Land Use

Ideas to Outmode the Strip Mall

In a contest sponsored by the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, architecture firms nationwide competed to show off how they would best use land currently devoted to strip malls. Bustler provides the winning entries.

October 16, 2008 - Bustler

Candidates Must Appeal to Cities, Suburbs

Tonight's presidential debate is the candidates' last chance to address respective suburban and urban issues.

October 15, 2008 - The New York Times

Urban Planners, Butt Out!

The authors of one study assert that vibrant cities can't be engineered by the application of "nuanced criteria"; however, this has very much become the paradigm of urban planning.

October 15, 2008 - Toronto Star

Creating A More Wildlife-Friendly Interstate

Roads are to blame for interfering with and "boxing in" various animals' migratory patterns, sending ecologists on the hunt for new solutions to get wildlife moving.

October 15, 2008 - The New York Times

Branding Sustainability

Las Vegas' Union Park is a LEED-certified development that sits on a revitalized brownfield, but with no shortage of Vegas' glitz. Can smart growth be as marketable as it is environmentally good?

October 14, 2008 - Next American City

Not Quite Urban, Not Quite Suburban

One city in Virginia has gone from suburban to (quasi-)urban in just a few years.

October 14, 2008 - New Geography

A Tale Of Two Theaters

The theaters are in the same city, owned by the same company, a mile apart. One is by the highway on a 14-acre lot, the other is two stories in the middle of town with underground, metered parking, and eateries on the ground level. One is closing.

October 14, 2008 - The Examiner

Golf Course Development Stuck in Sand Trap

The uber-wealthy are still buying homes on luxury golf course developments, but the rest of the market is hurting as courses close and projects stall around the world.

October 13, 2008 - The Wall St. Journal

Alps Endangered as Swiss Sprawl Spreads

Over the last 70 years, sprawl has rapidly taken over much of Switzerland, not just in suburban areas around cities, but also in the country's famous Alps.

October 13, 2008 - SwissInfo

Transportation Infrastructure Now

Mariia Zimmerman of Transportation for America makes the case for a significant investment in transportation infrastructure, from bike paths to inter-city trains.

October 13, 2008 - NOW

Gulf Coast Ponders Future Amid Erosion and Destruction

As land continues to disappear along the Gulf Coast and hurricane damages increase, many are beginning to reconsider whether to rebuild or retreat.

October 12, 2008 - USA Today

Is Farmland Preservation Worthwhile?

Preserving farmland has always been a major issue in the U.S. But as Bill Fulton discusses, the local economic results don't quite justify the efforts.

October 12, 2008 - Governing

Dubai on a Path to 'Ecological Disaster'

With too much focus on "architectural bling" and a hyperactive development pattern, Dubai is in danger of becoming a modern planning disaster, according to architect Thom Mayne.

October 11, 2008 - Building Design

What Copenhagen's Parks Can Learn From New York

Park planners from Denmark recently toured some of New York's parks and found much to be jealous of.

October 10, 2008 - The New York Times

Controversial Land Use Law in Utah

A battle is brewing in Utah over a Senate bill that banned voters from overturning land use decisions, and the power plant that is the first significant land use to be impacted by the law.

October 10, 2008 - The Salt Lake Tribune

Noise Pollution in San Francisco is A Health Risk, Study Shows

A new study shows that noise pollution on the streets of San Francisco is putting nearly one in six residents at risk for heart disease, high blood pressure and other stress-related illnesses.

October 10, 2008 - The San Francisco Chronicle

Vancouver's Garbage Woes May be Alleviated

A proposal to turn part of a 6,000-hectare copper mine into a landfill has just been given the green light for an environmental assessment. The garbage dump would bury 250,000 metric tons of garbage from 25 local communities annually.

October 9, 2008 - The Globe and Mail

Three Perspectives on CA's 'Smart Growth' Bill

The New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, and Sacramento Bee editorialize on the signing of SB 375, California's new landmark law that is intended to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by reducing vehicle miles traveled through better land use.

October 9, 2008 - The New York Times

The Cost of Density

As Toronto's heritage buildings fall to disrepair, new condominiums are slated to go up in their stead, prompting outcry from preservationists.

October 9, 2008 - Toronto Star

Bloomberg's Third Term A Boon For Citymaking

A third term for New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has been sold as a method to save Wall Street, but it's really more important to the city's urban planning, according to this piece from The Architect's Newspaper.

October 9, 2008 - The Architect's Newspaper

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.

Home and Land Services Coordinator

Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners

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.