Land Use

Changing The Car Culture Of Los Angeles

City planners -- hoping to get reluctant Angelenos out of their cars -- have put forth a proposal that would waive all parking requirements for developers whose buildings offered suitable transportation alternatives.

September 4, 2007 - LA Weekly

Has Smart Growth Made A Difference In Maryland?

Though former Governor Perris Glendening lead the charge for smart growth in Maryland, its hard to tell if the state's policies have curbed sprawl significantly.

September 4, 2007 - The Hartford Courant

State Housing Agency Pledges Millions To Preserve Open Space

Housing advocates, public officials, and urban planners have joined forces in Rhode Island with a pledge of $10 million to support the preservation of open space by building more dense, mixed-use communities.

September 3, 2007 - The Providence Journal

Increasing The Density Of Oceanfront Development

This column from the Globe & Mail looks at the scourge of oceanside development in British Columbia and cites a successful example of high-density waterfront development as a model for future growth along the sea.

September 3, 2007 - The Globe & Mail

What To Do With Seattle's Elevated Highway

PBS's NewsHour covers the debate over the future of downtown Seattle's raised highway -- an issue that has a renewed sense of importance after the Minnesota bridge collapse.

September 1, 2007 - NewsHour with Jim Lehrer

Friday Funny: Planning At Its Worst In Kauai?

"ViralKauai" posts a self-made video on YouTube pointing out the problems from overdevelopment of the beautiful island of Kauai.

August 31, 2007 - YouTube

More People, More Concrete, and More Heat in Phoenix

An 'urban heat island' effect, fed by the city's growth, is trapping heat and making temperatures soar.

August 31, 2007 - The Christian Science Monitor

Many Fear UK Housing Plan Will Create Sprawl

A severe housing shortage is facing England, but some fear sprawl will result from a government plan to build 3 million homes by 2020.

August 29, 2007 - BBC

L.A.'s Development Has Many Centers

A trend of dense downtown development in Los Angeles has some calling the city's new urban growth pattern a move towards "Manhattanization".

August 27, 2007 - The Los Angeles Times

Depopulation Key To Reducing Damages In Disaster-Prone Areas

This column from The Wall Street Journal argues that the best way to prevent damages from natural disasters is not to fight carbon emissions, but to prevent people from living in disaster-prone areas.

August 27, 2007 - The Wall Street Journal

Disneyland Takes Rezoning To Ballot

The housing saga continues in Anaheim, California, as the Disney Corporation has pushed a referendum into next June's city ballot that will let voters decide if housing should be allowed in the Disneyland-adjacent "Resort District".

August 26, 2007 - The Los Angeles Times

Chicago's Northwest Suburbs Working To Promote TODs

Leaders of suburban cities and villages in northeastern Illinois are coming together to promote transit oriented development around commuter rail lines leading into Chicago.

August 25, 2007 - PioneerLocal (Sun-Times News Group)

Planned Windmill In Atlanta Neighborhood Causes Controversy

Neighbors are so far unsuccessful in their attempts to prevent one homeowner from erecting a 45-foot high windmill turbine generator in his yard.

August 24, 2007 - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Living In A Food Desert

Researchers in Rhode Island find that residents in many parts of the state lack easy access to food.

August 24, 2007 - The Providence Journal

Is Joel Kotkin The Anti-Planner?

Los Angeles pundit Joel Kotkin's most recent diatribe about the alleged "Manhattanization" of Los Angeles has put Bill Fulton over the edge. Kotkin's arguments are old, tired and contradictory, says Fulton.

August 24, 2007 - California Planning & Development Report

Will Architects And Planners Fail The World's Urban Dwellers?

With rapid urbanization overtaking the world, experts worry that planners and architects are too few and lack experience to tackle the coming challenge.

August 24, 2007 - International Herald Tribune

Water Shortages Alter Growth Patterns In Las Vegas

Low water supplies are forcing changes to the growth patterns of booming Las Vegas, Nevada.

August 22, 2007 - Reuters via Environmental News Network

The Line Between Fighting Gentrification And Plain-Old NIMBY

When does an 'anti-gentrification group' cross the line to simply stopping progress in a community? That charge has been leveled against San Francisco's Mission Anti-Displacement Coalition after the city's environmental review process was expanded.

August 22, 2007 - The San Francisco Chronicle

New Plan, New Growth Pattern

The City of Sacramento is looking to change its growth pattern as it prepares a new version of its general plan.

August 22, 2007 - The Sacramento Bee

Short-Sighted Plans Highlight Lack Of Vision In Melbourne

Plans to extend Melbourne, Australia's already-extensive freeway system are short-sighted and illustrate the lack of true planning vision in the city, according to this column from The Age.

August 21, 2007 - The Age

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.