The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Zoning Squashes Wedding Plans
<p>Heather Stewart's vision of a country wedding in a resorted country barn are thwarted by code enforcement officers at the last minute. 'We have zoning rules and building codes that always get in the way of dreams,' Reinsborough said.</p>
Hate Your Long-Distance Commute? Then Move
<p>A recent L.A. Times series suggests that we should build more Southern California freeways for long-distance commuters, and prevent additional job development in employment-heavy areas. Bill Fulton suggests a different approach.</p>
FEATURE
Scooting in a City Built for Cars
Rising gas prices and thickening traffic congestion make small, fuel-efficient scooters seem like a great way to get around. But on roads built mainly for speeding cars, scooting can be scary. Occasional scooter-rider Pam Diaz argues it shouldn't be.
Of Cyclepaths and Psychopaths
<p>Cyclists Bill Reynolds muses on the freedom offered by the bicycle -- and the tragic tendency for cyclists to fall victim to automobiles.</p>
New Cruise Ship Will Have Its Own 'Central Park'
<p>Royal Caribbean is building the world's largest cruise ship, which will be a city in its own right with seven different neighborhoods and a central public space/urban park.</p>
Learning from Arlington
<p>Columnist Roger K. Lewis reflects on Arlington's Rosslyn-Ballston corridor and what other cities can learn from their success.</p>
'My Winnipeg': City as Myth, Prison, and Home
<p>An international film festival favorite, Guy Maddin's hard-to-classify documentary "My Winnipeg" revels in and at the same time mocks the Canadian city's mythologies.</p>
U.S. House Debates Smart Growth
<p>The House Select Committee for Energy Independence and Global Warming met Thursday to discuss smart growth and its ability to reduce energy use and emissions.</p>
Houston Thinks About Changing Lifestyles to Fight Congestion
<p>This segment from <em>NPR</em> features a discussion with Houston Mayor Bill White about the city's increasing congestion, the limits of zoning, and the population's reaction to rising gas prices.</p>
Bangla-Doomed?
<p>Rising sea levels caused by global climate change are predicted to swallow the country of Bangladesh by the end of the century.</p>
St. Charles Streetcar Clangs Back to Life
<p>The streetcar returns to New Orleans' St. Charles Ave., a step forward in the long struggle to get the city's transit back on it's feet after Katrina.</p>
Cap and Play
<p>This commentary from the <em>Los Angeles Times</em> calls for creation of a central park for the city, made by putting a "cap" over a section of freeway.</p>
Optical Illusion Speed Bumps Tested in Philadelphia
<p>Optical illusions painted on the streets of Philadelphia are being tested out as a method for getting drivers to slow down.</p>
Jaime Lerner's Ideas Go Global
Metropolis Magazine talks with bus rapid transit pioneer Jaime Lerner about the gradual global spread of his successful ideas from Curitiba.
Friday Funny: Buy An SUV, Get the Illusion of Low Gas Prices
<p>Chrysler's "Let's Refuel America" campaign promises to subsidize your gas as if you were paying $2.99 a gallon if you buy one of their large vehicles. Cartoonist Ruben Bolling spoofs the thinking behind the program in this cartoon.</p>
Handicapped Spots on Residential Streets?
<p>A struggle in Newburyport, Mass., poses an interesting question- should residential neighborhoods have handicapped street parking for residents who need it?</p>
Governor Backs Rail For Metro Atlanta
<p>Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue has surprised many in the state by reversing his position and pledging full support for commuter rail in metropolitan Atlanta.</p>
Art Deco Capitals: South Beach, New York City...Tulsa?
<p>Preservationists are working to save numerous art deco architectural landmarks in Tulsa, Oklahoma. A boom began at the height of the oil boom and returned after modernism fell out of style.</p>
New Lines Approved For Houston Light Rail
<p>A five-line extension of Houston's light rail system was just approved by the city council.</p>
'Alarming' Increases In Shopping Center Vacancies
<p>Empty retail space increased dramatically over the last six months, according to data compiled by commercial real estate brokers and investment advisors.</p>
City of Thousand Oaks
City of Wisconsin Rapids
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA)
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
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.
