Land Use

Ottawa Kills Millions in Road Project for Mass Transit

The new master plan for Ottawa calls for a radical rethink of priorities, postponing at least $84 million in road building to focus on creating a 'compact, transit city'.

November 14, 2008 - The Ottawa Citizen

The Difficulty of Getting Kids Walking

Mecklenberg County, NC has created a program to encourage kids to walk to school in an attempt to curb obesity, but they're finding that the road to good intentions isn't properly paved.

November 14, 2008 - The Naked City

SF's Election Night Revelation

Relative to those in Chicago's Grant Park or New York's Time Square, post-election celebration turnouts in San Francisco public spaces were sparse. But it's not because of urban design--it's the city's character.

November 13, 2008 - The San Francisco Chronicle

To Re-Imagine Cities, Re-Imagine Urban Design

Oil is running out and the climate is changing. How this impacts cities will largely be determined by how the urban design field reacts.

November 13, 2008 - Nate Berg

Plenty Green But Too Tall?

In what may prove a decisive test to see the political limits of what green building offers developers, a LEED Platinum, 10-story office building is proposed along San Francisco's tightly regulated waterfront - exceeding the height limit by 40 feet.

November 10, 2008 - San Francisco Chronicle

Pioneer Square, 25 Years On

Portland's Pioneer Square, designed back in 1983, is still looked t as a model of successful public space design. Landscape Architect Doug Macy looks back on the thought that went into the design.

November 10, 2008 - Daily Journal of Commerce

Seeking Harmony in Chinese Planning

Effective planning creates harmonious environments, according to this piece from Xinhua. Most Chinese planners, the author argues, have not embraced this idea.

November 9, 2008 - Xinhua

The End of Atlanta's Sprawl

The age of sprawl is ending in Atlanta, according to Christopher Leinberger, who highlights the city's move towards a more dense, walkable future.

November 8, 2008 - Atlanta Journal-Constitution

California Voters Still Leaning Slow-Growth

Bill Fulton writes that despite the real estate downtown, the slow-growth side won most California land-use measures on Tuesday's ballot. But public transit did well.

November 7, 2008 - California Planning & Development Report

Impound Lot Could Find New Life in Mixed Use

The City of Minneapolis is considering a plan to convert a 55-acre site containing an impound lot into a mixed-use office and residential project.

November 7, 2008 - Minneapolis-St. Paul Star-Tribune

'Self-Motivated Activism' Behind Park's Beautification

Thanks to the ambitious clean-up efforts of a few residents, a neglected, unofficial park on city land is now maintained daily and is on its way to being a greenway.

November 5, 2008 - The New York Times

Neighbors Complain and Cops Crack Down on Outdoor Exercise Hotspot

A grassy median in a tony Santa Monica neighborhood has been a hotspot for local fitness buffs looking for a nice place to workout for years. But residents tired of the constant outdoor gym that invades their street are complaining to the city.

November 4, 2008 - Los Angeles Times

'Decentralized Urban Farming' Takes Root in San Francisco

By planting in under-utilized backyards, farmer Trevor Paque has brought small-scale farming to more than 50 homes across San Francisco -- a decentralized farm expected to feed more than 150 families come spring.

November 4, 2008 - USA Today

The High Cost of Smart Growth

Washington instituted a Growth Management Act in the 1980s to help the state grow smarter. But recent studies show that the GMA has made housing increasingly unaffordable.

November 1, 2008 - Washington CEO

Baltimore Makes Grander Vision for Arts District

Planners in Baltimore have unveiled a 30-year plan to remake its arts district into a mixed-use, transit-oriented, regional destination.

November 1, 2008 - The Baltimore Sun

Legislation Edges California Closer to True Urban Planning

Recently approved legislation tying land use planning to greenhouse gas emissions is being sold as critically important by both detractors and supporters. But Bill Fulton argues that SB 375 provides only one step in an ongoing evolution.

October 30, 2008 - California Planning & Development Report

Vancouver Seeks Identity Through Public Square

A contest sponsored by the Vancouver Public Space Network asks the public to find Vancouver's heart, a civic square that best defines the city. Sean Ruthen ponders the city's relationships to the each its primary squares now.

October 30, 2008 - re:place Magazine

Adaptively Reusing Brooklyn's Industrial Spaces

Preservationists say that there are better ways to use buildings along Brooklyn's industrial waterfront than to demolish them.

October 30, 2008 - The New York Times

'Eco-Town' Plans Falter in UK

The UK's "eco-towns" are feeling the hurt of the current economic situation, with only one or two likely to move ahead.

October 30, 2008 - Guardian

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.

Senior Planner

planning NEXT

Home and Land Services Coordinator

Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners

Associate/Senior Planner

Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development

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.