Land Use

Metro Atlanta Cities Weigh Zoning Changes
The southern city’s growth is prompting questions about how to increase the housing supply, maintain affordability, and accommodate new residents.

Events on Rural ‘Ranchos’ Cause Zoning Controversy in the Coachella Valley
Large events featuring live music have become popular on Coachella Valley ranchos. Some locals want to create a new land use category to clarify the rules about noise generated from the events.

Montana Legislature Considering Historic Package of Pro-Housing Development Bills
State legislators agree the cost of housing is a growing problem, but there is little consensus on how to boost the supply of affordable housing.

Upzoning Modestly Increases Housing Supply and Affordability, Study Says
A new study by researchers at the Urban Institute finds new evidence that upzoning produces housing supply and reduces costs, while downzoning does the opposite.

Minneapolis Comprehensive Plan Still Searching for Zoning Alignment
The vision set forth in one of the most ambitious and groundbreaking comprehensive plans in recent memory has yet to align with the practical realities of zoning in Minneapolis.

Fort Collins Code Update Rescinded Due to ADU Opposition
It’s back to the drawing board for a development code update in Fort Collins, Colorado, after residents revolted against zoning reforms that include by-right development of accessory dwelling units.

British Columbia Asserts Provincial Control Over Density
The Canadian province plans to override local opposition to loosening zoning regulations that restrict the housing supply.

Colorado Mountain Communities Line Up to Oppose Statewide Zoning Reforms
State preemption isn’t going over well with local government officials in the remote corners of Colorado.

Expressway Expansion Could Threaten Brooklyn Bridge Park
Supporters of the waterfront park worry NYCDOT’s plan to potentially widen the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway could reduce green space in “one of the most expensive urban parks ever built.”

Florida Law Bans Rent Control Statewide
The DeSantis administration has a signature housing bill. Florida has $711 million in funding for housing programs. Local governments have less power over zoning.

Proposed Update to Boise Zoning Code Would Boost Density, Discourage Sprawl
A years-long process has culminated in a proposal that would encourage the creation of affordable housing, promote transit-oriented development, and position the city for less car-oriented growth.

A Rapidly Urbanizing Texas County Gets in Touch With its Agricultural Roots
Developers in Fort Bend County are drawing inspiration from ‘agrihoods’ to build car-light communities in one of the nation’s fastest-growing areas.

Code Reforms to Ease the Housing Crisis
Ten recommendations for zoning code changes that could make housing more affordable.

Controversial Highway Widening Breaks Ground in Austin
Texas’ transportation priorities were on display in March—a few days after the gutting of a transit plan, a highway expansion broke ground depite years of local opposition.

Comparing Downtown Recovery Across U.S. Cities
The Downtown Vitality Index measures how central cities are adjusting to post-pandemic conditions.

Vancouver Council Denies Proposal to Limit Broadway Plan Growth
A proposed ‘pace of change’ policy would have restricted the number of development proposals the city would accept in an effort to limit displacement of existing residents in affordable, low-rise rental units.

$616 Million in Development Incentives Approved for District Detroit
The “Transformational Brownfield” incentives approved by the Detroit City Council for the $1.5 billion District Detroit still require approval by the state.

Affordable Housing Development Rejected for Lack of Third Staircase in Connecticut
The New Canaan Planning Commission rejected a development proposal, including 31 below-market-rate apartments, for lack of a third staircase, among other reasons, at a time when advocates are pushing to relax two-staircase requirements.

Maps: How Much of Your City is Parking?
The percentage of land dedicated to parking in the central districts of major U.S. cities ranges from 4 percent to as much as 42 percent.

Part of Houston’s Main Street to Be Permanently Pedestrianized
A seven-block stretch downtown will remain closed to cars after the success of a pandemic-era outdoor dining program.
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