Land Use
The Most Popular Planetizen Posts of 2015
The results of a year's worth of writing, reading, sharing, and commenting are in. These are the most popular Planetizen posts from the year 2015.
Planning Programs to Watch in the Federal Omnibus Spending Bill
Congress is on pace to wrap up a major piece of federal legislation before leaving for recess.
Big Changes in the New Year for the Seattle Department of Planning and Development
The traditional functions of planning are going to look a lot different in Seattle when the calendar changes to 2016.
Keeping Indianapolis Beautiful With Pocket Parks
A local non-profit recently announced funding for the development of five public green spaces in the coming year. The projects represent incremental progress toward a larger, shared vision.
Washington Hopes to Coexist With Growing Number of Wolf Packs
The state of Washington is navigating the complex politics of wildlife protection—in this case, wildlife means the territory of an estimated 16 wolf packs.
The 'Both/And' of the Housing Debate
Planners and community development housing activists and professionals need to start thinking about housing policy as "both...and." It is not reasonable to couch housing policy as either unfettered building or only rent.
Texas Rangers Caught in Pickle: Develop Ballpark Parking Lots or Move to Dallas?
A public-private partnership could bring new development to some of the parking lots outside the home of the Texas Rangers. It's not the first grand plan to get floated for the ballpark's ancillary areas.
Order Up: Massachusetts Has a New Food System Plan
With economic, employment, and social benefits, food is much more than what we eat. Now Massachusetts has completed a comprehensive food plan in the hopes of doing better with the systems by which food is manufactured, bought, and consumed.
Chicago's Lawrence Avenue Is Changing—Is the Neighborhood Ready?
The Lawrence Avenue corridor in Chicago is poised to evolve into "New Lawrence," but as development proposals follow a streetscape improvement project, the community is still sorting out what exactly "new" should mean.
The Curious Case of a Solar-Power-Hating North Carolina Town
A simple case of City Council rejecting a zoning change for a new solar facility blew up into an international case of clickbait trolling.
Land Use Policies and the Future of Cities
Land is perhaps the most fundamental consideration in every variety of planning process—the cost of land, the availability of land, the condition of land, etc. A new e-book studies the importance of land to the global urban future.
On the New Era of Planning in Houston
The approval of the Plan Houston comprehensive plan was one of the biggest planning news stories of the year. A new podcast digs deeper into the significance and details of the new plan for the city of Houston.
Vancouver Hands Residents the Keys to Granny Flats
Leading other expensive cities in North America, Vancouver, British Columbia is quickly adding accessory dwelling units as a result of permissive regulations approved in 2009.
Report: 'Pop-Up' Businesses Ring Up $50 Billion in Yearly Revenue
Temporary storefronts—for everything from high fashion to big-box retailers to "foodie"-favored restaurants—are all the rage. A new study quantifies the economic clout of pop-up businesses.
Somerville, MA to Test the Benefits of Self-Parking Cars
Audi and Somerville will begin testing self-parking cars in 2018. Imagine the possibilities.
Don't Blame Supermarkets for Food Deserts
Quartz makes the point that supermarkets alone won't solve the problem of poor diets among low-income Americans.
Charles Marohn: Not Your Typical Urbanist
From his home in Brainerd, Minnesota (population 13,500), this fiscally conservative engineer leads a growing movement. His slow-and-steady approach to urban development has real bipartisan appeal.
From the Ashes of the 710 Extension: A Bold Plan for Southern California
An architecture critic spots an opportunity to think big after Caltrans finally ditched a plan to extend the I-710 Freeway through several Southern California cities.
How to Teach About Sprawl (and Law)
Describing a seminar on "Sprawl and the Law" at the University of Pittsburgh.
Local Parks Provide $140 Billion in Economic Activity
Parks aren't always justified in economic terms, but a new report finds $140 billion reasons why parks are a positive addition to local communities.
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.
One Hundred Miles
County of Mendocino
planning NEXT
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
Montrose County
Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA)
The Pocatello Development Authority
