Land Use

Parks—or Playgrounds for Billionaires?

New York may be the most famous example of the parks becoming the most conspicuous signifiers of neighborhoods for the haves, versus the have-nots, but Inga Saffron hopes that cities everywhere can find ways to even the playing fields.

February 4, 2015 - The New Republic

Editorial: Florida Legislators should 'Stick to the Mission' on Conservation

A Miami Herald editorial expresses concern for a growing movement in the state legislature to raid the funding pool made possible by the recently approved Amendment 1, a statewide environmental-conservation funding measure.

February 4, 2015 - Miami Herald

Poll: San Francisco Loves the Tech Industry

San Francisco Mayor Ed lee is so far running unopposed for re-election next Fall, which means that voters won't be offered a chance for a referendum on his support for the tech industry.

February 4, 2015 - San Francisco

University of Phoenix Stadium

The Real Loser in the Super Bowl: the Host City's Taxpayers

Mark Byrnes breaks down the math on this year's Super Bowl and finds the host city of Glendale, Arizona getting shortchanged.

February 1, 2015 - CityLab

Senate Bill would Repeal Presidential Power to Designate National Monuments

S. 228—the National Monument Designation Transparency and Accountability Act of 2015—would limit the power of the president to designate national monuments.

January 31, 2015 - National Wildlife Federation

Seattle

Seattle's 'Urban Villages' Become Bedroom Communities

In a recent column for Crosscut, Knute Berger looks back on the 20-year history of the city's urban village strategy to inform its emerging reality as an "urban bedroom community."

January 30, 2015 - Crosscut

Pedestrian and Bike Improvements Coming to Brooklyn's DUMBO Neighborhood

The New York City Department of Transportation is moving forward with a series of pedestrian and bike infrastructure improvements in a neighborhood built in the shadow of some of the city's most highest profile transportation infrastructure.

January 30, 2015 - StreetsBlog NYC

Times Square Historic

From Times Square: How Many Pedestrians Is Too Many Pedestrians?

Times Square stakeholders have begun to raise the specter of "too much of a good thing," as the crowds flocking to Times Square threaten to squeeze the life out of the place.

January 29, 2015 - New York Times

On the Value of Inconsistent Setbacks

A columnist in St. Paul makes an argument in favor of zoning variances as a driver of incremental growth and economic development.

January 28, 2015 - Star Tribune

Obama to Open Controversial Atlantic Region to Offshore Drilling

A mere day after the Interior Department announced it would permanently block drilling in much of the Arctic Refuge by designating it as wilderness, it proposed allowing drilling in the Gulf, along Atlantic coast, and surprisingly, offshore Alaska.

January 28, 2015 - McClatchy Washington Bureau

Critic Finds Merits in Brooklyn Public Library Redevelopment Plans

Two proposals for library makeovers in Brooklyn tie into a larger narrative about development, and architecture, in New York City.

January 27, 2015 - New York Times

SimCity BuildIt

3 Good Reasons SimCity Should Adopt a Form-Based Code

And an update from Codes Study about the 600 places that really are upping their game with form-based codes.

January 27, 2015 - PlaceShakers

Obama Proposal would Close the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to Drilling

Setting off a political firestorm in the words of one journalist, President Obama proposed to designate most of the pristine Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as wilderness, angering congressional Republicans.

January 27, 2015 - The Wall Street Journal

How Parking Apps Could Shift the Parking Landscape

New apps have the potential to influence a fundamental shift in the political and physical realities of parking according to a recent Next City article.

January 26, 2015 - Next City

Vancouver Waterfront

Industrial Meets Residential in New Vancouver Zoning

Vancouver created its MX zone as a solution to a persistent challenge for planners—how to retain industrial jobs and affordable housing in downtowns.

January 26, 2015 - The Globe and Mail

New Taxes could Drive up the Cost of Conservation in Maine

Maine trails only three states in total acreage of land protected by conservation. A new plan to end the property tax exemptions for nonprofits, however, could make that work much more difficult.

January 25, 2015 - Portland Press Herald

Community Gardens are Collateral Damage in New York's Affordable Housing Plans

Here's a head scratcher: in its ambition to meet the affordable housing goals of Mayor Bill de Blasio, the Department of Housing Preservation and Development has proposed the redevelopment of 15 community gardens on city-owned property.

January 24, 2015 - Brownstoner

Proposed Planning and Development Reorganization Stalls in Philadelphia

A drastic overhaul of the planning and development processes in Philadelphia is, at least for now, on hold so stakeholders can have more time to analyze the proposal.

January 23, 2015 - philly.com

Ugly L.A.

The Challenge of Re-Orienting Strip Malls for Transit

Bill Lindeke writes of the daunting urban design and planning challenge presented by America's post-war fascination with the strip mall.

January 23, 2015 - MinnPost

Empire State Building Base

High-Rises and Streetlife

The common claim that "high-rises kill streetlife" is often incorrect.

January 23, 2015 - Michael Lewyn

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.