Land Use

Cincinnati Ends Parking Requirements in the City’s West End
The West End neighborhood of Cincinnati is home to 6,000 residents but only one dine-in restaurant.

Massachusetts Releases Transit-Oriented Multifamily Housing Rules
Communities near transit stations will have to comply with a new set of regulations that support multifamily development and increased housing density.

Denver Food Truck Ban Could be Unconstitutional
In a letter to city officials, a law firm called on the city to lift restrictions on food trucks, saying the ban “smacks of protectionism” and could violate equal protection guarantees.

What Is the Transect?
In urbanism and planning, the term transect provides a conceptual framework for understanding how the scale of built environments can vary from place to place.

The Housing Crisis: No Longer Just a Coastal Concern
The pandemic accelerated existing trends and created unsustainable housing demand in a wider range of towns and cities, exacerbated by outdated zoning restrictions.

Ann Arbor Votes to Eliminate Parking Minimums
Ann Arbor, Michigan approved changes to the city’s Unified Development Code (UDC) earlier this week that eliminate off-street parking requirements for a variety of development types throughout the city.

Protecting America’s Manufactured Housing
Governments at all levels are finally waking up to the benefits of protecting and encouraging the production of factory-built homes, which offer an affordable, efficient form of housing that many Americans depend on.

Richmond Weighing How to End Parking Requirements
A series of town hall meetings will allow the public a chance to give feedback about zoning changes in Richmond, Virginia that would include the end of parking requirements.

Key Warehouse Centers Challenge Distribution Center Expansion
Communities near major e-commerce distribution centers are increasingly resisting new construction, citing air pollution and other public health impacts.

This Manufactured Home Park Will Soon Be Boat Storage, But One Resident Stays To Fight
Angela Kaufman purchased what she thought would be her longtime home in a mobile home community. Less than a year after she moved, the park was sold and residents were told they had to go.

Could Los Angeles Emulate Barcelona’s ‘Superblocks’?
A proposal in the city council could bring the ‘superblock’ model to Los Angeles, opening up neighborhood streets to more biking, walking, and public amenities.

San Antonio Office Tower To Become Residential
With the building more than half vacant, the new owners of the Tower Life Building plan to convert the historic tower into residences that could include affordable housing.

The Tide Has Turned Against Open Streets
Once a promising development for advocates pushing for a less car-centric future in cities, the open streets movement has ceded significant ground to cars since the height of the pandemic.

Sports Stadiums Bring Few Economic Benefits
While their developers often tout jobs and local economic development as benefits of major stadium projects, research shows these venues often make little impact on local economies.

Midtown Atlanta Plaza Replaces Parking With Public Seating, Art
The formerly car-centric block was redesigned to include wider sidewalks, public seating, and enhanced landscaping in lieu of on-street parking.

Gainesville Set To Approve Contentious Zoning Reforms
The city commission voted in favor of a controversial zoning reform package that critics from multiple sides say won’t create more affordable housing for those who need it most.

The Century-Old Call for Open Streets
Historical reports from the Regional Plan Association show that car-free streets is an idea almost as old as automobiles themselves.

Denver Struggling to Unlock the Potential of Accessory Dwelling Units
Why doesn’t Denver build more ADUs? It’s complicated.

Urbanist TikTok Takes Aim at the Suburbs
Planners are using the popular video platform to explain how car dependence and single-family zoning deepen suburban isolation and affect affordability and sustainability.

Gowanus Rezoning Clears Post-Approval Legal Hurdle
The saga of the Gowanus Neighborhood Planning Study, approved by New York City at the end of 2021, continues into the summer of 2022. Opponents claimed the Gowanus rezoning ran afoul of the state’s environment law. A county judge dismissed the case.
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Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
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