The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
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The false hope of comprehensive planning
<p> </p> <p style="line-height: 17px; margin: 0px" class="ecxMsoNormal"> It is conventional wisdom in some circles that “comprehensive planning” and sprawl are polar opposites- that planning is the enemy of sprawl. </p> <p style="line-height: 17px; margin: 0px" class="ecxMsoNormal"> But in fact, a comprehensive plan is almost as likely as a zoning code to be pro-sprawl.<span style="line-height: 17px"> </span>Many of the land use policies that make suburbs automobile-dependent (such as wide roads, long blocks, low density, single-use zoning, etc.) can just as easily be found in a comprehensive plan. </p>
Top Food Cities in the U.S.
Travel+Leisure polls its readers for the best cities for foodies, with New Orleans taking the top spot.
Clean Cars May Lose Express Lane Privilege in LA
Single occupant electric vehicles retained access to carpool lanes in California, while hybrid owners lost it on July 1st.
Participatory Budgeting Launches in New York City
In four New York City Council districts, residents will soon be able to propose and vote on capital projects to be funded by councilmember's budgets.
Montana Landowners Bring Wind Power Project to a Standstill
Phil Taylor of the New York Times writes about an ensuing battle between a Montana wind power transmission project, backed by eminent domain rights, and Montana landowners, fighting for cultural conservation of their land.
Farm Chic is the Latest Trend in Housing Developments
In the '00s, housing built around golf courses was all the rage. Stephanie Simon reports that today's consumer wants to live next to an organic farm, vineyard or other micro-rural setting.
Converting Vacant Lots to Farms Can Feed Cleveland Population, Study Finds
A recent study found that a city could completely live off food grown from urban agriculture. Sharanbir Grewal, the study's author, discovered in his analysis of Cleveland that the city could produce up to 48 percent of the city's fresh produce.
Urban Village Rising in El Paso
Montecillo, a 293-acre 'urban village', is the first development to take advantage of El Paso's new Smart Code. The project launched in May, and the developer is already preparing to get Phase 2 off the ground.
A Gradual Approach to Improve a Busy San Francisco Street
San Francisco has made steps to avert cars from Market Street, but the next steps to alleviate congestion are vague. A gradual rollout of trial experiments to gauge a method's success seems the most likely answer, reports Rachel Gordon.
Amsterdam's Mercator Square is a Work in Progress
Michèle Champagne of Open City Projects Inc. examines Amsterdam's Mercator Square and how it functions as an open space. The community around Mercator Square is ethnically diverse, has good urbanism details, yet violence still is a problem.
Making Artificial Mountains
In Berlin and The Netherlands, crazy ideas of building mountains for recreational purposes are actually being entertained.
Skyscraper Historic District Rubber Stamped in Brooklyn
Yesterday, the Brooklyn's Landmark Preservation Commission unanimously approved the creation of an historic district in the downtown.
House Approves 'Clean' Transportation Extension Bill
After a mere 45 minutes of debate on the House floor, Obama's requested transportation bill extension was approved by voice vote - unanimously. The extension will be for six months (not four as Senate committee had approved) and extends the gas tax.
The "Growing Divide" Between Cities With Kids and Cities Without Them
William Frey with the Brookings Institution explains that 1/3rd of the largest cities in the U.S. have seen significant losses of kids under 15, while babies are booming in the Southwest, Utah and Idaho.
A New Urban Portrait for Kigali, Rwanda
Kigali, Rwanda's capital city, is beginning to embrace an urban transect-based plan as a solution for its recent population growth and rapidly evolving economy.
Chattanooga, Tennessee: America's Favorite Town
At least, the favorite town of Outside Magazine's readership, in a survey of almost 22,000 readers. Outside says the factors that make Chattanooga hot range from "epic singletrack to progressive city planning."
Despite Ailing Economy, Manufacturing Spurs Cities' Growth
Durham-Chapel Hill, North Carolina and Titusvilla, Florida are metropolitan areas that grew faster than the national average in 2010, reports Ben Casselman for The Wall Street Journal.
Commuters Find Car-Free Lifestyle Easy in Washington D.C.
More than a quarter of D.C. households are car-free, federal data shows. The diverse options such as an efficient public transportation, bike share and Zipcar program make it easier for residents to ditch their cars.
Popular Complete Streets Policy Killed by City Council
According to Kari Petrie, a highly popular Complete Streets measure in St. Cloud, Minnesota couldn't get a majority of votes from the City Council.
BLOG POST
Manhattan Urbanism, 9/11, and the "Security-Silo"
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planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
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Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
