Land Use
Suburbia and Pig Farms: It Stinks
The suburbs of Tewksbury, MA, a quaint New England town, have developed uncomfortably close to one of the largest pig farms in the state.
A Tale of Two Towns, And What Makes Them 'Authentic'
Rick Cole, city manager of Azusa and now Ventura, reflects on what 'authenticity' really means for towns struggling to balance identity with new development.
Industrial Land Eyed For Green Future in L.A.
Officials in Los Angeles are hoping to turn a former brownfield site into the centerpiece of a new downtown green industrial district.
Cities Embracing Music Festivals
The Austin City Limits music festival, held at the city's major public park, has inspired other cities to invite festivals to their parks, despite the inherent challenges.
Plan Approved to Un-Sprawl Tysons Corner
In an effort to recreate sprawling Tysons Corner into a dense urban environment, county supervisors have unanimously approved a plan to build higher, denser, more transit oriented and more walkable.
Cars, Kids, and a Safer Environment Through Planning
Urban areas are filled with cars, and this creates an unsafe environment for children. This commentary argues that officials need to regain their faith in the power of planning to address the issue.
Judge To City: Stop The Manhattanization Of Downtown!
In a huge blow to a city already polarized by a ballot-box planning initiative affecting open space on the November ballot, a judge has halted downtown redevelopment by rejecting the Environmental Impact Report in part because of the 'shadow effect'.
California Planners Discover Saving The World From Climate Change Is Hard!
At last year's statewide conference, California planners were excited about saving the world from climate change. Now they discover it's hard work!
In Wake of Hurricane, New Beachfront Property Faces Seizure
An obscure law in Texas outlawing buildings on public beachfront could be invoked to seize hundreds of properties. Hurricane Ike has pushed the tide line closer to many homes, making them subject to the law even if they weren't damaged.
Familiar Name Tops List of Most Sustainable Cities
Portland, Oregon, has again been named the most sustainable city in the U.S. in a recent ranking.
Top Freeway Teardown Candidates
The Congress for the New Urbanism has released a list of the top ten urban freeways that need to be torn down.
Blocked Roads in Bangalore
Blogger S.G.Narayanamurthy reports from Bangalore on the continuing problems with obstructions to the streetscape from vendors, cafes, mechanics, parking, waste water, construction, etc. The story includes a slideshow.
Park(ing) Day in L.A., 2008
Some 'parkers' faced police harassment, but on the whole Park(ing) Day 2008 was sunny and positive, as Los Angelenos put their own stamp on the celebration. In this video slideshow, we take a tour of some of L.A.'s parking spot parks.
Hollywood -- the Urban Place
As California planners convene in Hollywood this week, Bill Fulton reminds them that Hollywood is not just Tinseltown, but a real urban place with a real urban history.
The Church of Wal-Mart
The Carlinville Southern Baptist Church purchased a former Wal-Mart building for their growing congregation, but found that the zoning wouldn't allow religious activities in the store. The church sued under RLIUPA and won this week.
Beachfront Brouhaha in Buffalo City
That's Buffalo City, South Africa, where public open space along the coast is being rezoned to business and residential, to the dismay of locals worried about beach access.
The Death of the Lawn
More and more lawns across the country are getting axed and replaced with gardens.
Bible Park USA Finds New Site, After Failing to Get TIF
Private funders attempting to build a $175 million Bible theme park asked for tax-increment financing to reach their goal. The county also denied a re-zoning request, but the park has found a new home in neighboring Wilson County.
Toronto's High-Rise Boom Could Mean End of Sprawl
Toronto is swimming in high-rise construction, with the second highest rate in the world. Some say this shift to the urban core spells the end of sprawl in Toronto.
Art, Beauty and Land Use in Detroit
Arts and Culture editor Rebecca Mazzei looks at public art - both official and unofficial - across the landscape of Detroit, and advocates for a bold new public art fund for the city.
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
