The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Largest Land Conservation in U.S. Sealed

<p>A deal between a Montana timber company and conservationists to preserve 320,000 acres of forest is the largest land conservation in U.S. history.</p>

July 1 - The Missoulian

BLOG POST

False Creek North - The Residents' Views

<span style="font-size: x-small; font-family: Arial"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial">What do the residents of Vancouver&#39;s False Creek North think of living in one of the largest centrally located, high-density, pedestrian- and family-oriented mixed-use neighbourhoods in the world?  </span></span><span style="font-size: x-small; font-family: Arial"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial"> </span></span> <p class="MsoNormal">

July 1 - Gordon Price

The Bronx Debuts BRT

<p>Wired rides the Bronx's new Bus Rapid Transit, and determines that "rapid" is in the eye of the beholder.</p>

July 1 - Wired

Oil and Coal Will Continue To Be Energy Mainstays

<p>Unless international carbon-capping treaties are implemented, fossil fuel consumption (with their greenhouse gas emissions) will increase 50% by 2030, largely resulting from growth in energy consumption in China and other developing nations.</p>

July 1 - Associated Press via Google News

What Makes A Neighborhood Historic?

<p>Older districts are often marked by high property values and traditional architecture, but it's not just aesthetics and history that define them. Some historic neighborhoods have gone through vast changes, while others don't appear "historic" at all.</p>

July 1 - Forbes


Best American Cities for Design

<p><em>Business Week</em> looks at a recent list of the best cities for design in America.</p>

July 1 - Business Week

Bad Mortgages and Gas Prices = Good For Cities?

<p>The article suggests that rising gas prices, enduring subprime mortgage crisis, and some changing demographics (i.e., the aging of Baby Boomers) are all contributing to the greater popularity of central city neighborhoods.</p>

July 1 - The Chicago Tribune


Honolulu Gets Higher

<p>A new condo proposal in a Honolulu neighborhood is 70 feet over the current height limits. Developers say new heights are necessary to make projects pencil out with rising construction costs.</p>

July 1 - Honolulu Advertiser

Should Public Meetings Offer Translation?

<p>Rezoning in New York's Lower East Side brings the issue of language to the fore, as members of the Spanish and Chinese communities find themselves unable to participate in important decisions about their neighborhoods.</p>

July 1 - The New York Times

Chicago Alleys Go Permeable

<p>As part of a plan to utilize the city's rainwater and recycle it back to lake Michigan, Chicago has been renovating its 13,00 alleys to become permeable surfaces, where rainwater can soak back into the ground. 40 alleys have been redone so far.</p>

June 30 - CNN

The Shaper of Boston

<p>The Boston Globe features an extensive profile of Kairos Shen, the city's new chief planner. Shen has had a hand in shaping most major projects in Boston already, and is poised to be a key player in Boston's future.</p>

June 30 - The Boston Globe

Eight Options on Table for Seattle's Alaskan Way Viaduct

State, county, and city officials revealed eight new options for dealing with Seattle's Alaskan Way Viaduct, a damaged double-decker inner city freeway.

June 30 - The Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Mayors Oppose Attack on Iran, Cite Effect of War on Cities

<p>Citing the great burden America's cities are bearing due to the war in Iraq, a coalition of Mayors allied with anti-war groups tabled a resolution opposing military action against Iran at the recent Conference of Mayors.</p>

June 30 - CommonDreams.org

U.S. Infrastructure Crumbling

<p>The Economist reviews the state of America's crumbling civil infrastructure. With water, transit, bridge, and road systems failing, experts call for increased investment and careful planning.</p>

June 30 - The Economist

Fresh Food Financing

<p>Pennsylvania is putting its money where its mouth is with the Fresh Food Financing Initiative, a $120 million fund to encourage inner-city groceries.</p>

June 30 - The Christian Science Monitor

Fed Freezes Solar Power

<p>The Bureau of Land Management, with a pile of solar power plans on its desk, declares a moratorium on building on public land until they can do environmental impact studies.</p>

June 30 - The New York Times

Is Urbanism to Blame For Social Alienation?

<p>This commentary from <em>ArchNewsNow</em> wonders whether urbanism is really the cause of social alienation, not the cure.</p>

June 30 - ArchNewsNow

Baltimore Neighborhood Looks to Transit for Revival

<p>West Baltimore residents and community groups see a new light rail project as their way up for their blighted neighborhood.</p>

June 30 - The Baltimore Sun

FEATURE

Autograph Architecture

Architect John Field believes that signature buildings by celebrity architects are destroying the urban fabric and our sense of community.

June 30 - John Field

GIS Solves Crimes

<p>Cops in Toronto catch a criminal through GIS plotting, and reporter Sara Barbour takes us on a tour of other unusual new applications of GIS.</p>

June 30 - Miller/McCune

Post News

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.

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.