Disney’s Cotino, in the Southern California desert, is the first of the company’s ‘Storybook Living’ developments.

The Disney company recently welcomed the press to view the first model homes in a residential community it’s building from scratch in the Southern California desert near Palm Springs, reports Shannon Power for Newsweek.
The 600-acre ‘Storyliving’ community dubbed Cotino — a dream or a dystopia based on your perspective — also promises “a vibrant mixed-use district featuring a range of shopping, dining and entertainment, a beachfront hotel and a professionally managed beach park with recreational water activities that can be accessed by the public through the purchase of a day pass.”
Disney has been tentatively engaging in residential development since the early 1990s, when it established the Disney Development Company and planned the community of Celebration, Florida (the company later divested control of the community). It later started Storyliving by Disney in 2022, with plans for communities in California and North Carolina.
FULL STORY: Disney Unveils First Model Homes in New California Desert City

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Congressman Proposes Bill to Rename DC Metro “Trump Train”
The Make Autorail Great Again Act would withhold federal funding to the system until the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), rebrands as the Washington Metropolitan Authority for Greater Access (WMAGA).

The Simple Legislative Tool Transforming Vacant Downtowns
In California, Michigan and Georgia, an easy win is bringing dollars — and delight — back to city centers.

Albuquerque’s Microtransit: A Planner’s Answer to Food Access Gaps
New microtransit vans in Albuquerque aim to close food access gaps by linking low-income areas to grocery stores, cutting travel times by 30 percent and offering planners a scalable model for equity-focused transit.

This City Will Pay You to Meet Your Neighbors
A North Kansas City grant program offers up to $400 for residents to throw neighborhood block parties.

Commentary: Our Silence Will Not Protect Us
Keeping our heads down and our language inoffensive is not the right response to the times we’re in. Solidarity and courage is.
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.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)