Land Use
Young Author Writes About Human Impact of Sprawl
Gina Olszowski's first book focuses on the personal stories of rural residents impacted by sprawl.
Big Box Thinking When Siting Schools is Creating Sprawl
New schools are consistently built far from community centers, while historic school buildings near where people live are demolished, The Blue Ridge Press reports.
L.A. Called Home to Second Smallest Carbon Footprint
New research from the Brookings Institution claims that Los Angeles has the second smallest carbon footprint of big American cities -- a finding that contains a few caveats.
Did Houston's Lack Of Zoning Shield It From The Housing Meltdown?
A recent report by a Federal Reserve Bank senior economist argues that Houston's resiliency during the ongoing housing crisis is due in part to its lack of zoning regulations.
A 'One Size Fits All' Rule For Affordable Housing Doesn't Work
Requiring all cities and towns to building affordable housing is bad policy. The focus should be on building housing in existing urban areas near jobs and transit, not in rural and suburban towns.
From Superfund To Super Fun
The City of Saco, Maine is turning land the federal government once labeled a toxic Superfund site into a hub for hiking, fishing, and recreation.
A Small Town From Scratch
Developer Casey Roloff has built an ambitious new community on the Washington coast with New Urbanist ideas and a Northwest flavor.
Minnesotans Split Over Sod Farmland
Ham Lake, Minnesota, residents are torn over the best way to preserve the rural character of their St. Paul suburb.
Streets May Become Temporary Recreational Spaces in San Francisco
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom is considering a plan to temporarily close down certain streets to car traffic, creating public space for pedestrians -- similar to the successful Ciclovia that takes place weekly in Bogota, Colombia.
Mapping Needed to Improve Slums
Understanding and improving the Brazilian informal settlements known as favelas will require more information about the slums -- especially in the field of mapping.
Soon You Won't Be Able to 'Drive Until You Qualify'
High gas prices and slowing construction rates in exurban areas may mean that the era of "driving until you qualify" for affordable housing may be over soon.
'They Want to Make a Dam, and Now They Know They Shouldn't'
A group of Indians from the Amazon attacked a government engineer at a recent meeting where he was discussing a proposed hydroelectric dam on the Xingu River that could displace 15,000 indigenous people and destroy traditional fishing grounds.
UK 'Eco-Towns' May Encourage Sprawl
Plans for the construction of "eco-towns" in the UK have sparked protests from groups who argue that they will be too spread out and will encourage sprawl.
New Life for Ebenezer Howard's 'Garden City'
A campaign is underway in Wales to revive the "Garden City" concept, first brought to life in 1898. This time, supporters are claiming the radial, suburban plan is a sustainable alternative to cities.
Oklahoma City Highway to Be Replaced with Park
At one time, Oklahoma City is doing two things many cities have only hoped to: the city's getting rid of one of its aging inner-city highways and replacing it with a park.
Is New Urbanism A 'Last Gasp' Attempt to Reform Suburbanism?
Plans to bring New Urbanist designs into British Columbia will do little to stem suburban sprawl, according to this column from the Globe and Mail.
Planning For The End Of The Cul-de-sac
With Cul-de-sac restrictions catching on in the South, one Arkansas town is beginning to make plans to create complete, compact and connected neighborhoods.
Engaging The Public In Land Use Decisions
A committee in Baltimore charged with the task of encouraging more public involvement in land use decisions is learning how difficult that can be as it faces criticism that its own meetings didn't get enough participation from residents.
Capitalism Sprawls Into Russia's Frozen Expanse
American-style malls are cropping up in Siberia, and gobbling up land, to enable once-isolated Russians to consume in ways that might have been unimaginable a generation ago.
Living Well In The Era Of High Gas Prices
Want to learn how Americans can maintain a high standard of living in an era of sky-high gas prices? Just look at Europeans, who've been going it for decades, argues economist Paul Krugman.
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
