Land Use
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.
How Driverless Cars Could Affect Suburban Land Use
Successful driverless cars might lead to "mini mass transit," a distinct mode from public transit and the private automobile. The consequences for land use could reshape suburbia.
The Impressive Story of Florida's 15-Year-Old Citizen Planner
Dylan Gentile, a 15-year-old resident of DeFuniak Springs, Florida, offers inspiration in the form of proactive, positive engagement with the built environment, and already an impressive resume of accomplishments.
Evaluating California's SB 375 Implementation So Far
Julie Pierce, city of Clayton councilmember, chair of the Contra Costa Transportation Authority, and president of the Association of Bay Area Governments, evaluates the effects of SB 375, California's key land use law to address climate change .
On the Benefits of Compact Development
The environmental think tank environmental Sustainable Prosperity has created a handy infographic describing the benefits of dense urban development compared to sprawl.
Exploring the Planning History of Downtown Oakland
Oakland, as the urban counterpart to San Francisco in the Bay Area, is on a lot of people's radar as a place to improve on some of the lessons of recent waves of urbanization. What planning precedents shaped the city on the other side of the Bay?
Where and How 'Agrihoods' Work
A post on the Lexington Streetsweeper blog examines the idea of Farming Community Subdivision, or "agrihood," and the plausibility of such a community being created in Central Kentucky.
Are You Getting the Change You Want from the Status Quo?
That question may seem like a contradiction, but it couldn't be more pertinent to communities and land use—existing codes and policies generate change by shaping investment.
'Center for Opportunity Urbanism' Think Tank Launched in Houston
A new think tank to promote suburban growth has been established in Houston by arguably the media's highest-profile supporters of suburban growth.
Colorado Development Spells Demise for Local Prairie Dogs
Castle Rock, located between Denver and Colorado Springs, has approved a massive shopping and residential development. The project will be built on top of a prairie dog colony.
Austin Master Plan to Transform Municipal Cemeteries
Could it be that places for the dead might be a new source of urban innovation? Austin provides an example of new thinking regarding urban resting places.
Designers Envision a Better Future for a Notorious Tulsa 'Parking Crater'
Sometimes a public shaming can be good for less-than-desirable land uses. Case in point: designers mobilizing to remodel a notorious parking crater in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Palo Alto Stalls on Controversial Measure to Cap Commercial Development
In some places, it might be hard to imagine even considering a cap on the development of commercial development. Palo Alto, home to Stanford University and a hot bed of California's tech industry, did just that in City Council earlier this week.
Book Review: Zoned in the USA
"Zoned in the USA: The Origins and Implications of American Land-Use Regulation," by Sonja Hirt, describes the exceptional characteristics, compared to European land use regulations, that make U.S. zoning laws so conducive to sprawl.
1954 Report Explains a lot About Parking Requirements, Shopping Centers
Historic planning documents, like those found in the APA's Planning Advisory Service, are full of lessons about how past planning doctrines failed their intentions, and it's always a good time for planners to re-evaluate their antecedents.
Anatomy of an Unsafe Crosswalk
Streetsblog NYC analyses one of the street design standards in place in New York City that will make it impossible to achieve zero pedestrian fatalities under Vision Zero.
How Form-Based Ideas Could Transform Community Planning
Let's discuss how community planning could be fundamentally reorganized to improve both efficiency and placemaking.
Google Reveals Designs for New Headquarters in Mountain View
The design reveal is more than just a showcase for architects Bjarke Ingels and Thomas Heatherwick. The project also raises tough questions about how far suburban cities in the South Bay Area are willing to go to support the current tech boom.
Does America Still Want Sprawl?
Increased awareness of sprawl’s negative effects has not led to a drop-off in its construction. Developers say they only build what the market demands.
How Dense Cities Reap Green Benefits
What they may lack in peace and quiet, crowded cities more than make up for by requiring residents to live smaller. Tangible environmental benefits follow.
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.
Yukon Government
Caltrans
New Jersey Institute of Technology
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Norman, Oklahoma
City of Portland
City of Laramie
