Land Use
So Much for the Environmental Benefits of Urban Density
For urbanists who have reduced their carbon footprints by driving less and living more densely in smaller homes, researchers from UC Berkeley have some bad news. Your reduced emissions are canceled out by those in the suburbs ringing your city.
East Coast Planners Ask: How High Will the Water Rise?
It's not just melting ice that threatens to submerge communities along the East Coast of the U.S. Several other factor are conspiring to raise sea levels. Scientists are racing against time to predict how bad things are going to get, and how fast.
Urban Green Spaces Will Make You Happier than Winning the Lottery
A new study published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology finds that moving to a more-green area can have a long-lasting positive effect on mental health, unlike the short-term jolt from pay rises, promotions or winning the lottery.
Tracing the Growth of the Open Streets Movement
A new documentary from Streetfilms explores how open streets events–which repurpose public spaces for people, rather than vehicles–have grown over the past several decades throughout South and North America.
How Jane Jacobs Saved Greenwich Village, Once Again
The opponents of New York University's controversial expansion plan for Greenwich Village owe their recent court victory to the legacy of Jane Jacobs' legendary fight against the proposed Lower Manhattan Expressway.
An Urbanist Tu'b'Shevat Seder
How to bring an urbanist slant to the Jewish holiday of Tu'b'Shevat next week
Judge Halts Controversial NYU Expansion Plan
Opponents of a massive plan to expand New York University's footprint in Greenwich Village have succeeded in convincing a state judge that a large portion of the project should not be allowed to proceed.
To Find Potential Public Spaces, Look Under Power Lines
In cities like Houston, officials are utilizing established transmission right of ways (ROWs) to provide walking and biking trails without the land acquisition challenges that typically confront urban areas looking to expand their open spaces.
New NYC Zoning Rules Will Help Residents Build Against Floods
New municipal zoning laws don’t necessarily make for the most compelling reading material, but a new set of New York City regulations are worth paying attention to.
How Your House's Garage Induces More Speeding and Less Walking
Throughout North America's auto-oriented suburbs, front-facing garages are a common feature of home design. According to Brent Toderian, that design decision has a significant impact on speeding and the quality of neighborhoods.
A Call to Give New York's Planning Power to the People
Michael Sorkin bemoans the trickle-down planning ethos of the Bloomberg era and sees the need to increase the city's resiliency as an opportunity to "return to the task of physical planning attuned to local desires".
Crowdsourcing Toronto's "Homegrown National Park"
Led by the nonprofit David Suzuki Foundation, a volunteer workforce of "park rangers" is deploying creative green interventions along private properties and public spaces throughout Toronto to create a citywide green corridor.
How Thomas Menino Wove Boston's Neighborhoods into a "Whole City"
Over twenty years in office, Mayor Thomas Menino had a considerable impact on Boston's built environment. For Robert Campbell, the Mayor's most substantial accomplishment was in recapturing "the places in between".
Portland Provides a Lesson in the Dangers of Densification
The Powellhurst-Gilbert neighborhood of Portland, OR has seen a wave of new development over the past two decades. But without the expansion of basic services and amenities, the area is struggling to integrate newcomers. Is poor planning to blame?
Innovation Districts: The Next Big Urban Idea
In his look ahead to the big idea that will shape 2014, Bruce Katz identifies the emergence of the "Innovation District" - a shift in the "spatial geography of innovation" from isolated corporate campuses to mixed-use urban districts.
Planetizen's Most Popular Pieces of 2013
We're looking forward to another stimulating year of news, commentary, and professional development. But before the calendar turns to 2014, we wanted to take a look back at our most popular blog posts, exclusive articles, and news items from 2013.
Peak Sprawl Shrinks Home Sizes in Southern California
In contrast to much of the United States, where home sizes are growing again following the recession, developers in Southern California are increasingly building attached homes - reversing the region's history of single-family sprawl.
Fear of "Hyperdensity" Grips Toronto's Leaders
Since it was passed in 2006, Toronto's growth has largely gone according to its Official Plan, with new development clustered in key areas of the city. But the city's chief planner and others fear some areas are in danger of becoming "hyperdense".
Icelandic "Elf Lobby" Tries to Halt Highway Project
Concerned that a proposed highway from the Alftanes peninsula to the Reykjavik suburbs will disturb Icelandic elf habitat, an elf lobbying group is joining forces with environmentalists to try to stop the project.
Should New York Better Police Its Skyline?
As a Billionaires' Row of sky-high residences rises along 57th Street, towering above Central Park, Michael Kimmelman wonders if it's time to tame the "leggy, cloud-piercing, sliver-thin residential towers".
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.
City of Mt Shasta
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
