Land Use

Thank Climate Change and Sprawl for Worsening Wildfires
Along with climate conditions, urban sprawl is intensifying wildfires and increasing the damage they do.

$10.6 Million Fine Proves Some Banks Are Still Redlining
A Mississippi-based bank will pay $10.6 million for discriminatory lending practices.

Reexamining the Origins of Zoning
According to Seymour Toll's 1969 book, New York City's 1916 zoning code was less a civic-minded project than an attempt to protect elite retail districts from the riff-raff. The ramifications for American zoning at large are significant.

The Park-and-Ride Boondoggle
Streetsblog USA shares insights into a new study published by the Transportation Research Board finding that most park-and-ride facilities built by transit agencies waste money and land.

The Real Reasons Affordable Housing Isn't Being Built in California
The policy tools used to address our nation's housing shortfall often seem to worsen the problem. But this is because they ignore the underlying infrastructure and financing to support growth.
Criticism Over Special Parking Arrangements for New Atlanta Braves Stadium
Cobb County, Georgia recently approved the "Accessory Special Event Parking" ordinance to limit parking operations around the Atlanta Braves' new stadium.

Zoning as a Tool of Social and Economic Inequality
The New York Times devotes significant ink to an argument against the use of zoning laws as tools of anti-growth politics.

The Vision for a $120 Billion Public Transportation Revolution in Los Angeles
Los Angeles Metro's new Chief of Planning Therese McMillan joins the agency at a pivotal moment, as county voters will decide in November whether to approve a new, evergreen sales tax to fund future Metro public transportation expansion.

Riding the Bus in Portland: An Essay
Blogger and transit consultant Jarrett Walker paints a picture of Portland's Line 75, a workaday bus serving urban neighborhoods outside downtown. His reflections on radial and orbital journeys are worth a read.

The Place of Water in Urban Design: An International Perspective
How cities around the world have approached thinking about how water management fits in to urban planning.

The 3 Most Common Community Engagement Mistakes
Planners, like any other professionals, live in a kind of bubble. Those charged with dealing with the public run the risk of expecting too much from residents as they design community engagement activities. Here are some of the most common mistakes.

Is New York Distributing Its Public Plazas Equally?
An analysis of the geographic distribution of New York's new public plazas sought to determine if the program was meeting one of its stated goals: providing access to public plazas for low- and moderate-income households.

Pesky Parking Tickets? There's an App for That
An intrepid student has created a simple chatbot program that helps people get out of parking tickets.

More Residents and Workers Using Fewer Parking Spaces in Philly's Center City
The findings of a report on changes occurring in Philadelphia Center City finds more residents and workers walking, biking, and taking transit. (Thankfully, they aren't all looking for parking every day.)

'Surfer Gang' Beach Fort Causes Problems
A rowdy collection of Palos Verdes surfers, some of them middle-aged, will resort to criminal tactics to keep outsiders away from their favorite spot. They've even built a fort, and officials are having trouble getting rid of it.

20-Minute Neighborhoods In Detroit
If Detroit needs to be "rebuilt" or "reimagined," why not do so around a walkable, convenient ideal? A compact Motor City where essential goods and services are available within a 20-minute walk?

Mexico City Coalition Dreams of Restoring Rivers
A proposal to restore Mexico City's 45 rivers envisions a whole new model for the city.

Planetizen Week in Review: July 1, 2016
It will only take us two-and-a-half minutes to catch you up on the big planning news from the last week of June.

Chattanooga Approves New Form-Based Code for Downtown
Chattanooga is the latest city to apply the form-based code methodology to a specific area of the city, including downtown and adjacent neighborhoods.

Memphis Launches First Comprehensive Planning Effort Since 1981
Though it's been 35 years since its last comprehensive plan, the city of Memphis hopes to start updating its comprehensive plan every five to ten years.
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 Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions