicago Tribune

Houston Bayou

Rebuilding Houston After Harvey: 'Bigger and Better'

Those were the words President Trump expressed before his first trip to Texas while Hurricane Harvey was ravaging Houston. But experts worry that the rebuilding won't be better due to the recision of an Obama-era environmental regulation.

September 2, 2017 - NPR

Louisville Approves More Stringent Flood Protection Rules for New Development

As the remnants of Hurricane Harvey headed for Louisville, city officials were approving new legislation that enacts more stringent development standards in areas in flood prone areas.

September 2, 2017 - Courier-Journal

Downtown Portland

Permeable Parking Surfaces and Parking Minimums

Rather than trying to make parking lots with expensive surfaces that cost to maintain, Portland should eliminate its parking minimums, according to this article.

September 1, 2017 - PDX Shoupistas

Chicago Dog Park

Are Dog Parks Taking Space from People in Cities?

The number of dog parks in the United States has almost doubled since 2007. Some worry these spaces are not welcoming or could signal gentrification.

August 31, 2017 - The Washington Post

Atlanta

First the Olympics, Then the Braves, and Now Georgia State Football

The Atlanta Braves left Turner Field, located in the Southeast Atlanta neighborhood of Summerhill, in 2016 to heavy criticism. Now the stadium has new life as the home to the Georgia State football program.

August 30, 2017 - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

New Mexico Backcountry

Previously Inaccessible Wilderness Area in New Mexico Could Finally Open to the Public

The Sabinoso Wilderness is designated public land, but it's completely surrounded by private property. That could soon change.

August 29, 2017 - High Country News

San Francisco Construction

Time Is Money for Housing Developments (and Residents)

While strict, suburban-style regulations often get a bad rap for the lack of housing in high demand cities, the red tape and other obstacles that delay development could be the worst culprit.

August 29, 2017 - Sightline Institute

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.