Land Use

View of Madisonm Wisconsin with state capitol building

Madison To Create Transit-Oriented Zoning

The city plans to create a TOD overlay district to encourage density and affordable housing near transit.

May 2, 2022 - City of Madison

The San Diego Convention Center is illuminated at night with the backdrop of public transit lines and high-rise buildings.

Day One of the National Planning Conference—Reunions, Pandemic Planning, Equity, and VMT

The American Planning Association gathers for its first in-person National Planning Conference since 2019. Planetizen is in attendance, and here is some of what we saw on the first day of the conference.

May 1, 2022 - James Brasuell

View of neighborhood with oil wells between houses

Federal Funding Boosts California Effort To Seal Abandoned Oil Wells

The state’s oil-producing regions are dotted with oil wells that contribute to water and air pollution and threaten public health.

April 29, 2022 - Los Angeles Daily News

View of Capitol building on Pennsylvania Avenue

Three Concepts for a Pennsylvania Avenue Makeover

The Pennsylvania Avenue Initiative seeks to redesign the capital’s most famous thoroughfare to include more park space and pedestrian amenities.

April 29, 2022 - WTOP

Crowd Community Meeting

The Problem With Public Input

The current community input process often amplifies the voices of already powerful groups who act to stop valuable projects for their own benefit.

April 28, 2022 - The Atlantic

Congestion

What Is LOS?

Level of Service (LOS) defines how well vehicle traffic flows along a street or road. LOS is one of the most influential metrics in planning, with critical relevance for both land use and transportation planning.

April 27, 2022 - James Brasuell

End of the Mall

Dead Mall? Convert it to a Health Clinic

Closed and struggling malls around the country are being repurposed as healthcare centers.

April 27, 2022 - Fortune

Google Maps street view of Diamond Street

Local Opposition Threatens San Diego’s Last ‘Slow Street’

Residents in Pacific Beach want the city to revise its design of the Diamond Street ‘slow street,’ the last remaining segment of pandemic-era pedestrian-oriented road in the city.

April 26, 2022 - San Diego Union-Tribune

Texas Apartment Construction

Updated: Proposed Parking Reforms Spark Controversy in Dallas

An ordinance under consideration by the Dallas City Council would change the parking requirements in the zoning code to allow for more density in exchange for affordable housing.

April 22, 2022 - FOX 4 News

Oil Pump in Los Angeles

Where Redlining and Oil and Gas Drilling Intersect

Research shows neighborhoods historically redlined by the federal government have twice as many oil and gas extraction projects as “desirable” neighborhoods.

April 21, 2022 - Grist

Manhattan

New York’s New Head of City Planning Gives First Interview

Dan Garodnick, the new leader of the city’s planning department, outlines how the city plans to adjust zoning regulations to acknowledge changes in how and where people live and work.

April 21, 2022 - The Real Deal

A rainbow colored sign planted in the front yard of a typical suburban home reads, "In this house we believe love is love, black lives matter, no human is illegal, science is real, women's rights are human rights. In a world where you can be anything, be kind."

Study: Affordable Housing Development Raises Nearby Property Values

More evidence that a common talking point of affordable housing opposition is more fear than fact.

April 20, 2022 - Urban Institute

YIMBY

Where Pro-Development Groups Are Gaining Traction

The YIMBY movement seems to be gaining steam as more the country deals with growing housing prices and increasing numbers of people experiencing homelessness. Recent research reveals where pro-development forces are most likely to call home.

April 18, 2022 - Brookings

Treasure Valley

Different Approaches to Fast Growth in Idaho's Treasure Valley

Three cities on the periphery of the fast-growing Treasure Valley showcase different approaches to a sudden influx of newcomers.

April 18, 2022 - Idaho Press

Arizona Suburb

Biden Wants to Incentivize Inclusionary Zoning

Traditionally the purview of local governments, single-family zoning has come under fire as ‘exclusionary.’ Now, the federal government wants to encourage cities to loosen restrictions.

April 18, 2022 - Route Fifty

Cleveland Public Square

Cleveland Mayor Wants a 15-Minute City

The mayor of Cleveland expressed the goal to become the first “15-minute city” in America at his State of the City speech. Experts say it’s possible.

April 18, 2022 - WKYC

Flooding at the Whitehall Street station, New York

New York City Plans To Boost Resilience Against Floods

How the city is taking action on green infrastructure and stormwater projects to protect neighborhoods from the rising risk of catastrophic flooding.

April 17, 2022 - Bloomberg CityLab

View of Fountain Square in Evanston, Illinois looking south-southeast towards Chicago and Lake Michigan

Chicago Suburbs Luring Back Major Employers

As more workers move away from the central city due to high costs and remote work opportunities, companies that once relocated downtown are eyeing Chicago’s suburbs once again.

April 15, 2022 - Bisnow

California

California Cities Could Face a Zoning Reckoning

As the state toughens rules related to its housing allocation process, cities statewide may finally be forced to overhaul their zoning codes to ensure an adequate supply of housing at all affordability levels.

April 14, 2022 - Diana Ionescu

Congestion

Planning and the Complicated Causes and Effects of Congestion

What do planners know about congestion, and what can they do about it? Explanations and solutions are less obvious than they seem (part one of a three-part series).

April 13, 2022 - James Brasuell

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.

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.