Land Use

Are DC's Strict Height Limits and Arbitrary Planning Rules Hurting the City?

Two commentaries pick up on the recent push to loosen Washington D.C.'s notoriously conservative height limits, and argue that such controversial changes are overdue and, in fact, don't go far enough.

April 19, 2012 - The Atlantic

Examining Our Now-Fading Mania For Malls

On the sixty-year anniversary of the genesis of the country's first enclosed mall, Mark Hinshaw looks at America's foolish detour into shopping malls.

April 19, 2012 - Crosscut

For Affordable Housing in NYC, a Bountiful Harvest

Alison Gregor highlights efforts by affordable housing developers to implement edible community gardens, bringing fresh food and neighborhood ties to inner-city tenants.

April 16, 2012 - The New York Times

Is The Era Of Smart Growth Over?

Maybe not. But smart growth experts appearing at the APA in Los Angeles say it may be morphing into whatever the "next big thing" is.

April 16, 2012 - California Planning & Development Report

Studying the Surprising Correlation Between Big-Box Stores and Hate Groups

Emily Badger reports on an intriguing new study that shows big-box stores may be even more closely correlated with the presence of hate groups than many of the factors that have long been used to explain them.

April 14, 2012 - The Atlantic Cities

What is Gained When Sprawl Goes For Green Credentials?

Angie Schmitt looks at the greenwash being applied to new sprawl developments in Ohio, Indiana, and Texas as developers market to consumer preferences for more walkable urban environments.

April 14, 2012 - Streetsblog D.C.

Berlin to Open the Anti-Tivoli

An amusement park in East Berlin, abandoned for the past 11 years, will be reopened this year as a haven for public art, writes Julie Ma.

April 13, 2012 - Good

Push to Loosen D.C. Height Limits Gains Momentum

Tim Craig reports on a new push by federal and city officials to relax Washington D.C.'s building height restrictions, reopening decades-old debates about the look, feel and character of the city.

April 13, 2012 - The Washington Post

A Farm Grows in Brooklyn

Last week, plans were announced to create what may be the world's largest rooftop farm on 100,000 square feet of space atop a building on the Brooklyn waterfront. Lisa Foderaro has the details.

April 12, 2012 - The New York Times

Refuting Claims to California's "War on Suburbia"

Josh Stephens takes aim at the provocative claims made by Wendell Cox, "the outspoken libertarian urban scholar" in a recent essay in the Wall Street Journal, titled "California Declares War on Suburbia".

April 11, 2012 - California Planning & Development Report

Land Abundant Gives Rise to Gardens in Detroit

John Gallagher investigates a growing trend of unsanctioned urban agriculture in Detroit, where residents have had to take alternative land use into their own hands.

April 11, 2012 - Detroit Free Press

Phoenix Struggles to Fill Its Big Vacant Boxes

Phoenix has a sizable dilemma, how to fill the growing number of closed supermarkets, electronics superstores and mega bookstores that continue to weigh down the area's real-estate market, reports Max Jarman.

April 11, 2012 - The Arizona Republic

Do We Stand to Gain When We Lose a Highway?

Ben Welle discusses the benefits of freeway removal programs both at home and abroad, and explores what cities have done to fill the void they leave behind.

April 11, 2012 - The City Fix

NYT Editorial Welcomes The End Of Sprawl

The NYT editorializes on the just-released April 2010-July 2011 census data that shows a notable slow-down in exurban growth as urban growth increased. Pointing to the problems that accompanied America's embrace of sprawl, they welcome the change.

April 11, 2012 - The New York Times - Editorial

Planners Driving Californians Out Of State

In this opinion piece, transportation consultant Wendell Cox explains why residents are fleeing CA in droves. By not providing single family homes Cox feels most want, residents must find their quarter-acre lots elsewhere. He blames regional plans.

April 9, 2012 - The Wall Street Journal - Cross Country

As the Enclosed Mall Era Fades, Learning Lessons, Both Bad and Good

For all the bad press that the traditional enclosed mall receives today from planners, there are certainly retail strategies they excelled at that will be pertinent long into the future, argues Geoff Dyer.

April 9, 2012 - PlaceShakers

CicLAvia: A Celebration of the Street, Minus the Roaring Engines

Hillel Aron unravels the long and arduous journey that community activists took to make LA's newest public tradition a reality.

April 9, 2012 - LA Weekly

New Riverfront Rail Trail in America's "Most Livable City"

Pittsburgh is smoothing over the residue of its industrial past, turning an abandoned railway into a waterfront park, Paige Miller reports.

April 6, 2012 - Smart Growth America

Is a Denser Future Best for Los Angeles?

Inspired by the controversial new Community Plan for Hollywood, The New York Times has invited six debaters to its opinion pages to offer their views on whether Los Angeles should "New Yorkify".

April 6, 2012 - The New York Times

America Chooses More Urban and Less Suburban

Haya El Nasser and Paul Overberg report on how current trends could cause the extinction of suburban sprawl.

April 6, 2012 - USA Today

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.

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.