Land Use
The Urban Diary as a City-Dweller's Tool
Chuck Wolfe champions the 'urban diary' tool as a universal means to understand the city around us.
Rush to Rebuild Could Cause Long-Term Damage to NY/NJ Beaches
Just seven months ago Hurricane Sandy damaged 94 percent of New Jersey's beaches and eroded dozens of miles of coastline in New York. As waterfront communities rush to rebuild before summer, some fear disastrous long-term consequences.
How Miami Lost Its Way to a Transit-Rich Future
Forty years ago, Dade County officials sketched a vision for a paradigm shift away from highways and towards a multi-modal transportation system for the area. Four decades onward, highway expansion is alive and well in Miami-Dade. What happened?
Alley Rally Aims to Examine the City's Forgotten Spaces
In popular culture alleyways are often depicted as the setting for illicit acts. But seen in a different light, alleys are key contributors to urban life. SPUR kicks off a week of alley exploration with an essay on their benefits.
Planning is Not Necessary
Municipal comprehensive plans are neither necessary nor sufficient for smart growth.
Don't Close Shop Just Yet, Gen Y Still Likes Shopping in Stores
The rise of online shopping has been seen by some as presaging the demise of the physical store. However, a new report based on national survey results shows that Generation Y isn't ready to give up shopping on foot.
Ways to Fail at Form-Based Codes 04: Don’t Capture the Character
Form-based codes extract the DNA of the desired local character, and enable it by right. Hazel Borys talks about how to get the numbers right in this week's Back of the Envelope.
Hope for Healed Urban Fabric Dashed by Security Concerns at Former Trade Center Site
After the World Trade Center attacks, planners, neighbors, and Mayor Bloomberg supported reweaving the site into the city's street grid, in the process undoing "a painful planning error of the 1960s." Security concerns seem to have won out, however.
Discussion on Increasing D.C. Height Limits Becomes One-Sided Debate
A public presentation by the D.C. Office of Planning on the potential for amending the city's controversial height limits revealed residents' many concerns, and little support, for the Congressionally mandated review.
Poor Planning Brings a Flood of Water Problems
A new study by the Chicago-based Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT) compares that city's flood insurance claims with its floodplains, and finds a 'completely counter-intuitive' relationship between the two.
What's Missing from City Plans? Everything That Matters, Says Economist
In an op-ed for Forbes, economist Carl Schramm argues that "the practice of city planning has escaped reality." He indicts planners, and the plans that cities produce, for ignoring the economic imperatives that constitute a successful city.
Will Compact Development Define America's Next Era of Land Use?
'America 2013', a report released this week by the Urban Land Institute, presents the results of a nationwide survey on housing, transportation, and community preferences. Demographic trends indicate a continued demand for city living.
On Density, California Bucks the Nation
A new Census Bureau report finds population density going down everywhere in the country -- except California, where it's going up in most metropolitan areas, especially smaller ones.
Vancouver's Popular Laneway Housing Program Gets a Redesign
Vancouver's efforts to facilitate accessory dwellings has proven to be popular - perhaps too popular for some residents. As officials prepare to expand the program citywide, they're tweaking it to address concerns with privacy and parking.
Good News From America's Surface Parking Capital
Just two months ago, Tulsa was given the ignominious title of having the country's most parking-scarred downtown by Streetsblog readers. Apparently the recognition has jolted the city into action, as a ban on new surface lots was recently extended.
Could L.A. Mayoral Candidate's Smart Growth Advocacy Cost Him the Election?
As L.A.'s mayor race enters its final week, polls suggest the two candidates are essentially tied. While there isn't much space between them philosophically, Eric Garcetti has supported density around transit, a position many find objectionable.
Fracking Bans Upheld by New York Court
Fracking opponents scored two major court victories In New York State on May 2 when an Appellate Division court panel ruled unanimously that two towns can use zoning to ban fracking. Paradoxically, it could also be good for energy companies.
Canadian Officials See Long-Term Threat from Short-Term Urbanism
A series of tactical urbanist interventions inspired by a recent talk given by Mike Lydon, Principal of the Street Plans Collaborative, have raised the ire of the powers that be in the Canadian city of Hamilton.
Why Some Say China Isn't Urbanizing Fast Enough
Though China's cities have been growing exponentially, some argue it isn't urbanizing fast enough. Fearing Latin American-style slums, leaders have restricted migration. They're now being urged to ease controls to maximize agglomeration effects.
Earth Engine: Google's Global Time-Lapse
With Earth Engine, Google has compiled decades of images taken by Earth-observing satellites. The tool is meant for "scientists, independent researchers, and nations...to detect changes, map trends and quantify differences on the Earth's surface."
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.
Municipality of Princeton
Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission
City of Mt Shasta
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)
