Land Use
Adressing Parks Shortage Crucial To Future Of L.A.
Los Angeles is one of the most parks-deficient cities on the West coast. How planners address this shortage will shape the future of the city, writes Christopher Hawthorne.
Drive-In Utopia
Drive-in movie theaters are satisfying a need for public spaces that also allow some privacy.
Suburban Officials Try To Build Sidewalks Amid Local Opposition
Facing residential opposition, city officials in suburban Minneapolis are having trouble getting sidewalks built in many neighborhoods. The residents argue that sidewalks are not needed in the suburbs.
Utopian Industrial City Becomes Model For Urban Disarray
Planners intended Ciudad Guayana to be the "Pittsburgh of the tropics". Today, the city has lost its former prosperity and is grappling with a array of urban epidemics.
Flood Victims Call On Government To Limit Flood Plain Development
Residents of a British town that was recently flooded gathered to demonstrate against governmental housing plans that do not advise against building in flood plains.
Desertification Causes Relocation Of Thousands In China
With desertification threatening thousands of acres of land, Chinese officials have announced the forced relocation of more than 10,000 people.
Development Threatens Wetlands
Citizens and homeowners in Washington have teamed up against a number of proposed housing developments that would replace more than 100 acres of open space and wetlands.
Park Space Requirement Dismays Developers
Builders' groups and developers are upset over a proposal in Houston that would require them to include park space in any developments of 100 units or more. They say the requirement will stifle development.
Measure 37 Causes Billboard Blight In Oregon
An unintended effect of Measure 37 -- Oregon's controversial 2004 land use law -- is that homeowners are allowed to build giant billboards on their property. Some have, and local officials are hoping a new ballot measure will address the issue.
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?
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.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS)
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority
