Land Use

The Master of "POPS" Speaks Out on Zuccotti Park

Thomas Balsley has designed more Privately-Owned Public Spaces (POPS) in New York than anyone. In this op-ed he expresses his support for continuing to encourage the creation of these spaces, regardless of the ownership issues.

December 21, 2011 - The New York Observer

Is Hollywood Ready for a Makeover?

A new Community Plan for Hollywood is making its way through the Los Angeles City Council, to the delight of the Mayor and the Planning Commission, and to the consternation of some community groups.

December 20, 2011 - LA Times

Twin Cities See Remarkable Increase in Biking and Walking

Minneapolis and St. Paul are elevating their already high levels of biking and walking. Biking is up 22 percent over 2010 (when it was named America's #1 bike city) according to figures released last Friday.

December 20, 2011 - Shareable

The Largest Urban Park In America Coming To Chicago

A new park in Chicago aims to turn 140,000 acres of under-used and post industrial land along the Second City's southern rim into the country's largest urban park. Governor Pat Quinn hopes to add private funding to the $17m allotted by the state.

December 20, 2011 - The Atlantic

Kuala Lumpur's Sprawl Creating A Mini Los Angeles

In a recent report about Malaysia, the World Bank has said that the capital's urban sprawl is transforming it into a "mini Los Angeles" rather than a densely populated Asian City.

December 20, 2011 - The Wall Street Journal

Cornell Is Chosen For Roosevelt Island Science School

Only three days after Stanford pulled out of the bidding, rival Cornell is to be announced as the university chosen to create a new science graduate school on Roosevelt Island.

December 20, 2011 - New York Times

Super-Healthy City Gets First McDonalds

Loma Linda, California has an average lifespan higher than most cities, and a significant population of vegetarians. Last week, the city council approved the first McDonald's in town. Will it have an impact on the community's health?

December 19, 2011 - The Los Angeles Times

The Metabolism of the Urban Web

Regular Planetizen contributors Nikos Salingaros and Michael Mehaffy get deep into the importance of network connectivity in cities and the reasons why sprawl is incredibly ineffective.

December 19, 2011 - Metropolis

Businesses Drive Regionalism

Ian Scott attends a symposium sponsored by The Citistates Group on the topic of regionalism and comes away with a greater understanding of having an effect at the regional level.

December 19, 2011 - Citiwire.net

Potholes as Parks?

Writing in Grist, Chuck Wolfe provides a counterintuitive look at what to do about potholes and how they could become "the universal darlings of walkable urbanism".

December 17, 2011 - Grist

Diagnosing Sprawl...in 1959

A prophetic film from 1959 offers a diagnosis of the causes and emerging challenges associated with what came to be known as urban sprawl.

December 16, 2011 - ULI via You Tube

New Philadelphia Zoning Code Passes Unanimously

By a vote of 17-0, Philadelphia City Council passed into law the final report of the Zoning Code Commission Thursday morning during its final session of the year. The new code was four years in the making.

December 16, 2011 - PlanPhilly.com

Land Conservation Increasing in Spite of Recession

Land trust have been able to increase their holds during the last five years. Lower land prices and conservation easements on working ranches and farms have enabled greater conservation efforts.

December 16, 2011 - High Country News

Lawyers Call for Zoning Changes in NYC

The NYC Bar Association Committee advocates making amendments to the city's the current Zoning Resolution to make the city more sustainable.

December 16, 2011 - This Big City

IKEA to Build A Neighborhood

International company IKEA, known for their low-cost design furniture, will develop a 26-acre complete London neighborhood.

December 16, 2011 - The Pop-Up City

What Happens To All That Trash?

In New York, according to Urban Omnibus, "Each week, approximately 64,000 tons of household and institutional waste are collected. ... But public awareness of what happens to that trash once it leaves the curb is limited."

December 15, 2011 - Urban Omnibus

The Benefits of Urban Forests

Poor air quality has led to an explosion of a health problems among vulnerable populations, claims the American Society of Landscape Architects. This video explains how urban forests provide environmental benefits to densely populated cities.

December 15, 2011 - American Society of Lanscape Architects

The Power of Jane Jacobs' "Web Way of Thinking"

December 15, 2011 - Michael Mehaffy

How Planning is Like Growing Tomatoes

An organic system is rarely the sum of its parts. Nothing demonstrates this as clearly as sinking your teeth into a store-bought tomato, writes Ben Brown.

December 15, 2011 - PlaceShakers

Security Concerns Create Opportunities for Public Spaces

With federal funding throw at homeland security over the last decade, architects and urban designers found an opportunity to develop great public spaces that are enjoyable as well as secure, writes Carol Strickland.

December 15, 2011 - The Christian Science Monitor

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.