Land Use

California Desert A Hotbed for Alternative Energy

On the state's path towards drawing 20 percent of its energy from renewable sources by the end of 2010, California is focusing on its southern desert as the site of this alternative energy generation.

April 5, 2009 - NPR

Planning for Spontaneity

According to this opinion piece, planners must ease up on "big bang" planning--an approach centered around sweeping changes with fixed ideas of what the outcome must look like.

April 3, 2009 - Archinect

Vancouver Revisits View Preservation Policy

Amid growing concern that downtown Vancouver's mandated view corridors cost too much development while making too little sense, its planners are once again debating their necessity.

April 2, 2009 - The Globe and Mail

Washington Not Stimulating New Growth Patterns

For the first time since the Carter administration, Washington is in the position of paying for seemingly everything. But how will the federal government's spending affect growth in California? Not in the way you might think, says Bill Fulton.

April 2, 2009 - California Planning & Development Report

One Acronym Too Many

While completing a DEIR for the CCC on a BRT for a TND TOD, environmental planner Linda Gorman, MURP, AICP contracted acronym poisoning and had to be rushed to the hospital.

April 1, 2009 - Planetizen April 1st Edition

Exurbs, the New Rentals

In many areas, housing on the suburban fringe has gone rental. The shift indicates mobility on the part of renters who want to stay put, but could also be a precursor for a low-income future for the exurbs.

March 31, 2009 - The Wall Street Journal

Miami Seeks Cheaper Finish to Gehry Project

Officials in Miami are looking to cancel out part of a contract with architect Frank Gehry for a park element to the new campus he's designed for the city's New World Symphony. The city wants to find a cheaper alternative, but critics are opposed.

March 31, 2009 - The Miami Herald

Colorado Stimulus Projects Steer Clear of Sprawl

Despite some states using stimulus money to fund sprawl-inducing projects, Colorado seems to be avoiding projects that encourage exurban growth, according to this review.

March 31, 2009 - The Colorado Independent

No Ground-Floor Garages ... Except This One

Despite advocating for an end to ground-floor garages, a neighborhood group in Philadelphia is now asking for an exemption to the rule it wrote against them.

March 31, 2009 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

The Future of Boston in the Age of the City

As theorists predict we are entering the age of the city, Boston Globe architecture critic Robert Campbell reflects on what this shift will mean and how Boston's landscape will change as a result.

March 31, 2009 - The Boston Globe

Growth Estimates Predict 300,000 More Households in Portland Region by 2030

Population estimates mean that the Portland region will need about 300,000 additional homes by 2030. Where they should all go is up for debate.

March 30, 2009 - The Oregonian

Despite Drama, Signs Can Have a Role in L.A.

L.A. is boiling with billboard drama right now. Los Angeles Times architecture critic Christopher Hawthorne looks at the debate and argues that signage can have a positive role in the urban landscape.

March 30, 2009 - Los Angeles Times

TOD Districts Approved in Honolulu

Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann has signed a law that allows for the creation of transit oriented districts around the city's recently approved regional train system.

March 28, 2009 - Honolulu Star-Bulletin

Clash of Subways and Car Culture in Chinese Cities

The question is whether the burrowing machines can outrace China’s growing love affair with the automobile.

March 27, 2009 - The New York Times

City Dwellers Do Less Harm

A new study has shown that city dwellers are less of a burden on the environment than those outside of city and metropolitan areas.

March 27, 2009 - New Scientist

Massive Solar Plants Spur Ecological Debate in California

The ecological impact of solar power plants is fueling a huge debate in the small rural town of Carissa Plains in California's coastal San Luis Obispo County, where the world's largest solar plants are being planned.

March 27, 2009 - Time

Krieger: Bike Registrations Improve Bike Safety

BikePortland.com editor Jonathan Maus interviews Rep. Wayne Krieger about his legislation requiring cyclists to register their bicycles.

March 26, 2009 - BikePortland.org

"Land of Extremes" Feels the Hurt

California's Inland Empire's status as one of the nation's leader in foreclosures has fleeing retail as proof of it. This article offers a glimpse in this "land of extremes."

March 26, 2009 - The New York Times

San Francisco Plans Pedestrian Street

San Francisco is looking to follow New York City's lead as it moves forward with plans to convert a portion of street into a pedestrian plaza.

March 26, 2009 - Streetsblog SF

Not Quite the Urban Utopia

When Andres Duany planned the village of Cornell, he built in walkability, density, and mixed-use. The outcome, however, falls short of the New Urbanist vision; driving is the norm and retail is scarce. What happened?

March 25, 2009 - Posted Toronto

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.