Land Use

Details of New Orleans' Online Property Auction

On March 6, 2015, New Orleans launched a new online auction system for tax-adjudicated properties. The Times-Picayune has been closely monitoring the system since it launched.

March 17, 2015 - The Times-Picayune

A New Toolkit for Developing Urban Agriculture Systems

As cities and towns offer more incentives and planning support for local agriculture, there is still plenty of education and learning to be done to create and sustain local food systems. Enter the Agricultural Urbanism Toolkit.

March 17, 2015 - Seedstock

Inside Flint's Innovative Blight Elimination Plan

A blight elimination plan for Flint, Michigan has take shape over the past year, revealing innovative, community-based strategies for improving vacant properties and stabilizing the city's population.

March 17, 2015 - Next City

Debating the Costs and Benefits of Airbnb's Short-Term Rentals

A labor group is taking on the impact of short-term rentals on the housing market in one of the most expensive cities in the country. The debate is contentious, with numbers flying both ways, and also critical for the economic health of cities.

March 16, 2015 - KPCC

Global Suburbanisms: Beyond the White Picket Fence

With more people gravitating toward cities than ever before, new urban morphologies are proliferating throughout the world. Arup Connect's Sarah Wesseler talks with Roger Keil of York University about challenges facing global suburban development.

March 16, 2015 - Arup Connect

Legal Ruling a Major Setback for Chicago's Lucas Museum Plans

Greg Hinz reports on a high profile ruling that throws up a major obstacle for the proposed development of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Chicago.

March 16, 2015 - Crain's Chicago Business

Dearborn Street Bike Lane

12 Studies that Make a Case for Converting Parking to Bike Lanes

CityLab has complied a thorough guide of economic impact studies of bike lanes that provides a clear, visual case for removing parking spaces.

March 16, 2015 - CityLab

Crowd

On the Limitations of Density

Writing for FastCo.Design, Architecture Critic Inga Saffron provides a cautionary tale about density done poorly.

March 16, 2015 - Fast Co. Design

Proposal Would Make an Urban Agriculture Incentive Zone for Santa Clara County

The county of Santa Clara is exploring the possibility of establishing an Urban Agriculture Incentive Zone—a relatively new land use incentive enabled by recent statewide legislation.

March 14, 2015 - Seedstock

Newark

American Dream for Sale: $1,000 for an Empty Lot in Newark

In a bid for revenue and rejuvenation, Newark is selling vacant lots for $1,000. Buyers promise to build a home and stay for at least five years.

March 14, 2015 - New York Times

aerial view of downtown detroit showing lots of parking lots

Exploring the Unique Geography of Detroit

One of Detroit’s most defining modern characteristics—and most pressing dilemmas—is its huge amount of neglected and vacant land.

March 13, 2015 - Mapping Detroit

How Los Angeles Will Update its 1946 Zoning Code

Tom Rothmann explains how and why Los Angeles is updating antiquated language governing land use in the city.

March 13, 2015 - The Planning Report

French Suburb

Renzo Piano on the Potential of Suburbs

In an interview, architect Renzo Piano says European suburbs are not desolate. He argues they shouldn't be treated as such in the quest for cohesive cities.

March 12, 2015 - WNYC

Denver's Building Boom Happening on the Fringes

According to a Denver Post article, the Denver metropolitan area has 31,000 homes in the development pipeline. All but 2,600 of those homes would be built in suburban counties surrounding Denver.

March 12, 2015 - Denver Post

Finding the Right Mix of Uses for Former Industrial Sites

The Philadelphia City Council is tinkering with a novel land use created by its 2012 Zoning Code update to help guide mixed use development on former industrial sites.

March 12, 2015 - PlanPhilly

Seaside Entrance

The Four Phases of New Urbanism

Robert Steuteville discusses the slow, phased emergence of the New Urbanism. We are only partway through a change that will take generations. We are now immersed in the revitalization of cities. More phases will come.

March 12, 2015 - Better Cities & Towns

New York City Parking

New York City Proposes Parking Requirement Overhaul

The New York Department of City Planning is working on an overhaul of its parking requirements with the potential to impact hundreds of developments.

March 10, 2015 - Capital New York

San Francisco Resets the Bar with New Online Approvals Database

The online documentation of the San Francisco Planning Department's approval process received a huge upgrade.

March 10, 2015 - Curbed SF

Suburban Office Building

A Deep Dive into Suburban Retrofits

An interview with Ellen Dunham-Jones, co-author of "Retrofitting Suburbia," and Hazel Borys.

March 10, 2015 - PlaceShakers

Woman Walking

Women Redefining the Boundaries of Urban Design

There is increased call for inclusion and diversity in architecture. This London exhibition profiles five female architects and urban designers at the forefront of their profession.

March 9, 2015 - The Guardian Cities

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.

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.