Land Use

Republican Party Logo

A Conservative Argument for Conservatives to Support New Urbanism

A prominent conservative blogger cites James Howard Kunstler, Edmund Burke, and Joan Didion in making the case for New Urbanist ideals of place, despite the stigma in conservative circles.

July 10, 2014 - The Week

Building 'Mixed-Use Industrial' to Spur Economic Development

Ilana Preuss writes for Smart Growth America about the opportunity to integrate small-scale industrial uses into development—what's called mixed-use industrial real estate.

July 10, 2014 - Smart Growth America

Innovative Transportation Systems Require Innovative Transit Oriented Developments

As new transportation systems continue to emerge and gain popularity, the sacred cows of land use and transportation planning require radical new thinking, according to Gabe Klein.

July 10, 2014 - CityLab

Vancouver Skyline

Why Foreign Money is Irrelevant to Increasing Density

While concern over foreign investment in the local real estate market is perfectly valid, the concern is irrelevant to the reasons and need to increase density and the supply of housing.

July 10, 2014 - Reuben Duarte

San Francisco Density

Density is Key to Fighting Climate Change, Rules Bay Area Judge

A group that coined the term, "stack and pack" to deride density and its role in reducing carbon emissions lost in court when the judge rejected their argument that only technological improvements in cars and fuels were necessary to reduce emissions.

July 9, 2014 - San Francisco Chronicle

Zombie Hunters

Thriving in the New Zombie Future: Business as Usual Planning for the Zombie Apocalypse

A satirical post welcomes the metaphorical zombie state experienced by humans in the modern built environment as the path of least resistance for a literal, future zombie state.

July 9, 2014 - William Riggs

Grand Canyon Development Plans Opposed by National Park Service

Two projects proposed for the South Rim plateau of the Grand Canyon have raised alarms at the National Park Service, who see a serious threat from impacts to the views, water supply, and ecology of the canyon.

July 8, 2014 - Los Angeles Times

North view

Detroit Reaping Economic Development Benefits from Urban Farming

Urban farming has taken root as Detroit transforms. Now, farmers and entrepreneurs must continue to find new ways to profit from the city's new farming business model.

July 7, 2014 - The Detroit News

More Disincentives for Driving Required for Philadelphia to Achieve 'Greenest' Status

Philadelphia's Mayor Michael Nutter has set a policy goal of becoming the "Greenest City in America," but the city's lack of progress in reducing automobile use is a troubling obstacle to such a lofty goal.

July 7, 2014 - Next City

Planners Express Frustration with Inertia in Los Angeles

"Whither planning in Los Angeles?" Sam Hall Kaplan seeks to find out.

July 7, 2014 - The Planning Report

Broad, Controversial Land Use Regulations Proposed for Mississippi River through Minnesota

After a failed attempt at similarly broad land use regulations failed in 2011, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is again undertaking an outreach process to create land use regulations along 72 miles of the Mississippi River.

July 5, 2014 - Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune

What Makes a 'Farmers' Market?'

What constitutes a farmers' market, rather than an outdoor or public market?

July 5, 2014 - Lisa Feldstein

Fracking Opponents in New York Achieve Landmark Legal Victory

In a huge victory for fracking opponents and a major blow to the shale gas drilling industry, the New York Court of Appeals, the state's highest, ruled on June 30 that municipalities can use zoning laws to enact fracking bans or moratoria.

July 4, 2014 - USA Today

Comparing Naperville and Joliet: the Underappreciated Importance of Legacy

Pete Saunders compares the disparate experiences of two Chicago suburbs, Naperville and Joliet, who took different approaches to legacy.

July 3, 2014 - The Corner Side Yard

Bill Could Change Street Sweeping, Parking Regulations in New York City

The singular urban dance, or traffic jam, of "alternate-side-of-the-street parking" could get a reprieve with a new bill before the New York City Council.

July 2, 2014 - New York Times

Houston's Municipal Golf Courses Struggling to Make Ends Meet

Many cities around the country are facing the question about whether they should subsidize city-owned golf courses as the game's popularity declines. Supporters of "munis" say they provide an affordable location for outdoor recreation.

July 1, 2014 - Houston Chronicle

Gone Viral: Swett, South Dakota for Sale at $400,000

A tiny prairie town, unincorporated and controlled by a single owner, can be yours if you have the funds available. The town is a local draw thanks to its bar, the Swett Tavern.

July 1, 2014 - Rapid City Journal

Leave it to beaver house

Op-Ed: Stop Demonizing the Suburbs

Jacquielynn Floyd writes an op-ed for the Dallas News in which she defends the suburbs from the "demonization" of "new urbanism."

June 29, 2014 - Dallas News

Six Years Later—More Revisions for Washington D.C.'s Zoning Code Update

None of the original team that began working on Washington D.C.'s zoning code update are still working on the project. Much has changed in the six years that have expired.

June 28, 2014 - Greater Greater Washington

Kern County Adopts Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy

Amanda Eaken details Kern County's new Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy (RTP/SCS). The new plan implements California's SB 375, which serves as the land use component of California's carbon emissions reductions goals.

June 27, 2014 - NRDC Switchboard

FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?

After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.

Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold

The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.

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.