Land Use
Mixed-Use Zoning in Waterfront Plan Attracts Controversy in Connecticut
Norwalk, Connecticut is figuring out how to balance the competing interests of development demand, public access, environmental risks, and historic preservation.
NYC Rezoning Plans Could Create Thousands of New Housing Units
Zoning changes in Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Midtown Manhattan would allow residential construction in areas previously zoned for light manufacturing.
New California Law Alters CEQA in Favor of Student Housing
Following a heated legal battle over new student housing in Berkeley, Governor Newsom signed a new law removing ‘social noise’ as an environmental impact.
Phoenix Approves ADUs
The city hopes backyard ‘casitas’ can help alleviate the housing crisis.
An AI-Generated Vision of a Silicon Valley Utopia
A proposed plan to build a new city in the Bay Area is light on details and heavy on idyllic renderings.
Vancouver Day Care Rejection Poses Larger Questions
What does it mean for cities and civic life when neighborhoods are viewed as products geared for individual consumption rather than ever-evolving communities?
How the ‘Social Field of View’ Impacts Street Life
The vibrancy of a neighborhood may be defined by what people can see in their immediate vicinity.
Las Vegas Residents Push Back on Freeway Expansion
A state plan to widen an interstate that cuts through downtown Las Vegas would displace hundreds of homes and businesses.
Alexandria Draft ‘Zoning for Housing’ Plan Would End Single-Family Zoning
Alexandria planners have revealed a draft plan that would eliminate single-family zoning citywide.
Mesa General Plan Update Aims for Clarity, Accountability
The Arizona city’s once-a-decade update to its General Plan will clarify zoning boundaries left ‘fuzzy’ in its previous iteration.
Environmental Groups Win Court Battle Against the Minneapolis 2040 Comprehensive Plan
A court ruling invalidated one of the most innovative comprehensive plans in recent memory, and now the city of Minneapolis must revert to its previous comprehensive plan.
Public Opinion on Housing: A Deeper Dive
Surveys on housing show that Americans give pro-housing or anti-housing answers depending on how questions are asked. More consistently, they show that Black Americans and young people are more pro-housing than older whites.
Capturing the Post-Pandemic City: The Power of 'Visual Prosecution'
Have you ever tried immersive photography to show how urban landscapes, with their ever-evolving stories, are changing post-pandemic? A three-time author of books about understanding the innate identities of urban places updates his perspective.
Austin Electeds Hope Site Review Improvements Achieve Affordability Gains
After receiving scathing reviews about the frustrations and inefficiencies of its site review process, Austin has contracted with McKinsey to begin the work of overhauling the process.
California to Invest $750 Million in 16 ’Jobs-Rich’ Areas
California is funding a sweeping package of investments expected to deliver big benefits in housing affordability and greenhouse gas emission reductions.
Court Ruling Overturns Texas’ ‘Death Star’ State Preemption Bill
The Texas government’s attempt to keep bluer local governments in check has been delt a setback by the state’s judicial system.
700-Acre Master-Planned Community Planned in Utah
A massive development plan is taking shape for lakefront property in Vineyard, Utah—on the site of a former U.S. Steel Geneva Works facility.
More Cities Ponder the End of Drive-Thrus
Drive-thru fast food restaurants might be a staple of American life, but several U.S. cities are actively considering prohibiting the development of new drive-thrus for the benefit of traffic safety, air quality, and congestion.
Quantifying the Potential of California’s ‘Yes in God’s Backyard’ Bill
A new report estimates that 171,000 acres of land would be available for housing development if California approves SB 4, Affordable Housing on Faith and Higher Education Lands Act of 2023.
Edmonton Considering Sprawl Control Measures
Under a proposed standard, developing neighborhoods in Edmonton would be required to fully build out infrastructure and community facilities, like retail and amenities, before the city approves additional development.
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.
One Hundred Miles
County of Mendocino
planning NEXT
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
Montrose County
Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA)
The Pocatello Development Authority
