Land Use

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.

August 9, 2007 - The San Francisco Chronicle

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.

August 7, 2007 - The Portland Tribune

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.

August 7, 2007 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

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.

August 4, 2007 - Streetsblog

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.

August 3, 2007 - Streetsblog

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.

August 3, 2007 - California Planning & Development Report

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?

August 2, 2007 - The Planning Report

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.

August 2, 2007 - Style Weekly

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.

August 1, 2007 - The Toronto Star

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.

August 1, 2007 - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

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.

July 31, 2007 - USA Today via Builder Online

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.

July 30, 2007 - The Salt Lake Tribune

Lamenting Sprawl In Kansas City

"Progress" and developers are carelessly expanding the reach of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area.

July 30, 2007 - The Kansas City Star

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.

July 29, 2007 - The Wall Street Journal

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.

July 27, 2007 - AP via Forbes

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.

July 26, 2007 - BBC

Is It Time For Transit In The Boise Valley?

The Treasure Valley metro area, centered around Boise, Idaho, is the latest region to explore the ideal of rail transit, with officials looking to Salt Lake City as a model.

July 26, 2007 - The Boise Weekly

Preserve Industrial Areas Or Allow Housing?

As the popularity of condos and lofts in industrial areas rises amongst both developers and buyers, cities such as Chicago, L.A., and New York are taking steps to protect their historic industrial zones.

July 26, 2007 - Architectural Record

Can You Fight Climate Change From Behind The Wheel?

Lauded city official and smart growth champion Rick Cole argues that California can't reach 'green' goals without changing its car culture.

July 24, 2007 - The Los Angeles Times

Building A New Catholic City In Florida

Tom Monaghan, the founder of Domino's Pizza, has built a Catholic college and a Catholic-focused community in Ave Maria, Florida. The 5,000-acre community will include 11,000 housing units, 1.2 million s.f. of mixed use space, and a 55-foot crucifix.

July 23, 2007 - USA Today

FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?

After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.

Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold

The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.