Land Use

Aerial view of large houses in large yards surrounded by trees in Palo Alto, California

New Research Blames Affluent Suburbs for Housing Crisis

Small, often wealthy enclaves build far less multifamily housing than their larger counterparts, exacerbating the dearth of affordable housing near big cities and job centers.

July 12, 2023 - The Conversation

Abandoned, decaying building behind locked chain link fence in Atlanta, Georgia

Map Identifies DeKalb County Brownfield Sites

The GIS tool is designed to help developers find vacant and blighted lots that could be restored for new housing or other uses.

July 12, 2023 - Urbanize Atlanta

Pedewstrianized street paved with red bricks flanked by historic four-story buildings in Dublin, Ireland

How Walkable ‘Activity Centers’ Can Reduce Driving

Encouraging mixed-use neighborhoods that help reduce vehicle miles driven and put urban amenities within easy walking distance is possible with surprisingly modest policy tweaks.

July 12, 2023 - Streetsblog USA

Corner Store

‘City of Yes’ Zoning Changes Take Shape in New York

The signature zoning and planning effort of the Adams administration took a step forward recently, with changes meant to clear red tape for businesses in New York City.

July 12, 2023 - CityLand

St. Paul skyline as seen from across river

St. Paul Moves Toward Zoning Reform

The city is considering legalizing missing middle housing types and loosening other zoning regulations to encourage more housing production and density.

July 11, 2023 - Streets MN

Close-up of silos with Imperial Sugar logo in Sugar Land, Texas

Sugar Land Mobility Master Plan Targets Microtransit, Connectivity

The southeast Texas city is responding to community demands for safer, more accessible, and more diverse transportation choices.

July 11, 2023 - Fort Bend Independent

University of Wisconsin Madison students walking down LIbrary Mall pedestrian area in Madison, WI

How Food Trucks Promote Walkable Cities

Food trucks, outdoor dining spaces, and parklets are moving the needle toward more people-friendly cities and less car-oriented streets.

July 11, 2023 - CNU Public Square

Google street view of vacant lot in Phoenix, Arizona with palm trees in foreground

Phoenix Moves to Build Affordable Housing on City-Owned Land

The city has so far issued two requests for proposals from developers to build mixed-income housing on city-owned lots.

July 10, 2023 - Arizona Republic

Aerial view of strip mall with diagonal parking spots in Coquille, Oregon

Oregon’s Under-the-Radar Parking Revolution

Thanks to parking reforms at the state level, Oregon cities are rapidly eliminating parking requirements, paving the way for more affordable housing construction and higher density.

July 7, 2023 - Sightline

View of Westpark/Lower Uptown transit center in Houston with bus exiting three-story garage vuilding and purple sunset sky in background

Making Space for Buses

In Houston, transit officials are working to balance plans for a new bus rapid transit line with existing street trees and traffic lanes.

July 6, 2023 - Houston Chronicle

Woven willow casket with white flowers on top sits on table with pleated tablecloth on green lawn

Minnesota Halt on Natural Burials Runs Afoul of Religious Freedom

The practice, which is gaining popularity as an environmentally friendly alternative to embalming and cremation, is in line with traditional Jewish and Muslim funeral practices.

July 6, 2023 - MinnPost

View of docks on lake surrounded by green trees and lawns with one white house at right

A Primer on Suburban Urbanism

How one master-planned development used lower-density urbanism principles to build a community focused on affordability, sustainability, and conservation.

July 6, 2023 - Common Edge

The view down Main Street in Akron, Ohio

A Small Town Makes its First Zoning Update Since 1997

Mixed-use development and a floodplain overlay are the big-ticket items when the small community of Akron Borough in Pennsylvania recently updated its zoning code.

July 5, 2023 - Lancaster Online

Chicken Run

Residential Zoning Changes Make Room for Chickens

Yes in my backyard—for chickens.

July 5, 2023 - Mohave Valley Daily News

Aerial view of suburban Sterling, Virginia near Washington D.C.

Retrofitting D.C.’s Suburbs for a New Era

How to equip suburban sprawl for a different future.

July 2, 2023 - Greater Greater Washington

Pedestrian walkway connecting the High Line and Moynihan Train Hall in New York City

High Line-Moynihan Connector Opens in New York City

Two footbridges now link the High Line park to the most recent expansion of the Penn Station complex, the Moynihan Train Hall.

July 2, 2023 - Architectural Record

Rendering of lifestyle center mixed-use complex

The Evolution of Retail Centers

Catalytic developments initiate economic and cultural improvements.

June 30, 2023 - Kurt Volkman

The Planning Commission podcast title card with headshots of three hosts and guest

Planning Through the Eyes of a Big City Mayor

Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall joins the Planning Commission Podcast to talk about housing, street reconfiguration, and saving the largest saltwater lake in the Western Hemisphere.

June 29, 2023 - The Planning Commission Podcast

Dusk view of downtown Edmonton, Canada skyline with arched white bridge in foreground

Edmonton to Revise Zoning Code

Proposed changes could help spur more housing development in the Canadian city and encourage density increases in residential neighborhoods.

June 29, 2023 - Edmonton Journal

Holy Cross Immaculata Church sits atop Mt Adams in Cincinnati, as seen from across the Ohio River in Kentucky.

Cincinnati First City in Ohio to Legalize Accessory Dwelling Units

The Queen City achieved an historic day for planning in the state of Ohio.

June 28, 2023 - WVXU

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.