Land Use

Ambivalence Over Dallas 'Deck Park' Proposal
As the Southern Gateway project moves forward in the state approval process, a component proposal for a cap park over Interstate 35E hangs in the balance.

Some Things Aren't for Sale in San Francisco's Dolores Park (Like Dolores Park)
Controversy struck the famously laissez-faire expanses of Dolores Park in San Francisco this week, after the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department launched, and then quickly rescinded, a program to rent park space.

Months Before Turning 100, National Parks Are More Popular Than Ever
Turning 100 the same year as New York's first Zoning Code? The National Park Service, of course. The momentous occasion is likely to find the parks more popular than ever.
The Good Old Days of Suburban Development (or Not)
Numerous popular and academic writers from the 1950s and 1960s critiqued suburban development patterns and found them wanting.
Columbus Pilot Project Gives a West Cherry Street to Pedestrians
This summer, a pilot project will close a block of West Cherry Street to cars in Columbus, Ohio. If the project proves popular, more of the street could be permanently given to pedestrians.

Tampa Approves Big Riverfront Park Renovation
The Tampa City Council approved a big, ambitious park proposal for 23 neglected acres along the Hillsborough River.

A Missing Conversation: Medical Centers and the Built Environment
Hospitals, medical research centers, and the like are supposed to represent health, but are often an unappealing and monolithic presence in the urban landscape. How can the form of health centers fall in line with their function?

Reflecting on Regional Planning—50 Years Later
The planning world celebrated Jane Jacobs's 100th birthday earlier this month, and has already begun commemorating the centennial of New York's first zoning code. But did you know regional planning rose to prominence 50 years ago?

Has Portland Lost its Way?
Oregon's poster child for livable planning is embroiled in new controversies over destructive growth, skyrocketing prices, and back-room cronyism.

The Controversial National Parks Proposal Dividing Maine's North Woods
The Washington Post provides feature-length coverage of an ongoing, long-lasting controversy over a proposal by a wealthy landowner to donate 87,500 acres for the purposes of creating a new national park.

Plans to Create a Community of Start-Ups in Las Vegas Hits Speed Bumps
The Downtown Project was envisioned as a five-year plan to develop a hub of start-ups, small businesses, and cultural attractions in Downtown Las Vegas, but things haven't gone according to schedule.

Is This the Trinity Park Plan of Dallas' Dreams?
Architecture critic Mark Lamster finally sees a proposal worth cheering for in Dallas' plans for a new park along the Trinity River.
Why Chicago Park Advocates Want to Preserve a Parking Lot
A Chicago nonprofit drew criticism for opposing the planned Lucas Museum in favor of a large parking lot. But the organization says it fits into their mission of promoting open space.

Photos: Why So Many Former Stores Are Now Homes in Washington, D.C.
If some residences look a little out of place in Washington, D.C., it may be because they were originally retail shops. A Tumblr is devoted to these homes, and the zoning laws that created them.

Ontario, Canada Working on Sprawl-Killing Legislation
It's hard to imagine a policy that so comprehensively acts to create disincentives for sprawl gaining political traction anywhere in the United States.

L.A.'s New Pershing Square Will Be 'Radically Flat'
After stakeholder engagement and an international design competition, Agence Ter's plan for "radical flatness" has been selected to replace downtown L.A.'s current Pershing Square. The preferred alternative is, above all, simple.

The College President With the Sterling Redevelopment Résumé
John A. Fry lacks a terminal degree, but what he doesn't lack is land use and redevelopment know-how. Drexel University in Philadelphia is the latest to employ his talents.
Chinese Developer Building $300 Million Project South of Houston
The Ivy District is notable for its scale as well as for the funding mechanisms that made the project happen.

'First National Study of Neighborhood Parks' Finds Few Taking Advantage
Most neighborhood parks go relatively unused by adult populations and women, giving young children, mostly boys, the run of the place.

Parking Concerns Raised Around L.A.'s New Expo Line
Good news: Metro Los Angeles will open the long-awaited Expo Line extension, connecting Santa Monica and the the beach to Downtown Los Angeles, this weekend. Bad news: the public waited until now to worry about the parking around new stations.
Pagination
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
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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