Land Use

How Schools Teach Sprawl

The planning and placement of schools is making students 'auto-dependent', according to an urban planning academic in Canada. Others also bemoan the architectural design of schools and the potentially harmful building materials used to build them.

January 24, 2007 - The Globe and Mail

Expansion And Growth 'Reserve' Land Rejected In Kentucky

Planning officials in Fayette County, Kentucky, have approved a plan that will not expand its boundary of growth. The planning commission also unanimously rejected the establishment of an 'urban reserve', in case minds changed about expansion.

January 24, 2007 - Lexington Herald-Leader

Growth Boundary Extension Approved Before Impact Reports Completed

The Pittsburg, California, City Council has unanimously approved an extension of the city's urban growth boundary to include 1,600 more acres of foothills. This extension was approved by voters in 2005, but some argue the initiative was deceptive.

January 19, 2007 - The Contra Costa Times

Cities Are The Future

The only way to meet the challenges of the 21st Century is to address poverty, pollution and environmental sustainability in the world's cities, writes Worldwatch Institute president Christopher Flavin.

January 19, 2007 - Tom Paine

Nature Writers Should Explore The Urban Wilderness

One urban dweller calls on nature writers to take a look at Los Angeles, and other cities, in order to regain relevance in today's world.

January 19, 2007 - Grist

New York's Queen Of Urban Planning

With her patrician manner and focused attention to the quality of buildings and public space, New York City Planning Commissioner Amanda Burden has become a controversial figure in the city's planning and development circles.

January 16, 2007 - The New York Times

Sprawl's Economic Effect On Agriculture In South

As new developments consume agricultural lands in the fast-growing South, the cooperatives that cater to farmers feel the pinch. While some can 'retool' by selling pet food and lawn fertilizer, others must close as another casualty to sprawl.

January 15, 2007 - AP via Daily Press (Hampton Roads, Virginia)

Wetland Protections Worry Farmers In New Jersey

A master plan proposed to protect almost a million acres of wetlands in New Jersey is meeting opposition from area farmers who fear the plan's limitation on development and certain farming practices will render their land worthless.

January 15, 2007 - WFMZ-TV

Southern California's Laboratory For Smart Growth

With Southern California's strictest urban growth rules and a commitment to preserving open space and agriculture, Ventura County has become the region's hotbed of smart growth.

January 12, 2007 - The Planning Report

Downtown Raleigh Debates Relaxing Parking Requirements

The city council is considering letting developers decide for themselves how many parking spaces to build, though many worry the change could harm downtown.

January 10, 2007 - The News & Observer

Auto Emissions In Europe Increasing Along With Sprawl

In Europe, vehicular emissions are increasing while emissions from industry and the population growth rate decline. More people throughout the world are driving, especially in those countries where the "newly rich" enjoy their new mobility.

January 10, 2007 - The New York Times

Will Sarasota Pass The Duany Test?

Six years ago Andres Duany helped craft a new 20 year masterplan for the City of Sarasota, Florida, which prides itself on being a city with a small town feel. This week he returns to gauge the city's progress.

January 10, 2007 - Bradenton Herald

The Rise of the Megapolitans

Megapolitans are regions that combine at least two, and often several, metropolitan areas. Researchers Robert E. Lang and Arthur C. Nelson developed the megapolitan concept in part to depict where the next 100 million Americans will live.

January 9, 2007 - Planning magazine, American Planning Association

Parking Rage Boiling Over In San Francisco

Anger over parking difficulties in the city has spawned attacks between motorists and enforcement officers, and even led to the death of one resident.

January 9, 2007 - The New York Times

Maryland's Governor Elect To Revive Smart Growth Policies

Governor-elect Martin O'Malley wants to redirect the state down the path of smart growth charted by former Governor Parris Glendening.

January 8, 2007 - The Baltimore Sun

Philadelphia's Planning Chief Has Big Job Ahead

Janice Woodcock, the executive director of the city Planning Commission, is charged with the task of updating the historic city's archaic zoning code.

January 8, 2007 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

New Anti-Planning Blog Established

Infamous planning opponent Randal O'Toole has begun a new blog where he argues against virtually all forms of land use and other government planning.

January 8, 2007 - The Thoreau Institute

A Call For Tougher Building Codes Along The Coast

Outgoing National Hurricane Center Director Max Mayfield urges adoption of tougher building codes and land use rules to avert "major disaster" in the southeast.

January 7, 2007 - The Los Angeles Times

Katrina Lessons Forgotten?

As rebuilding continues in New Orleans, many homes are being built in the floodplain without raised foundations, leading many to believe that the tough lessons learned during Hurricane Katrina have already been forgotten.

January 6, 2007 - The Washington Post

Should Taxpayers Foot The Bill For Wildfires?

A debate over who should be responsible for the costs incurred by wildfires is raging between the Federal government and state and local officials.

January 5, 2007 - The New York Times

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.