Land Use

Downtown Dallas

Vacant Lot Development Could Bring 100,000 New Housing Units to Dallas

Building on the roughly 76 million square feet of vacant land already zoned for multifamily housing could create badly needed rental housing units and slow the growth of rent prices.

May 30, 2023 - RentCafé

Outdoor dining patio built next to a restaurant in Chicago

Chicago Mayor Proposes Permanent Outdoor Dining Program

The mayor’s proposal would create permanent rules for restaurants wanting to continue using their Covid-era outdoor dining setups or build new ones.

May 30, 2023 - Block Club Chicago

Bellevue, Washington skyline against mountains

Bellevue Issues Curb Management Plan

The plan reorients the city’s priorities from vehicle throughput and parking to transit, bike infrastructure, and other public amenities.

May 29, 2023 - The Urbanist

Small grey accessory dwelling unit cottage in California backyard

California Sees Spike in ADU Permits

Homeowners in the state are eagerly taking advantage of new laws allowing them to build additional housing units, making a small but significant impact on the housing supply.

May 29, 2023 - The Washington Post

Four people playing pickleball on outdoor court

Can Pickleball Save Dying Malls?

The popular sport is getting backlash for taking over parks and other facilities. Now, the industry is partnering with mall developers to transform old department stores into pickleball courts.

May 29, 2023 - ABC 7 NY

Close-up photo of Megan Kimble against blurry green background with title "A journalist's take on planning"

Through the Eyes of a Journalist: Megan Kimble Reflects on Covering Food Systems, Zoning Changes, and Highway Projects in the Southwest

Kimble’s interest in topics related to urban planning spawned from research and writing about food systems in the borderlands of Arizona. She then moved to Austin in the midst of the city’s update of its Land Development Code.

May 28, 2023 - The Planning Commission Podcast

Colorful high-saturation view of downtown Houston, Texas with pink and blue dusk sky

Transforming Downtowns Into Functional Neighborhoods

Rather than ‘monofunctional’ business districts or urban playgrounds, American downtown districts could become multipurpose neighborhoods.

May 25, 2023 - Wired

Orange big rig truck turning on a city street

St. Paul Proposal Would Prohibit Large Trucks From Parking on City Streets

Residents and businesses are calling for a ban on trucks, which are increasingly taking up curbside parking in the city after neighboring Minneapolis instituted a similar rule.

May 23, 2023 - Star Tribune

Google street view of multistory brick public housing building in Gilpin Court complex, Richmond, Virginia

Richmond Banks on Private Redevelopment for Aging Public Housing Complex

The city hopes to see a mixed-use,mixed-income project replace the aging, “physically obsolete” Gilpin Court complex.

May 23, 2023 - Next City

Google street view of vacant lot used for parking and surrounded by chain link fence and shrubbery in East New York

New Yorkers Need Land. NYPD is Sitting on Nearly 150 Lots.

A new map reveals how much land in New York City is being wasted by city police—often sitting vacant, rather than serving the public good.

May 23, 2023 - Shelterforce Magazine

Two-story split lot housing in Houston, Texas with two-car garages

Houston Debates Shared Driveway Requirement

A proposed rule would require developers to build shared driveways for narrow lot projects.

May 22, 2023 - Houston Chronicle

View of large empty parking garage

The Softer Side Of Shoupism

Journalist Harry Grabar takes Prof. Don Shoup's economic theories about parking (and over-parking) and illustrates them with compelling—and terrifying—stories about the role parking plays in America's cities.

May 22, 2023 - California Planning & Development Report

A sign on the side of a street light reads “Woodley Park Historic District D.C.”

Zoning Changes Could Allow More Restaurants and Bars in D.C. Neighborhoods

Zoning can limit more than just multi-family housing.

May 21, 2023 - WAMU

Large beachside homes in New London, Connecticut

Connecticut Zoning Bills in Peril Near End of Legislative Session

Two bills that would change zoning rules to encourage more housing production and denser zoning are still in limbo as the legislature prepares to go on recess.

May 19, 2023 - The CT Mirror

Outdoor dining patios on street closed to car traffic in New York City

NYC Announces $30M for Open Streets Projects

The funding is designed to support open streets and public space projects in underresourced neighborhoods.

May 19, 2023 - StreetsBlog NYC

Otay Mesa Port of Entry building at U.S.-Mexico border

San Diego Region Plans for Rail Expansion, New Border Crossing, More Bike Lanes

The budget proposed by the San Diego Association of Governments focuses on a new port of entry, expansion of the regional bikeway system, and mitigating coastal erosion.

May 18, 2023 - San Diego Union-Tribune

Late evening view of downtown Minneapolis skyline with stone bridge in foreground

Minneapolis to Begin Environmental Review in Response to 2040 Plan Lawsuit

After environmental groups sought to stop the city’s ambitious comprehensive plan, Minneapolis is looking for ways to resume its implementation.

May 18, 2023 - Minneapolis Star-Tribune

View from street level looking up at high-rise apartment building with multi0floor garage at bottom in Austin, Texas against blue sky

Austin as a Model for Parking Reform

The Texas capital’s new parking law signals a shift in thinking about the relationship between land use, transportation, and housing affordability.

May 18, 2023 - Streetsblog USA

A picture of the Vermont State Capitol building with fall colors on display on trees in the background.

Vermont Next State in Line to End Single-Family Zoning, Ease Parking Requirements

Both houses in the Vermont Legislature have approved legislation to preempt local land use regulations by rescinding single-family zoning and easing parking requirements throughout the state.

May 18, 2023 - VTDigger

Lakefront homes in Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan

Federal and State Dollars Could Be Used to Force Change in Exclusionary Towns

Strict zoning policies keep housing unaffordable. But there are strategies governments can implement to change exclusionary housing policies and promote the construction of more affordable housing.

May 17, 2023 - Shelterforce Magazine

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.