Land Use

Riverside Growth Control Plan Adopted

After five years, and $11 million in the making, Riverside County, CA has adopted a sweeping general plan in an attempt to better shape growth in the booming county.

October 9, 2003 - The Los Angeles Times

'Commons' Commentator Dead At 88

Garrett Hardin wrote the seminal essay "The Tragedy of the Commons".

October 8, 2003 - The Seattle Times

The Many Meanings of Sprawl

Florida's growth management law seeks to limit sprawl but no one can agree what sprawl means.

October 7, 2003 - The St. Petersburg Times

Is Your Town A Sprawl City?

Atlanta, Ga., leads the country with more sprawl than any other place in the U.S., according to SprawlCity.

October 7, 2003 - Inman News

Shopping For A Home With A Short Commute

More and more homebuyers in Los Angeles are eschewing suburban homes and the long commutes that come with them.

October 7, 2003 - The Los Angeles Times

Developers Vs. The People?

How are land use patterns affected by the public's view of developers?

October 6, 2003 - The Washington Post

Housing Development Takes Another Course

Despite community pressure, the City of Waukegan, IL must allow a developer to build a housing subdivision through a golf course, making many nearby residents angry.

October 5, 2003 - The Chicago Tribune

Granholm's Way

Michigan's Smart Growth Governor embraces new approach to prosperity

October 3, 2003 - Michigan Land Use Institute

Wal-Mart Cancels Plans To Build 'Supercenter' Over Aquifer

Wal-Mart cites environmental concerns for abandoning plans to build a "supercenter" over an aquifer but the retail giant also faced strong community opposition.

October 3, 2003 - Austin American-Statesmen

The Malling Of America

The unabated malling of America is a trend that may end badly -- for communities and households.

October 3, 2003 - Fortune

Study: Road Construction Does Not Create Sprawl

Contradicting smart growth advocates, a study concludes that road construction does not lead to more sprawl.

October 2, 2003 - The News & Observer

Who Owns The View?

Scenic areas are equally valuable to developers and preservationists.

October 1, 2003 - The Christian Science Monitor

Virtual Is No Refuge From Reality

James Howard Kunstler writes that for children, there is "no escape from America's car-dependent, cheap-oil fiesta."

September 30, 2003 - Michigan Land Use Institute

'Mega-Churches' Vs. Neighborhood Character

The latest of several around disputes around the United States that finds communities treating "mega-churches" like out of control shopping malls, accusing them of violating zoning laws and of overwhelming neighborhoods.

September 28, 2003 - National Public Radio

Friday Funny: Plot To Bribe A Zoning Coordinator Foiled

Excitement comes to a planning office in a sleepy town in Illinois, as a couple is arrested after trying to bribe the zoning coordinator.

September 26, 2003 - The Chicago Tribune

A New Trend: The Aerotropolis

Airports are becoming the new 'downtowns', and cities are springing up around them.

September 25, 2003 - USA Today

Study Linking Sprawl And Obesity Is Flawed

Wendell Cox criticizes the study that claim a link between urban sprawl and obesity.

September 24, 2003 - The Heritage Foundation

How FEMA Encourages High-Risk Coastal Sprawl

How the Federal Emergency Management Agency encourages coastal sprawl.

September 22, 2003 - Democracy Now!

Fewer Corner Gas Stations?

Local gas stations are being threatened as big-box outlets offer gas for lower prices.

September 22, 2003 - The Los Angeles Times

The Fused Grid

A new street grid that combines the cul-de-sac pattern of the modern suburb and the grid pattern from the early 1900s could change the way developments are built.

September 21, 2003 - The Toronto Star

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.