Land Use
Home Builders Sow Seeds for Urban Agriculture
In the Stapleton neighborhood of Denver, developer Forest City has recognized the growing interest in urban gardening by partnering with The Urban Farm Company to offer ready-made raised-bed gardens to homebuyers.
Libertarian Foundation Uses CEQA to Litigate 'Plan Bay Area'
The group, Bay Area Citizens, worried about loss of property values and quality of life, will be represented by the libertarian Pacific Legal Foundation, which will use CEQA as the basis of the lawsuit against regional agencies MTC and ABAG.
Chicago Planning Meeting Turns Against Cyclists, Walkability
This week, the Illinois DOT kicked off a set of public meetings to "redefine" Chicago's Lake Shore Drive. At the first meeting, a decidedly pro-car and anti-bicyclist sentiment crept into the comments.
Are Stadiums Akin to Museums and Libraries?
As D.C. debates the value of subsidizing the construction of a soccer stadium on a site in Buzzard Point, Dan Malouff argues that such facilities should be judged as cultural amenities, rather than business investments.
From Big Apple to Big Kahuna: Plan for East River Beach Catches a Break
Could the Hamptons have a new rival for New Yorkers seeking a little fun in the sun? With $7 million allocated, plans to transform Lower Manhattan's desolate, trash-strewn waterfront into a 'premier staycation destination' are moving forward.
Britain's 'New Towns' Offer Lessons for Addressing Country's Housing Shortage
The mixed successes of Britain's post-war 'new town' and 'expanded town' developments offer some valuable lessons for those seeking to solve the country's acute housing shortage.
Not All Is Verdant and Rosy With S.F.'s Parklets
The removal of a parklet that had been criticized as 'a haven for homelessness and illegal activity' reflects some of the growing pains experienced by San Francisco as it's sought to encourage the conversion of on-street parking into public spaces.
How Did Vancouver Decrease its Traffic While Growing its Population?
With its elegant skyline, walkable streets and stunning parks, Vancouver exemplifies great city-making. Add to the list of achievements the city's ability to reduce traffic by 20 to 30 percent since 2006 while growing its population by 4.5 percent.
Suburban Sprawl Reaches the End of the Cul-de-Sac
The Washington Post speaks with Leigh Gallagher, author the new book “The End of the Suburbs”, about the decline of America's suburbs, models for suburban reinvention, and the correlation between neighborhood form and health and happiness.
The Positive Energy Potential of Suburban Sprawl
What if most cars were electrics, most electricity was generated locally, and new development was required to have solar? Would this paradigm make sprawl more energy sustainable than compact growth? A new paper argues yes.
Pop-Ups Show Promise and Peril of Modern City-Building
The temporary projects that enliven Britain's derelict and overlooked urban spaces offer a taste of the power of transformative placemaking. But they come hand in hand with increasing consolidation and homogenization in the architecture field.
To Sustain Success, Nashville Area Must Think Regionally
Two decades of phenomenal growth have transformed Nashville into 'one of America’s hottest success stories.' In an op-ed for The Tennessean, Bill Freeman argues that for the area to continue to grow wisely it will need to embrace regional planning.
A Look at Roads Not Taken Provides Path for L.A.'s More Public-Minded Future
A new exhibition of the bold designs that were never executed in Los Angeles provides lessons for today's leaders and planners. By imagining a more public-minded path for Los Angeles, it provides the impetus for creating such a future.
Urban Revivals Give Hope to Detroit Emergency Manager
In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, emergency manager Kevyn Orr explains how his own experiences living in once-derelict, now-thriving cities leave him optimistic about Detroit's revival.
What's Driving London's Walking Boom?
London has always been a pedestrian-friendly city. But over the last decade the number of daily trips taken on foot in the city jumped by 12 percent, while walking declined nationwide. What explains the capital's pedestrian popularity?
Return of Industry Brings First Ever Trail-to-Rail Conversion in Michigan
Michigan is a national leader in rail-to-trail conversions, but a mining company in the Upper Peninsula will necessitate the first "reactivation" of a trail in the state. The federal Rails to Trails law sanctions such conversions.
NIMBY Epidemic Infects St. Louis
Senior citizen apartment complexes, a gas station, and 17 emergency communication towers are among the latest targets of staunch neighborhood opposition in the St. Louis area. What is the line between reasonable objections and "BANANAS" opposition?
Editorial: Connecticut Must Do More to Support Compact Development
Though Connecticut is well served by commuter rail, a new report indicates that only half of the communities with Metro-North station have land use regulations in place to maximize development around them.
Enjoy Playing With the Largest Photo of Tokyo Ever Taken
Using 8,000 photos taken from atop the Tokyo Tower, photographer Jeffrey Martin has assembled a 150-gigapixel panorama of the city. The best part - its interactive - meaning you can pan and zoom to an incredible level of detail.
Bemoan Atlanta, as Well as Detroit, Writes Columnist
New York Times columnist Paul Krugman looks at two great American cities, one losing population for decades and now filed for bankruptcy, the other growing rapidly but through sprawl, not smart growth. Yet Atlanta suffers lower social mobility.
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
