Land Use
Vegas-ing South Florida
On South Florida's radar: three "Las Vegas-style casino resorts," the prospect of which has already begun impacting nearby development. Fred A. Bernstein reports.
Maryland Governor Outmaneuver Foes To Adopt New Master Plan
Over "vehement objections from Republicans", Maryland's Governor uses a 37-year-old law to implement the state's master plan. Called Plan Maryland, the plan is focused on controlling the state's rapid growth.
2012's Big Urban Projects
Will Doig takes us through some of the biggest projects to look out for across the nation this year, proving that cities are neither as cash-strapped nor as unimaginative as we perhaps thought.
Touring San Francisco's Parklets: A New Urban Trend
Parklets are a new urban trend spreading to cities all over the world. It's an idea born in San Francisco, and the San Francisco Chronicle's John King takes a tour of each of the city's new mini-parks
Six Trending Urbanist Themes for the New Year
Chuck Wolfe analyzes his 2011 articles which appeared on Planetizen and in other sources, and derives his urbanist trends to watch for in 2012.
Bay Area Residents Say No to Religious Development
Call it megachurch fatigue: A proposed Sufism Reoriented sanctuary is just one of an increasing number of religious developments facing no shortage of community backlash in northern California.
Shrinkage in Phoenix? Call it 'Smart Decline'
Shrinkage -- the term long associated with rust belt cities like Detroit and Cleveland that saw their heydays 60 years ago and have been in decline since -- is now being applied to Phoenix and other fast-growing areas of the Southwest and Sun Belt.
Madrid Park Reconnects Once Divided Neighborhoods
Madrid Río, a six-mile long park in the heart of Madrid, replaces the blight left over from a highway that once disconnected neighborhoods and reclaims a neglected waterfront.
An Invitation to Sprawl?
New legislation by the Maharashtra State Governments would allow private land owners to apply for city boundary expansions as a tool to ease congestion.
Revive Farming, Revive Haiti
After the earthquake, Haiti's recovery has not been in rebuilding the center city, but through decentralization and the development of farming. But even this plan, reports Randal Archibald, is fraught with challenges.
Top 2011 Design Milestones for the Public Good
Archinect's John Cary compiles a comprehensive list of most forward-thinking designs in 2011 that have impacted people's lives, and the way they interact with the built environment.
For Urbanizing Beijing, "Putting Farmers in Flats" Not Enough
Tom Miller, author of "Urban Billion," discusses the pitfalls and shortcomings of a too-quickly urbanizing Beijing in this interview with David Pierson.
Hollywood Community Plan is Misguided, Says Planner
According to Richard Platkin, the Hollywood Community Plan Update is merely one megaproject after the next--a huge mistake, and the antithesis to the Los Angeles General Plan Framekwork for good reason.
Henderson, NV Awarded $3.5M HUD Challenge Grant
The largest regional plan in Clark County history, Henderson will be using the funds to more sustainably link transportation, land use, and people. Guy Dawson reports.
In Toronto, Height is Secondary
...to the intensification of uses and street-level interaction, at least. Christopher Hume provides readers with the leading viewpoints on the matter at "Too Tall?", an ongoing exhibit on Toronto's "fear of heights."
The Best Journalism About Cities in 2011
From Braddock, Pennsylvania to Beijing, Nate Berg offers his favorite articles about cities published in 2011.
The Biggest News in Urbanism for 2011
Greg Hanscom, cities editor at Grist, picks his top stories for 2011, including Occupy Wall Street, bright flight and the "urban renaissance that isn't (yet)."
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.
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.
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.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS)
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority
