Land Use

Don Elliott, author of A Better Way to Zone, argues that dynamic zoning regulations can help cities grow appropriately and avoid bottlenecks to good development.

February 2, 2009 - Don Elliott

The Honolulu City Council has agreed to slightly re-work the route of the region's recently-approved light rail system to connect with Honolulu International Airport -- a move that has angered some residents.

February 1, 2009 - Honolulu Star-Bulletin

As rural villagers abandon farms for the city, tropical lands are reverting to rainforests.

January 31, 2009 - The New York Times

Tijuana is literally built with the development waste of nearby San Diego, California. This video by Laura Hanna shows how.

January 31, 2009 - The Nation

The Project for Public Spaces has released a summary of the top ten trends shaping the future of America's communities -- from public markets to community-based transportation planning.

January 31, 2009 - Project For Public Spaces

A researcher of weird roadside attractions stumbled onto an unusual clash of land uses - cemeteries wedged into parking lots. Here's a collection of photos.

January 30, 2009 - Roadside Resort

Urban development needs to be re-considered as urban redevelopment, according to this column from MinnPost.

January 29, 2009 - MinnPost

The Internet is a trove of great ideas about improving cities. Filling blogs and personal websites, the vast majority of ideas out there are little more than that: ideas. New York City's Streetsblog -- now a growing nationwide force -- is transforming the conversation into action.

January 29, 2009 - Mike Lydon

DeLuca Homes planned to build condos in Bucks County, PA- until the bottom fell out of the market. Now they're one of many developers cutting deals with governments to create open space.

January 28, 2009 - Center for Public Integrity

This piece from Preservation magazine looks at how historic districts in Portland fall short in preventing incompatible uses.

January 27, 2009 - Preservation

The telecommunications industry is pressuring Congress to add language to upcoming bill that would preempt local zoning authority if they 'take too long' to approve cell phone towers or sites.

January 27, 2009 - Anvil Partners blog

Peter Katz and Jay Walljasper pick ten notable suburbs that are breaking the mold and creating new, vibrant communities.

January 26, 2009 - Utne Reader

The "New American Home" for 2009 debuted last week at the International Builders Symposium in Las Vegas. The 9,000 sq. ft. home features the most recent developments in energy efficiency.

January 26, 2009 - The Ground Floor

A new review of Oregon's land use system calls for a reworking of the state's policies to allow counties and regions to make more focused and appropriate decisions.

January 25, 2009 - The Oregonian

San Francisco building codes encouraged the creation of privately-owned, publicly-accessible spaces across the downtown. These spaces have gone underused and are little understood. A new report from SPUR attempts to clear the fog.

January 24, 2009 - Streetsblog

Street furniture is a critical part of the urban makeup in cities. New developments in the Middle East are beginning to recognize its importance.

January 24, 2009 - Construction Week

Jon Zemke ponders the many possibilities for building a world-class transportation network throughout metro Detroit.

January 23, 2009 - Metromode

A massive WWII-era airfield in Berlin has been closed down, but city officials are looking for ways to take advantage of the large space. New ideas abound -- from a proposal for a "red light" district to plans for an artificial mountain.

January 23, 2009 - Der Spiegel

The long-term planning principles that have made the National Mall a successful and adaptable public space were in the spotlight during the Inauguration. Cities should take a lesson, argues Christopher Hawthorne.

January 23, 2009 - Los Angeles Times

The line between suburb and city blurs as suburbs struggle with the problems of the cities' past. But there's hope, say this article's authors, who make a case for regionalism and government's active role in reinventing such struggling places.

January 22, 2009 - Newsweek