Land Use

Reaching the Limits of Passionate Defense: Time to Turn Back

Ben Brown confronts the politics of NO and finds -- spoiler alert(!) -- "to score, you need to shoot, and to shoot, you need the puck." Welcome to the waning days of Passionate D.

December 22, 2013 - PlaceShakers

2013 Started a New Chapter in L.A.'s Story

Will 2013 be remembered as the year that Los Angeles embraced a new urban identity? Cultural, political, and planning and design-related events over the past year seem to suggest the city is experiencing "an urban reawakening".

December 21, 2013 - Los Angeles Times

Evaluating the Impact of Conservation Subdivision Implementation

Aslıgül Göçmen examines the environmental impact of conservation subdivision design.

December 20, 2013 - JPER

India's Innovative Green City Ignores Timeless Design Lessons

Rajarhat's Rabi Rashmi Abasan (Solar Housing Complex) is being hailed as a trend-setter for India's efforts to increase its use of renewable energy. But the urban design of the new city rising on the edge of Kolkata ignores timeless lessons.

December 20, 2013 - Next City

LEED Neighborhood Rises in Shadow of Pioneering Seattle Shopping Mall

A sprawling parking lot next to one of America's first suburban shopping malls is undergoing a monumental transformation into a dense mixed-use community complete with restorative park.

December 20, 2013 - Fast Company Co.Exist

Exhibit Celebrates Supergraphics Pioneer

Designer Deborah Sussman was drawn to Los Angeles in 1953 by an opportunity to work in the studio of Charles and Ray Eames. Over the next sixty years, she helped to define how residents and others see the city. A new exhibit chronicles her work.

December 18, 2013 - The New York Times

Could a Controversial Project Inspire the Retrofitting of San Diego's Suburbs?

Urbanists hope approving a proposal to allow a 23-acre parcel zoned for 500,000 square feet of office space be developed with 1.4 million square feet of mixed-uses could stimulate suburban retrofits across San Diego.

December 18, 2013 - Voice of San Diego

Farms Become the Latest Must-Have Suburban Amenity

Forget about golf courses and swimming pools, says Luke Runyon, developers are drawing in residents by integrating fully functioning farms into their new neighborhoods.

December 18, 2013 - NPR

Colosseo in Rome as seen from Via dei Fori Imperiali on a Sunday when traffic is cut off.

What Could Philadelphia Teach Rome About Reducing Traffic?

Rome's new mayor spent two decades in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and he's bringing lessons learned while living car-free in the United States to help solve Rome's traffic problems.

December 17, 2013 - philly.com

Are We Designing the Wrong Solutions to America's Health Problems?

From encouraging physical activity to improving access to healthy food, planners and designers are increasingly tackling America's public health challenges. But what if cars, suburbs, and food deserts aren't to blame for our unhealthy lifestyles?

December 17, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

Lifestyle Solution Sought for Austin's Snarled Traffic

Austin has a giant traffic tangle on its hands. And because the city largely ignored the growing problem for years, transportation planning experts believe only drastic changes in behavior and lifestyle will ease the snarl.

December 17, 2013 - NPR

Portland Developers Get Creative to Fill Glut of Ground-Level Retail

Ground-level retail is often seen as essential for activating urban streets. But what happens when developers have a hard time finding tenants? In Portland, vacant spaces are being converted into ground-level apartments to meet high housing demand.

December 17, 2013 - The Oregonian

Approvals Binge Consumes Bloomberg's Waning Days

With only two weeks left in office, Mayor Michael Bloomberg is still adding to one of the most visible legacies of his administration - the city's evolving built environment. Approvals are being sought for more than $12 billion worth of projects.

December 17, 2013 - The New York Times

Why the Titans of Tech Must Become Better Urbanists

Technology companies are increasing their presence in cities, adopting the language of planners, and seeking to create communities. Yet, according to Allison Arieff, the sector does a uniformly poor job of contributing to urban vitality.

December 16, 2013 - The New York Times

Is Tall All There Is?

Should planners be pushing to remove height limits to meet the growing demand for housing?

December 16, 2013 - Tim Halbur

Detroit Blight Fight Begins in Earnest Monday

75 teams of surveyors will fan out across Detroit on Monday to begin cataloging the city's vacant buildings block-by-block. One of the leaders of the effort is estimating that eliminating blight could cost $1 billion.

December 14, 2013 - Detroit Free Press

Grant Helps Extend NYC Plaza Program into Less Affluent Areas

By transforming excess street space in areas like Times Square and Herald Square into pedestrian paradises, New York City's plaza program has been a huge hit. But with maintenance costs borne by local businesses, less affluent areas have missed out.

December 13, 2013 - The Wall Street Journal

New Report Recommends a Regional Solution to S.F.'s Affordability Crisis

Could Silicon Valley play a key role in alleviating San Francisco's growing affordability crisis? That's among the suggestions put forth in a new report from SPUR that outlines specific ways that San Jose could attract young professionals.

December 13, 2013 - SFGate

Judge Tosses Controversial Hollywood Smart Growth Plan

A judge has sided with three civic groups challenging a new community plan for Hollywood that permitted increased density around transit stations. In a tentative ruling, Judge Allan J. Goodman called the plan "fatally flawed".

December 12, 2013 - Los Angeles Times

After Month of Hearings, D.C. Still Not Ready to Vote on Zoning Rewrite

After five years of work, D.C.'s Zoning Commission is not quite ready to consider changes to the city's 55-year-old zoning code. Additional public hearings have been scheduled after some groups asked for additional outreach.

December 11, 2013 - The Washington Post

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.