The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Urban Planning In Its Most Primitive Form
The emerging and controversial Israeli barrier wall is in some ways a model of planning reduced to its most primitive goal: separation.
Clean Air, Cheap Energy, Or Jobs?
Closing a massive coal-fired power planet will result in cleaner air, more expensive energy, and a massive job and royalty income loss for the Hopi Tribe and Navajo Nations.
363,584,435
The Census Bureau's projected U.S. population for the year 2030 is 363,584,435, 23 percent more than today's population of 296 million. The Washington Post asks six observers how this growth will change the country?
EPA's New Fuel Efficiency Ratings May Reduce Vehicle Models
Auto manufacturers have been required to meet overall efficiency standards for their fleets. More realistic CAFE ratings may translate into fewer of the more popular but less fuel-efficient models on showroom floors next year.
Saratoga's New 'Anti-Development' Mayor
Valerie Keehn rode a wave of resentment over new development in Saratoga Springs to become the city's new mayor, surprising many, and worrying the development and planning communities.
Does New BRT Reduce Freeway Congestion?
Researchers at UC Berkeley determine that Los Angeles' new Orange busway has reduced traffic on the 101 Freeway, although in such a small amount that most commuters have not noticed.
Downtown Los Angeles' $10 Billion Renaissance
Depsite having the most concentrated population of the homeless in the western US, $10 billion in investment is transforming gritty downtown Los Angeles into a "Manhattan of the West Coast."
World Trade Center Redevelopment to Have Residential Component
With a decisive win in his re-election, Mayor Bloomberg spoke to his priorities for his final term as chief of the the US's largest city in his second inaugural address on New Year's Day: Affordable housing and the World Trade Center.
The Enormous US Dam Problem No One Is Talking About
While Congress quickly approved $3 billion to restore New Orleans' levees, a bill to help states repair aging dams has languished for a year.
The Future Of Transit: The Stackable Car?
MIT's Smart Cities team proposes a "stackable car" to be used as part of a public transportation program, much like those bicycle-sharing programs in Europe. [Includes photos.]
Building Industry May Sue Air District Over Aggressive New Pollution Fee Rule
The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District in December, 2005 approved the Indirect Source Rule, making it the first Air District in the US to regulate land uses, much to the ire of the building industry. Will they take the Air District to court?
The Transformation of the San Francisc's Transbay Terminal
Will San Francisco finally get its train station? Plans are underway to create the "Grand Central Terminal of the West" from the underused Transbay Terminal.
New Jersey Begins Considering Water In Planning
Despite a history of plentify supply, water is a central issue in New Jersey's future growth as it races to become the first state to reach full build-out of its developable land.
Land Use Regulations and Housing Prices
A new report from Harvard shows that Boston's housing affordability crisis is created fundamentally by regulation.
Promising Tax Relief for Canada's Public Transit Users
In Vancouver, Conservative leader Stephen Harper announces that public-transit users would be eligible for a tax credit under a Tory government.
A World Where Cars Lack Efficient Personal Mobility
The stubborn car culture rooted in American suburbanism does not have to be fought; eventually, through successful examples and experiments, the automobile will be viewed as a valued commodity in certain situations, rather than a ubiquitous solution.
A Laboratory For Sustainable Urban Living
Portland activists are trying to preserve a seven-acre community farm as a model for environmentally sound living.
Curbing Inner City 'Condofication'
An editorial outlines ideas for dampening effects of California's Ellis Act, which allows landlords to "go out of business" and evict tenants, possibly in order to sell buildings for condo conversion.
Equating Poverty With Abuse?
A Boulder County writer argues that the local social service agency has separated children from parents due only to impoverished living conditions.
Idaho's Newest Planned Community Continues to Move Forward
A large development may be constructed near Boise in the wake of arguments between city and county planning officials.
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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.