Land Use
Play Planner With Auckland Growth Simulator
In a quest to develop a plan to house the additional 1 million people expected to grow New Zealand's largest city in the next 30 years, Auckland is asking residents to submit ideas by using a "housing simulator" game.
Will Vitality Be Trampled in the Rush to 'Modernize' Midtown Manhattan?
In a scathing op-ed for The New York Times, architect Robert Stern challenges the city's drive to densify East Midtown without paying the requisite attention to preservation, infrastructure, and the elements that give vitality to great cities.
Seattle Looks to L.A. for Lessons on Creating an Entertainment District From Scratch
Although its inward-facing corporate design may be loathed by architects and planners, L.A. Live's success in helping to draw redevelopment and activity to South Park is indisputable. Can its successes be replicated in Seattle?
Op-Ed: Invest in Natural-Hazard Mitigation to Save Billions in Disaster Recovery
With the costs of rebuilding after natural disaster in the U.S. escalating (now estimated at $50 billion a year), David R. Conrad and Edward A. Thomas argue that scant resources can be better spent on mitigation rather than rebuilding in place.

Still Learning: An Interview with Denise Scott Brown
In excerpts from an interview with Planetizen contributor Sean Varsolona, Denise Scott Brown of Venturi, Scott Brown and Associates offers insights and provocations on sustainability, New Urbanism, and the social awareness of today’s young urbanists.
Suburbs and Exurbs Were Hit Hardest by Great Recession
A new report from the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program shows that areas located 10-35 miles from America's central cities sustained far higher job losses during the recession, staunching the sprawl of people and employment.
Chicagoland Interventions Show the Value in Temporary Projects
Jared Green looks at some of the innovative projects recognized by Chicago's Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC) for their ability to creatively transform blighted lots into community assets.
Will L.A. Overturn a Controversial Fast Food Ban?
After four years of banning the construction of new stand-alone fast food restaurants in South L.A., the city's planning department is considering raising the ban amid increasing questions about the impact of food deserts on obesity.
80-Acre Site in Queens to Test Prototypes for Storm Resiliency
While a massive redevelopment project waits to proceed, an 80-acre oceanfront site in the Far Rockaway neighborhood of New York City will host a competition to advance concepts for resilient waterfront development, reports Matt Chaban.
New U.S. Ocean Policy Balances Industry, Energy, and Recreation
The National Ocean Policy released this week by the White House is being praised by many as a collaborative response to the myriad challenges confronting the nation's oceans. For others, it's just another example of federal overreach.
Strengthening Responses, Rather than Prevention, Seen as the Key to Combating Terrorism
Having the resources and training to adequately respond to bombings and incidents of mass violence are more effective than trying to prevent every act of terrorism from happening, says public safety authority.

Portland Parklets Program Gets Kicked to the Curb
A pilot program introduced parklets to Portland last summer to seemingly widespread applause. Fearing the loss of parking, a group representing downtown business owners has successfully lobbied the city to cancel the program in the downtown core.
Skywalk Plan Threatens Cleveland's Budding Street Life
A downtown Cleveland casino is pushing to build a skywalk to connect to its parking garage located across the street. Recognizing the anti-urban implications of the plan, an unlikely activist has organized opposition to the project.
Atlanta Artist Paints Suburban Ennui
Today's suburbs have discarded the human-scaled patterns they once promised. This newly resurfaced series of paintings from Atlanta artist Meg Aubrey will leave you longing for the world we neglected to build.
Miami Tops When it Comes to Roadway Efficiency
Miami probably isn't the first city you think of when it comes to the efficiency of its road infrastructure. New York, yes. San Francisco or Boston, maybe. But Miami? Chris Dickersin-Prokopp explains the surprising results culled from census data.

Why Target the Boston Marathon?
Any suspected motives for the tragic events that unfolded near the finish of the Boston Marathon yesterday are conjecture as of the writing of this post. But Nicholas Thompson endeavors to explain the meaning of this celebrated event.
Environment Explains Obesity
Tara Haelle examines the growing consensus among scientists that environmental factors, rather than genes or sloth, are the primary cause of childhood obesity. The onus is on planners and policy makers to create environments that nurture health.
The Case for Greening the Great White Way
In an opinion piece, Jeff Speck lays out his case for pedestrianizing Broadway throughout Manhattan. Portions of the street have already been given over to public space, so why not expand the conversion and introduce more green into the city?
Will Increasing Density Allow Houston to Better House its Middle Class?
In order to facilitate the construction of more workforce housing, Houston is considering changing its development rules for the first time in 14 years. Will increasing density limits in the "doughnut" beyond Loop 610 help bring down prices?
APA 2013: Dispatches from Chicago
This year's host for the APA National Conference, themed "Plan Big," is the city that virtually invented modern big picture planning. But what does Chicago's seeming inability to plan comprehensively say about the state of contemporary planning?
Pagination
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)