Land Use

An Empty Disney High Speed Rail Station for Orlando

The Disney Corporation has announced intentions to donate land for a high speed rail station in Orlando if a Florida project is approved. But some say it's unlikely the company will encourage anyone to use their station.

October 13, 2009 - The Orlando Sentinel

Bank Lending Habits Hurting TOD

Transit oriented development is having a hard time taking hold in Salt Lake City. Some say the parking preferences of lenders are to blame.

October 12, 2009 - The Salt Lake Tribune

Fast Food Ban Doesn't Trim the Fat

A ban on new fast food restaurants in South Los Angeles which was put in place last year has been found to play little role in reducing obesity in the area, according to a new report from the Rand Corporation.

October 10, 2009 - Los Angeles Times

Reclaiming Alleyways

Office workers in Seattle's Pioneer Square area are claiming their network of alleyways as social spaces.

October 8, 2009 - Northwest Hub

APA Picks 10 Great American Streets for 2009

The American Planning Association has released its picks for Great Places in America for 2009, including their choices for Streets, Public Spaces and Neighborhoods. Skagway, Alaska's Broadway tops the list.

October 8, 2009 - American Planning Association

A Backyard Battle: Trials of a Garden-Variety NIMBY

Nandita Godbole advocates for parks and greenspaces around Atlanta. But when faced with a struggle over keeping her own quarter-acre backyard open and free, she found she was powerless.

October 8, 2009 - Nandita Godbole

Enabling Coexistence Through the Open City

The theme of this year's International Architecture Biennale is "Open City: Designing Coexistence". Places Journal talks with the biennale's chief curator about what that means to planners, designers and architects.

October 8, 2009 - Places Journal

Tear It Down, Says Speck

Planner and author Jeff Speck pays a visit to Lowell, Massachusetts, and tells an audience to tear down their civic center. "If you don't tear it down now, it will become protected in 10 years," says Speck. "Tear it down now."

October 7, 2009 - The Lowell Sun

Jakartans Demand Public Space

Residents of the city of Penjaringan in North Jakarta brought a proposal to the government to convert the area underneath a toll road into a public space.

October 7, 2009 - The Jakarta Post

A Spokesman for Urbanity

A profile of Kevin Klinkenberg, Kansas City urban planner and architect, talking about his love for the city and the work he's done to make it a better place.

October 6, 2009 - The Pitch (Kansas City)

Demystifing the Development Process

The L.A. City Planning Commission president and architect, Bill Roschen, talks about how the commission is implementing clear and consistent policies toward their goal of "Doing Real Planning" in Los Angeles.

October 6, 2009 - The Planning Report

Why Rio Won the 2016 Olympics

Rio de Janeiro has been selected as the host of the 2016 Summer Olympics. This analysis from NPR looks at why the Brazilian city was the obvious choice.

October 5, 2009 - NPR

Wanted: Better Tools for Climate Modeling and Land Use

Anthony Flint makes the case for the great need for tools that can connect urban planning strategies and climate change effects.

October 4, 2009 - Citiwire.net

Creating Neighborhood Capital from Strip Malls

Strip malls are in virtually every American city, but they're rarely an important part of those cities. Ava Bromberg says they can be. Her idea is to turn strip malls into community-owned hubs that generate capital within their neighborhood and keep it there.

October 1, 2009 - Nate Berg

Billboards: Problem, or Solution?

In San Francisco, the mid-Market St. area has struggled for decades with blighted conditions. An area property owner thinks that digital billboards could solve the problem, and has put a proposition on the local ballot to get them built.

October 1, 2009 - The San Francisco Chronicle

Differences in City Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Different cities have different levels of greenhouse gas emissions. A new study looks at how they are different and why.

September 30, 2009 - The Economist

L.A. Supergraphics Ban Upheld

A federal judge has allowed a citywide ban on new digital billboards and building-sized supergraphics to continue.

September 30, 2009 - Los Angeles Times

Smoke Signals

Could smoke rising from a barbeque pit be considered a sign, and thus be controlled under sign regulations? Zoning officials in East Berlin, PA say yes.

September 29, 2009 - The Evening Sun (Hanover

Olympic Impact on Chicago Likely Modest

High hopes for city change are attached to Chicago's bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics. Even if the city wins the bid this Friday, the impact is likely to be modest, according to Chicago Tribune architecture critic Blair Kamin.

September 29, 2009 - Chicago Tribune

The End of the World

The World, the artificial islands being constructed off the coast of Dubai in the shape of a global map, has been officially canceled.

September 28, 2009 - The Times

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.

Associate/Senior Planner

Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development

Senior Planner

Heyer Gruel & Associates PA

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.