Land Use
Parking Ban Becomes Filming Ban in New York's Chinatown
New York's Chinatown is a popular place for filming, which brings a lot of film crews to the neighborhood. A temporary film crew parking ban has been put in place, but the results are mixed.
Public Space, Brought To You By Budweiser
A Montreal business group sold sponsorship rights to Budweiser for an outdoor event on a closed street, but restauranteurs setting up outside think the deal goes too far as they are forced to sell the watery beer to their patrons.
Placemaking is Alive and Well in Denver
Simmons Buntin tours metropolitan Denver with local planner Carolyn Dooling and finds a host of vibrant developments.
The City-Suburb Commute is Not What it Used to Be
Wendell Cox looks at commuting patterns, and finds that the old supposition that most commuters are going from suburban housing to urban jobs no longer holds water.
Maine Planners Come Around to Transit and Density
Southern Maine planners, who have long subscribed to the idea that they worked in rural, car-dependent communities, are beginning to embrace density, mixed-uses, and transit.
Cities Forge Ahead With Transit, But Atlanta Lags Behind
Neal Peirce sums up the movement across the country in cities like Houston, Denver, and Charlotte towards improved transit systems, while latecomer Atlanta wakes up to their transit deficit.
Duany On High Gas Prices And Urban Revival
Andres Duany and other experts discuss how the convergence of high gas prices and the foreclosure crisis may reverse years of cheap gas and cheap exurban land. He's pushing mixed uses and reformed zoning in suburbia, and he's betting on Texas.
Builder Says Inclusionary Zoning Doesn't Work
In this op-ed, a builders association representative argues that proposals for inclusionary zoning laws in Minnesota that require a certain percentage of affordable housing do not achieve the goals they aim for.
'Place First' Parking Plans
Wes Marshall and Norman Garrick illustrate the problem with parking plans today, and how to fix them.
A Different Kind of Public Art in Olympia
An audio artwork called "Bus Station" will be installed in Olympia, WA's downtown transit station, to be heard over the public-address system.
What More 'Livable Streets' Could Mean for New York
This article from The New York Observer looks at how New York City might be different with more "livable streets".
Suburbs Aren't the Only Places Reacting to Rising Energy Prices
This article from USA Today looks at how some big cities are reacting to rising energy prices. Two examples from metropolitan Phoenix highlight the fact that it is not only suburbs that are being forced to respond.
The Eight Aspects of Good Downtowns
As the downtown master plan of Baton Rouge turns ten years old, planners are looking at the next stages of development. They say eight factors play into making this and other downtowns successful.
Pay No Attention to the Neighborhood Behind the Curtain
In a last-minute effort to beautify the city before the start of the 2008 Summer Olympics, officials in Beijing have put up walls and screens to hide unsightly neighborhoods from the eyes of visitors. Those behind the walls are not happy.
Should Store Owners Be Allowed to Repel Teenagers?
Stores in Vancouver suburbs have installed a device outside their stores called a 'Mosquito' that emits a high-pitched frequency that the average adult can't hear. The device is effective in decreasing vandalism, but at what cost to public space?
Urban Agriculture is Growing
Allison Arieff reports on the latest happenings in urban agriculture, including the planting of a full-scale edible landscape in her own backyard.
New Study Links Obesity to Land Use Patterns
A new study by the University of Utah shows that people who live in walkable neighborhoods are more likely to be leaner than those who live in auto-oriented areas.
Astor Place Slated for Improvement
New York's DOT is proposing a new plan to transform Astor Place from feeling like a freeway median to a pedestrian-friendly public space.
Kids Afraid to Play in Public
A recent report by The Australian Commission of Children and Young People reveals that kids in Sydney are too afraid to play outside or ride the bus.
Embracing 'Tactility'
Architect Ken-Ichi Sasaki believes that planners have focused too much on the visual to the detriment of the tactile.
Pagination
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
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Planning for Universal Design
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