Land Use

Where Cities Have Helped Walkers
Laura Laker surveys efforts to make cities more walkable, from Melbourne's converted alleys to Guangzhou's 60-mile ecological corridor.

Miami Beach: A Four-Foot High Barrier Island Awaited Irma
A city of almost 92,000 people sits on a one-mile wide island designed by nature to protect the mainland from ocean swells, storms, and hurricanes. The seven-mile long island, which floods even when sunny, was spared from catastrophic storm surge.

Luxury High-Rises Sprout Alongside Los Angeles' Expanding Subway
Los Angeles' extended Purple Line subway may very well spur an extension of the "linear downtown" along Wilshire Boulevard. Luxury high-rises are the most conspicuous new arrivals.

College Campuses Prepare for a Future Without Parking
Some college campuses need more parking than others, depending on commuting rates and walkable housing supply. Some campus planners are hoping, however, that soon all universities will need a lot less parking.

Study: Agriculture's Carbon Output Higher Than Previously Thought
Over the span of history, agricultural uses have released nearly as much carbon into the atmosphere as actual deforestation. New problem areas are still appearing in places like Brazil.

Amazon's Second HQ Poised for Smart Growth
With a second headquarters, Amazon is poised to expand its preference for walkable places into a new city. However, maybe the company should take the high road and not beg for subsidies.

Northern Virginia Counties Not Happy With State Changes to Zoning Laws
Suburban housing construction has ground to a halt in Northern Virginia, according to county officials from the region, due to a law that changed the state's proffer system.
Judge: Keep Parking Your Cars in the Median
Parking enforcement looks the other way when residents of South Philly park in the median of Broad Street. Not even a lawsuit can change that.
Opponents Want Less Development at S. Paul's Mega-Redevelopment Plan for the Ford Site
A master plan for the redevelopment of Ford's former Twin Cities Assembly Plant, set on 122 acres along the Mississippi River in St. Paul, is challenged by controversy.
How to Manage the Sprawl in Growing Megacities
Around the world, people continue to move toward urbanized areas in search of opportunity. Developing megacities and megaregions must plan ahead for the continued growth, according to Bloomberg.

Houston Flooding: Climate Change or Development Patterns to Blame?
The Guardian's former environmental editor asks if urban sprawl is as much to blame as climate change for the flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey in Houston.

How to Improve Charrettes
In participatory planning, there is no planning without several events known as charrettes, which you probably already knew. Less likely to be common knowledge, however, is how charrettes can live up to their promise in the planning process.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.
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.

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.

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.
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 Fort Worth
planning NEXT
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie