Land Use
Prescribing a Healthy Future For Charlotte
Charlotte faces a number of challenges in the 21st century, from rising immigration to declining industry to sprawl. This Citistates Report suggests one strategy to harbor a healthy future: go green.
Showcasing Suburbia
An exhibit at the Carnegie Museum of Art offers an unbiased, "awestruck" exploration of America's suburbs.
Continued Demolition Threatens New Orleans Character
In post-Katrina New Orleans, a fine line exists between razing potentially deadly structures, and harnessing a zeal for wholesale redevelopment.
Residents Call For Expansion of Seattle Growth Boundary
Residents in the Seattle region are calling on officials to expand the area's urban growth boundary to allow denser development in what is currently outside the border.
Church's Parking Plans Stir Atlantans
Plans to demolish three houses to make room for more parking have pitted residents against an Atlanta church, arguing that city's planning blueprint prohibits demolitions for new surface parking. The church has filed suit.
Bench Urbanism
Christopher Hume looks at the welcoming power of benches in seating-heavy Montreal, and argues that other cities need to take the simple step of planting more benches to make urban areas more lively and attractive.
Why Affordability Matters
In this article, Erick Villagomez argues that affordable housing, by enabling urban diversity, is the key to a city's economic and social sustainability.
The Ephemeral Shopping Mall
Harundale Mall, one of the first enclosed malls built in the country, is now a strip mall. This article contains an examination of its somber decline and the direction in which Harundale--and other malls--may be headed next.
Removing Cars to Create Public Space
Cars dominate cities, especially in America. But as many cities in other countries have found, removing cars can turn busy streets into lively public places. Now the U.S. is starting to catch on.
Emissions Study Comes to Cities' Defense
According to one study, cities are often wrongly blamed for 75 to 80% of greenhouse gas emissions; the figure is closer to 40%.
Schwarzenegger Signed It: Bill Fulton Explains It
Yesterday, Gov. Schwarzenegger signed SB 375, California's anti-sprawl bill. Bill Fulton explains that it is both stronger and weaker than advertised.
Building Ban to Protect Northwest Salmon
In an effort to protect endangered salmon in the Pacific Northwest, the National Marine Fisheries Service is calling for a building moratorium near rivers in the Puget Sound region.
Relating Peak Oil To Auto Dependency And Urban Planning
Daniel Lerch, author of "Post Carbon Cities" presents his thoughts for a new California Dream in a 'post carbon future' in which cars still exist but are used sparingly due to urban planning that reduces their necessity. He looks toward Portland.
Rule-Bending Keeps Fresno Sprawling
Despite a 2002 General Plan update aimed at curbing sprawl in the Central California city of Fresno, repeated zoning amendments have allowed hundreds of developments to push the city's edge farther out into the fringe.
Prague Plans Pedestrian Zones, Excludes Homeless
Prague is building on prosperity and tourism by creating new public-private spaces for shopping and entertainment. Detractors are concerned that they are destroying real public space, and are paired with greater control on unwanted users.
Military Sprawl in Afghanistan
The military presence in Afghanistan is expanding at a rapid pace, creating a military sprawl.
Calles Sin Carros: Mexico City's Weekly Car Ban
Once a week, car-flooded streets convert into bike- and pedestrian-flooded public parks in crowded Mexico City.
Complete Streets Bill Moving Forward in California
The California legislature has approved a "complete streets" bill to help make city streets more accessible and livable. The bill is awaiting approval from the governor.
Planning an 'Eco-City'
This piece from Scientific American looks at plans for three "eco-cities".
Pagination
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.
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie