Land Use
Deceptive Planning Brings Wal-Mart To Disgruntled Community
This piece from The Roanoke Times laments the coming of a Wal-Mart Supercenter, and blasts the planning process that let a proposed mixed-use walkable town center transform into a "big-box juggernaut".
Measure 37's First Case Still Unsettled
Preparations are underway to take Oregon's land use legislation Measure 37 back to the ballot this November, but the property rights case that became the face issue still remains unsettled.
Lifestyles Clash At Urban Growth Boundary
At the edge of Portland's urban growth boundary, a clash of rural and urban lifestyles is causing disputes between homeowners, farmers, and hunters.
Town Hopes Smart Growth Plan Will Boost Economy
The city of Germantown, Tennessee, is on the verge of approving a new "Smart Code" based on Smart Growth and New Urbanism principles. City officials are hoping the new zoning changes will allow the city's economy to blossom.
Will The Auto Mall Come To Berkeley?
The City of Berkeley, California, is considering changing is long-held policy against auto malls within city limits.
Consensus Elusive In Portland Harbor Redevelopment Planning
As planners move forward on plans to rezone and redevelop the riverfront and harbor in Portland, Oregon, environmental and industrial interests are clashing on how best to make it happen.
Turnpike Expansion Takes Land, Provides No Sound Barrier
As plans develop to add lanes to a turnpike in Pennsylvania, residents are upset over large losses in property and no provisions for sound barriers.
Famed Danish Urbanist Jan Gehl Hired To Consult For New York City
Jan Gehl, the renowned Danish urban designer, is in New York City this week where, sources say, he has been hired as a consultant for Mayor Michael Bloomberg's Long-Term Planning and Sustainability initiative.
Pedestrian Friendliness Rating Engine Draws Attention On Web
A fun new website that attempts to quantify the pedestrian-friendliness of a neighborhood is getting some buzz in the blogosphere.
California's Best and Worst Downtowns
San Francisco and San Diego are the No. 1 downtowns in California, according to California Planning & Development Report. L.A. is #4, behind Long Beach. Last? Fresno, Fresno, Fresno.
Legislating The Connection Between Land Use, Climate Change
California State Senator Darrell Steinberg tackles the connections between land use and greenhouse gas emissions with SB 375. Can California continue its leadership on climate change legislation?
A Black City Planned By Whites?
African-Americans are the majority of residents in Richmond, Virginia, but a new master planning effort has been criticized for attracting little participation from non-whites.
The New Public Spaces And Why They Are Important
Parks are no just about connecting with nature. The evolving public spaces of today revitalize abandoned industrial land and engage citizens.
Learning Architecture And Planning In The Land Of Suburbia
Ellen Dunham-Jones, director of the architecture program at Georgia Tech, thinks architects and planners need to understand suburbia better before they can begin the work of retrofitting our sprawling development patterns towards smart growth.
Georgia Hill Country A Case Study For Stopping Sprawl
Planners and environmentalists are hopefully that the use of transfer development rights (TDR) in the Chattahoochee Hill Country south of Atlanta can serve as a model for land conservation efforts nationwide.
Should Homes Be Banned From Fire-Prone Areas?
With the cost of fighting fires having risen dramatically, a recent op-ed suggests that cities and counties reign in sprawl and prevent home construction in forest areas.
Lamenting Sprawl In Kansas City
"Progress" and developers are carelessly expanding the reach of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area.
The Impact Of McMansions On The Value of Neighboring Homes
A Wall Street Journal writer shares her family's experience in a neighborhood quickly being dominated by McMansions.
California Lawmakers Fight Over Land Use Lawsuits
This year's budget dispute is colored by the state's effort to force local governments to reign in sprawl and stop global warming.
More Land May Not Mean Cheaper Housing
In the face of a proposal that would lighten planning controls over some new development in England, a recent report says that making more land available for development will not lower housing prices and will lead to sprawl.
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
