Land Use

Google Self-Driving Car

The Car-Centric Future of Planning Data

Data collection used for planning purposes has traditionally focused on cars, rather than people. So far, innovative transportation technologies seem unconcerned with changing that pattern.

August 17, 2016 - City Observatory

Lessons From Manhattan's First 'Shared Streets' Event

New York City has several famous examples of pedestrian-only environments, but last weekend's Shared Streets event was an experiment in co-existence.

August 16, 2016 - StreetsBlog NYC

Gowanus

Neighborhoods Push for Benefits in New York Zoning Plan

The Brooklyn neighborhood of Gowanus was recently added to Mayor de Blasio’s sweeping zoning reform plan. But Gowanus also has plans of its own.

August 14, 2016 - New York Times

Trailer Park

Learning from the Humble Trailer Park

An examination of the common trailer park reveals a few key lessons about land use, urban design, and private governance.

August 13, 2016 - Strong Towns

Friday Fun: Mapping a Decade of Philadelphia Block Parties

David Bowie and Mick Jagger approved.

August 12, 2016 - PlanPhilly

Fly Geyser

Burning Man Buys 3,800 Acres in Northwest Nevada

Let the year-round party commence.

August 12, 2016 - The Architect's Newspaper

Detroit Street Art

Detroit to Explore 'Pink Zoning' to Reduce Red Tape

Detroit is looking for ideas to make it easier to revitalize neighborhood main streets.

August 12, 2016 - The Detroit News

Brisbane, CA

Opposition to Bay Area Housing Exposed

A 660-acre Bay Area brownfield served by commuter and light rail is the latest battleground between suburban communities intent on preserving open space and quality of life and meeting the Bay Area's unmet housing demand.

August 11, 2016 - The Washington Post - Wonkblog

Stockton Street

Opposition to Pedestrian-Only Street Proposal Surfaces in San Francisco

The same political force that helped bring the Central Subway in San Francisco is now opposing a proposal that grew in the project's wake—turning Stockton Street into a permanent pedestrian space.

August 11, 2016 - San Francisco Chronicle

New Orleans

New Orleans Planning Commission Recommends Limits for Short-Term Rentals

The New Orleans City Council must still approve regulations for short-term rentals, but the Planning Commission has spoken.

August 10, 2016 - The Times-Picayune

Suburb

New App Rents Driveway Parking Spaces for $1 an Hour

A pair of entrepreneurs has launched an app that allows property owners to rent driveway spaces to people looking for parking. Also, the app helps people find the parking they are looking for.

August 10, 2016 - RI Future

Rental Apartments

Spiting Mandatory Inclusionary Housing to Save Mandatory Inclusionary Housing

The question of whether New York City's new mandatory inclusionary housing policy should apply to a 17-story project in Manhattan could have wide-ranging implications.

August 10, 2016 - The New York Times

Mosque

Department of Justice Steps in to Halt Religious Discrimination Through Zoning

As the U.S. Department of Justice takes action to protect the religious freedoms of Muslims in the United States, zoning decisions have proven a particularly common source of anxiety among Muslim communities.

August 10, 2016 - The New York Times

Ocean Grove Sidewalk

Mixed-Use Development as an Obesity Reduction Tool

An introductory lesson in mixed-use development produces lessons and resources for obesity reduction.

August 10, 2016 - Forbes

The Mission

Supervisor Calls for Halt to Construction in San Francisco's Mission District

The ghosts of the Mission Moratorium have returned to San Francisco, after a local supervisor has called for a halt to three projects while the city crafts legislation to regulate development in the neighborhood.

August 9, 2016 - Mission Local

Rail Deck Park

Planetizen Week in Review: August 8, 2016

It only takes two minutes to catch up on the biggest news stories of the week.

August 8, 2016 - Planetizen

Shanghai

Where Have all the Great Urban Places Gone?

Newly built urban places leave a lot to be desired, according to this article in Governing.

August 7, 2016 - Governing

Sutter Street from above

Proposed California Law Could Fast Track CEQA Litigation for Large Developments

A bill moving through the California Legislature, SB 734, would extend the reach of legislation from 2011 that benefitted the defunct Farmers Field football stadium in downtown Los Angeles.

August 7, 2016 - Los Angeles Times

New Jersey Coast

A Big, Expensive Legal Battle Over Coastal Dunes in New Jersey

A small group of residents in Ocean County, New Jersey have lawyered up to resist a state and federal project to build 22 miles of sand dunes to protect the New Jersey coast.

August 5, 2016 - The Record

Median Parking: A South Philly Tradition Some Hope Will End

A group of local activists argue that the median parking that is so common on South Broad is dangerous. Some South Philly residents say median parking is part of the neighborhood's DNA.

August 5, 2016 - NewsWorks

FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?

After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.

Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold

The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.