Land Use
Changes to Google Maps Don't Necessarily Equal Good Cartography
Google Maps has changed a lot since its quick rise to ubiquity. An intrepid blogger digs into the nitty gritty of how the mapping platform has changed, and the consequences of Google's cartography for how the public perceives the world.
The Inevitable Rise of the Auto and Fall of the Streetcar in Los Angeles
A timely piece in The Guardian's City series looks at the demise of streetcars in Los Angeles, beginning with the Great American Streetcar Conspiracy. If only it was that simple.
Sidewalk Additions Prompt Outrage in Suburban Minneapolis
In the Minneapolis suburb of St. Louis Park, some residents can't fathom the idea of the city spending $3.1 million to add sidewalks in existing residential neighborhoods.
Meet the New 'Lean Code Tool'
Susan Henderson investigates Lean Urbanism strategies for incremental code reform to improve walkability and reduce financial and regulatory burdens in a manner that matches local capacity.
Myanmar's 20-Lane Road to Nowhere
Constructed at great expense over the past decade, Myanmar's planned capital city of Naypyidaw boasts an empty 20-lane stretch of road. The city's real purpose may be to discourage regime change.
Chicago's Transit Oriented Developments Becoming More Affluent
The city of Chicago is focusing its development incentives around transit stations, but the people moving into those neighborhoods tend to be wealthier than previous residents.
San Francisco's New Park, Built Over a Viaduct
Designed by the same landscape architect behind New York City's High Line, a new park will cap San Francisco's Doyle Drive, connecting the Presidio to the shoreline.
Business Travelers Prefer Uber Over Rental Cars—Do Planners?
Change is afoot for transportation around destinations like Southwest Florida. Are cities like Tampa still planning too much for the old rental car model, and not for a future of transportation network companies, carsharing, and self-driving cars?
Why Do People Drive When They Don't Want To?
City Observatory digs into the history of a Chicago suburb to answer the question: "Why don't people who say they'd like to take transit actually do it?"
Evansville, Indiana Looking to Land Bank to Solve Blight Problem
The city of Evansville will consider in the coming weeks a proposal to empower its land bank to take title and demolish roughly 200 properties. A recent report paid for by the city only bolsters the argument in favor of the action.
Don't Forget the Neighborhoods Zoning Reform Leaves Behind
While urbanists target zoning reform to help build more housing in desirable neighborhoods, other neighborhoods around cities are being left behind to languish, according to this opinion piece published by Forbes.
Experts Weigh in on Decision to Move California to VMT as Metric for Impacts
In a significant effort to shift from sprawl toward incentivizing low-carbon transportation options, California is revising the way it measures traffic impacts of development projects under its Environmental Quality Act.
San Francisco Rethinks the Costs of Parking
The debate over the impacts of parking isn't new, but San Francisco planners are hoping that their approach to parking will provide new mobility solutions in a growing city.
Seattle Introduces New Urban Park Prototype
Seattle's 12th Avenue park offers a prototype for future urban parks. It is compact, doesn't require buying a lot of costly land, and can accommodate neighborhood scale events and programs
New Storefront Index Reveals Evidence of Jacobs's 'Sidewalk Ballet'
City Observatory illustrates a key contributor to a vibrant urban environment by mapping all of the businesses in the urban cores of the nation's 51 largest cities.
Visions of Revitalization Compete in Baltimore
A grassroots housing plan in Baltimore would keep control over neighborhood revitalization, and its benefits, in communities.
Report: Dog Parks 'Lead the Pack' in New Urban Parks
The Trust for Public Land's annual City Parks Facts report finds cities around the country are adding dog parks with the enthusiasm of a pack puppies.
Battle Lines Drawn Over Density in Charlotte
The Charlotte Observer recently described the landscape of proposed apartment developments in the city of Charlotte.
Seattle's Preemptive Strike for an NBA Arena Up for Debate
With the prospects of an NBA team bolting for Seattle not looking great anytime in the near future, the Seattle City Council is debating a proposal that has been in the works since 2012.
Letting Kids Design the Cities of the Future
The Box City event held in Denver recently educated children on the process of planning by letting them create their own version of a city.
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
