Land Use
10-Year Study Confirms Public Health Benefits of Walkability
A newly published University of Melbourne study ten years in the making reveals that increased access to shops, parks, and other amenities increased walking and overall health.
Can a 'Poster Child for Sprawl' Turn Itself Around?
In a video documentary, Matthew Gordon examines the elements of Fresno's General Plan update, which seeks to reorient the city around a more sustainable urban form, and turn around the fortunes of one of the country's most impoverished cities.
Hollande Embraces Greater Paris Plan
To the surprise of many, a change in governments has failed to derail former president Nicolas Sarkozy's ambitious "Greater Paris" plan for an expanded transit network linking the French capital to its suburbs.
Bipartisan Bill Aims to Boost Brownfield Redevelopment
This week, a bipartisan group of U.S. Senators introduced the Brownfields Utilization, Investment and Local Development Act of 2013 (BUILD Act), a bill aimed at assisting local communities in remediating and redeveloping contaminated sites.
Outlandish Incinerator/Ski Slope Breaks Ground in Denmark
That wild "mountain-slash-ski-slope-slash-waste-to-energy-power-plant" project proposed by "it" architecture firm BIG that everyone thought was dead has broken ground in Copenhagen, reports Branden Klayko.
Is Good Transit Necessary for Parking Reform?
Paul Barter answers with an unequivocal no. He outlines the reasons why debates over the elimination of parking minimums should be decoupled from transit, and identifies other reforms that can make parking changes palatable.
Poor Renters, not Middle Class Homeowners, Were Hardest Hit by Sandy
In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, the news media were fixated on the plight of middle-class homeowners in places like the Rockaways in Queens. But two new reports show that low-income renters were the more prevalent victims of the storm.
New Project Seeks to Boost Community Planning in the UK
The passage of the Localism Act gave broad new planning powers to local communities across the UK. A new project seeks to build a bottom-up planning culture to take advantage of new opportunities.
Healthy by Design: On the Growth of Health Impact Assessments
Joe Gose examines the growing use of health impact assessments to guide decision-making through a case study from the La Alma/Lincoln Park neighborhood near downtown Denver.
San Francisco Grapples With How to Accommodate Astonishing Growth
Over the next 20 years, San Francisco is expected to add 150,000 new residents, or nearly 20% of its existing population. John Wildermuth looks at the "hard choices" confronting the city as it plans for its future.
Toronto's Outspoken Chief Planner Ruffles Feathers in Quest for Change
Jennifer Keesmaat is "on her way to becoming modern Toronto’s first celebrity bureaucrat," says Marcus Gee, who profiles the city's new chief planner. Can she succeed in her quest for change without offending those whose support she'll need?
Refined Plans Unveiled for Brooklyn's Domino Sugar Site
Alan G. Brake outlines the redesigned plans to develop the site of the historic Domino Sugar refinery along Brooklyn's East River waterfront. The $1.5 billion plan is the latest, and perhaps last, turn in the site's tortured redevelopment saga.
In Lagos, Creating Homeless is a Sign of Progress
Adam Nossiter reports on the latest episode in Lagos's quest to become a "premier business center" - the demolition of the Badia East slum, which instantly left 10,000 residents homeless.
The Timeless Value of Visuals to Planning
Throughout the history of planning, compelling visuals have been essential to communicating the concepts established in "our most influential plans," says Howard Blackson. That tradition continues in New Urban placemaking endeavors.
NYC Details Midtown Upzone; Will Critics be Quelled?
Just as the debate over the planned rezoning of the Midtown East neighborhood ossified into two strongly opposed camps, the city has provided more details on their recommendations and outlined an ambitious schedule for public review.
In Toronto, Urban Amenities Lag Behind Condo Boom
Since it began in 1999, Toronto's condo boom has added 120,000 units to the city and, in the process, transformed its urban landscape. City leaders are just now beginning to address how to accommodate these new residents.
With Mayoral Election Comes Hope for Fixing L.A.'s Broken Public Spaces
LAX, the LA River, Pershing Square; the list of Los Angeles' under-performing public spaces could sadly continue for a while. As the city votes for its next mayor, Christopher Hawthorne offers some "some straightforward ideas" about how to fix them.
Mapping New York's Informal Street Furniture
Street Plans Collaborative, a New York-based urban planning and design firm, has begun an ambitious project to map the city's informal sidewalk seating culture. The project is asking the pubic to submit entries from their own observations.
Houston's 'Last, Best, Chance' to Create a Walkable, Livable Downtown Neighborhood
In an opinion piece for the Houston Chronicle, John Desmond discusses the findings of a ULI advisory panel tasked with developing recommendations for creating a mixed use 24-hour neighborhood in downtown's east side.
How Will New York's Landscape Change Once Mayor Mike Leaves Office?
Ryan Holeywell looks at the land use legacy of the Bloomberg Administration - perhaps his "signal achievement" - and wonders if his successor can continue the momentum.
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.
Yukon Government
Caltrans
New Jersey Institute of Technology
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Norman, Oklahoma
City of Portland
City of Laramie
