Land Use

More $1 Vacant Lots for Sale in Chicago
With some 20,000 vacant lots located around the city, Chicago is expanding the Large Lots Program that allows property owners to buy nearby lots for $1.

It's Not Just HUD
Though the HUD choice seems an odd, unqualified one, we should be looking beyond HUD however: Here's why Mnuchin at Treasury is even more worrisome.

What Makes a Good Main Street Work?
What Makes a Good Main Street Work? Kaid Benfield uses Corning, New York, to illustrate five key elements.

Smart Growth America, FTA Offer Assistance in Making the Most of TOD
Technical assistance is coming to five U.S. cities thanks to the National Public Transportation/Transit-Oriented Development Technical Assistance Initiative.

Downtown Edmonton Hopes to Flip Parking to Parks
The Canadian city is working to take 18 downtown lots and convert them from surface parking to green space.

Op-Ed: San Francisco's New Urban Design Guidelines Could Backfire
John King argues that the city's new guidelines may leave too many loopholes open, potentially defeating their purpose: well-integrated new buildings.

How Should Lower Manhattan Handle Its Crowd Problem?
In the period since 9/11, Lower Manhattan has undergone a residential boom. With daytime professionals and tourists also in the mix, the strain is showing.

As Goes Vancouver, So Goes Seattle?
What does Vancouver’s housing market implosion mean for the Seattle area?

Brazil's Embattled Development Bank
Less than half of the $7 billion that Brazil's development bank committed since 2009 has been disbursed. As it withdraws from foreign projects, BNDES is beset by scandal.

The Country's Largest Urban Park—Coming Soon to Dallas
A Dallas News op-ed argues for a repackaging of the Dallas' ongoing open space and park investments to properly acknowledge the scale of the city's accomplishments.

Friday Eye Candy: A 30-Year Timelapse Reveals Humanity's Expanding Footprint
The Google Timelapse feature has been updated. The only thing that stays the same is that everything changes.
Death Toll at 36 in Friday Night's Fire at Oakland Warehouse
Lax code enforcement is one of the concerns being raised by the devastating fire that occurred during a rave-style party, Artists had taken up residence in the building, which was not permitted for either general assembly events or residences.
What Mobility Leaders Think About Car Connectivity
As autonomous vehicles prepare to disrupt transportation systems, Ford Motors President & CEO Mark Fields, L.A Chief Sustainability Officer Matt Petersen, and rideshare company Chariot co-founder Ali Vahabzadeh opine on tomorrow's mobility ecosystem.

After the Boom (and the Bust) in Marcellus Shale Country
Tioga County, Pennsylvania provides lessons of a post-oil-boom economy.

A Showdown Looms as Developers Seek New Building Heights in Columbus
The region surrounding Columbus, Ohio could add a projected one million people by 2050, and developers are looking for new ways to meet growing demand for urban living.

Why Bother with Community Engagement?
What is the highest purpose of community engagement? Why do some planners go all out to hear from the public? This article dives into these questions based on nine interviews conducted at APA 2016.
Planners Experiment with Unmanned Aerial Systems to Improve Maine Towns
Maine planners are finding new ways to use aerial photos and drone technology to improve transportation and environmental planning.

Which U.S. Cities Are Lowering Parking Minimums?
Based on crowdsourced data from across the country, this updated map shows which municipalities have eliminated, lowered, or discussed their parking minimum laws.

Developers Clash Over Newport Beach High-Rise Project
Developers and concerned residents tussle in Orange County, California, as a property meant to host an art museum moves toward redevelopment as high-rise luxury condos instead.

Disused Atlanta Industrial Site Slated for Historic Status
Currently owned by the state of Georgia, Atlanta's Pullman Yard may get a lot harder (but not impossible) to redevelop. Atlanta's Urban Design Commission is considering a proposal to grant protected status to the property.
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.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie