Land Use
Can the 2024 Olympics Help Boston Plan for a Better 2124?
Can the Olympic bid provide an impetus for long-range planning for the Boston metropolitan area?

A Small Town's Game-Changing Approach to Mapping
Portsmoth, New Hampshire has created textured, 3D maps of its historic district to help illustrate development impacts during the approval process.
Pitching a Pop-Up Beer Garden for the Giants' Waterfront Ballpark
The San Francisco Giants are proposing a clever scheme to activate the space in one of its ballpark adjacent parking lots. The Yard, as it's called, could be ready by Spring Training.
$2 Million Gift to Help Preserve 1,000 Acres of Forest in Connecticut
The Trust for Public land scored a major funding victory in an effort to save 1,000 acres of forest known as The Preserve in Connecticut.

A History of Non-Planning (and its Contemporary Effects)
An article by Woodbury University Professor Anthony Fontenot examines the effects of a history of opposition to planning as a centralized arm of the state, and proposes a way forward.
New Guide Provides Advice for Successful Regional Planning
Transportation for America has released "The Innovative MPO"—a guidebook of sorts that provides lessons in successful regional planning.

Study: For Transit Proximity, Think Beyond a Half-Mile
A recent study suggests that people consider transit proximity to be more flexible than planners often allow.

The Rise of the Development Agreement
The evolution of the development agreement reveals how its proliferation as a land use tool is a symptom of a larger struggle between increasingly complicated land use regulations, the public’s conflicting goals, and developers’ desire for certainty
Ray LaHood Joins the Board of the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy
Former U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, one of the country's most recognizable voices of leadership for infrastructure investment, will join the Board of the Lincoln Institute of land Policy.
A Dissenting Take on the Nicollet Mall Planning Process
While many are excited about the prospect of James Corner Field Operations redesigning the Nicollet Mall in Minneapolis, one commenter sees some of the worst dynamics of top-down planning at work.

'Aerotropolis' Plans Taking Off for Denver International Airport
Denver has plans to create an "aerotropolis" in the vast plain surrounding Denver International Airport.
Report: San Francisco's City Parks Worth $959 Million
The Trust for Public Land’s Center for City Park Excellence released a report placing the value of San Francisco's park system at $959 million.

10 of the Best Urban Agriculture Projects
Urban Land surveys ten of the best recent examples of development projects that incorporate agricultural facilities—from New York to new Orleans.
Bill Fulton Charts a Path for San Diego's Urban Evolution
William Fulton pens a column for the U-T San Diego assessing the city of San Diego's transition from suburban to urban after 18 months on the job as planning director.
How the Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust Gets the Job Done
In a city of increasingly scarce land, the Los Angeles Neighborhood land Trust has a track record of ushering community gardens and other public health resources in low-income communities.

Top Planning Trends – 2014
A deeper look at the traffic data on Planetizen reveals trends from the planning and urban design conversation of 2014.

Four Cities Making the Most of Alley Spaces
Urbanful examines four cities making the most of scare public spaces by reactivating their alleys with programming and pedestrian-friendly designs.
A Model Plan for Greening Suburban Downtowns
F. Kaid Benfield provides analysis of the Bethesda Downtown Plan, calling the plan for the bustling Maryland suburb an opportunity to set a standard of urban sustainability for other communities.
Op-Ed: Time for the Bay Area to Embrace Regional Planning
An op-ed by the San Francisco Chronicle's editorial board takes cues from London's regional transportation planning efforts in an argument supporting regional planning for the San Francisco-San Jose Bay Area.

An Aerial Photography Tool for Planners
File under tools for the tool kit: Jarrett Walker of Human Transit shares details about Nearmap, an aerial photography tool that serves as a helpful alternative to Google Earth.
Pagination
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.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
New Jersey Institute of Technology
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Portland
City of Laramie