Land Use
Can Cities Be 'Natural'?
Most people think of nature and cities as separate. According to a new Urban and natural environments are not necessarily conflicting notions but must be integrated at many different scales, for sustainable, healthy settlements to occur.
Evaluating Urban Sprawl From Space
A team of researchers use satellite data to create a grid of 8.7 billion data cells tracking the evolution of land use in the continental United States. The findings are surprising
Big Play At Playa Vista
A hotly-disputed, prime piece of land at Playa Vista brings a prime price.
Has Maryland's Growth Management Law Exacerbated Sprawl?
Researchers study the effectiveness of growth management laws in the Smart Growth pioneer state.
Who Pays the Property Tax?
A critical aspect of the property tax, but one that is rarely addressed in public debate, is its 'economic incidence,' or who actually bears the burden of the tax, as opposed to its statutory incidence, or who literally pays the tax.
Critics Warn Federal Plan Endangers National Monuments Land
Bureau of Land Management plan would permit more mining, grazin, and recreation use in the Arizona Strip -- home of two national monuments.
Mega-Churches Expand Into Former Retail Spaces
With growth of so-called "mega-churches" continuing unabated, congregations are outgrowing their current environs and are getting creative about new buildings in which to worship. But the trend is not without controversy.
Transit Funding Option Needed In Idaho
The Idaho Statesman presents an editorial outlining a four step roadmap to obtain necessary public transit funding from a reluctant legislature.
Ground Zero Intolerance?
The government's plans to move Ground Zero forward are a big step back in time, writes Peter Slatin.
Worried About Sprawl, Michigan Town Considers 'Form-Based' Development Rules
New zoning ordinances would focus more on how buildings look and fit into their surroundings, and far less on what goes on inside of them.
What Is The New Suburbanism?
Joel Kotkin, author of the November 2005 report "The New Suburbanism", introduces the new planning theory, clarifies what it means, and describes how it remains very much a work in progress.
Land Use Efficiency And Farmland Preservation In China
China is land poor. Only about one-third of its total land area can be utilized productively for agriculture. Several measures have been introduced with the aim of protecting farmland, especially farmland with the greatest production potential.
California's Central Valley Farmland At The Tipping Point?
Most of the counties and major cities in California's Central Valley are failing to make significant progress at preserving farmland in the nation's most important agricultural region, according to this new study from the American Farmland Trust.
New York City Faces Immense Growth
How can the city learn from other major metropolises like Chicago and Los Angeles to develop a viable growth strategy for the 21st century?
Philadelphia's Patchwork Zoning Code Frustrates Residents
Philadelphia's monstrous zoning code is in dire need of streamlining; recently residents were surprised by over-the-counter permits granted for a skyscraper, while homeowners looking to install a standard fence must apply for a variance.
The Myth Of Solid Ground, Reviewed
In his recent book, The Myth of Solid Ground, David Ulin looks at what earthquakes might mean, from a cultural standpoint -- including what scientific, or pseudo-scientific, techniques now hope to predict future seismic catastrophe.
Plan Allows Entire Big Easy To Be Rebuilt
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers release a new flood plain advisory for New Orleans' flooded areas.
Miami-Dade Agriculture Dwindling Fast
A 2004 bond referendum dedicated $30 million toward efforts to preserve rural land -- yet it's possible none will be used. What happened?
The Cost Of Sprawl In Central Florida
Sprawl defines life in Central Florida, and costs citizens much more than just money, writes staff writer Rich Mckay.
Bruce Babbitt Interviewed
Terrain.org interviews the former Secretary of the Interior and "Cities in the Wilderness" author.
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.
City of Fort Worth
planning NEXT
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie
