The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
New Philadelphia Zoning Code Passes Unanimously
By a vote of 17-0, Philadelphia City Council passed into law the final report of the Zoning Code Commission Thursday morning during its final session of the year. The new code was four years in the making.
China's Abandoned "Wonderland"
Once billed as China's answer to Disneyland, the now-rusting ruins of Wonderland attest to the unsustainability of China's development industry.
Land Conservation Increasing in Spite of Recession
Land trust have been able to increase their holds during the last five years. Lower land prices and conservation easements on working ranches and farms have enabled greater conservation efforts.
Lawyers Call for Zoning Changes in NYC
The NYC Bar Association Committee advocates making amendments to the city's the current Zoning Resolution to make the city more sustainable.
IKEA to Build A Neighborhood
International company IKEA, known for their low-cost design furniture, will develop a 26-acre complete London neighborhood.
Good News/Bad News For GM's Volt
October saw the first time the plug-in hybrid Volt outsell the all-electric Leaf; Consumer Reports rates Volt owners the most satisfied, but the car's potential to catch on fire is being investigated, and the $7,500 EV tax credit is under attack.
Congress Mulling Extending Transit Pretax Benefits
The benefits, which allow for up to $230 a month of pretax income to be set aside for transit commuting, may dip to just $125 a month if Congress does not decide on an extension by the end of the month.
Federal HOME Program Suffers From Lack of Oversight
West Palm Beach is demanding millions of dollars of one organization to correct greedy actions under HUD's HOME program. Kimberly Miller reports on how this is just the latest incident in an "easy to game" federal program.
What Happens To All That Trash?
In New York, according to Urban Omnibus, "Each week, approximately 64,000 tons of household and institutional waste are collected. ... But public awareness of what happens to that trash once it leaves the curb is limited."
The Benefits of Urban Forests
Poor air quality has led to an explosion of a health problems among vulnerable populations, claims the American Society of Landscape Architects. This video explains how urban forests provide environmental benefits to densely populated cities.
The Unbelievable Mass of Walmart
When Walmart comes to your town and wants to build a SuperCenter, you may not understand the sheer magnitude of the entity that it is. This helpful infographic explains how huge the world's largest retailer really is.
How Planning is Like Growing Tomatoes
An organic system is rarely the sum of its parts. Nothing demonstrates this as clearly as sinking your teeth into a store-bought tomato, writes Ben Brown.
Security Concerns Create Opportunities for Public Spaces
With federal funding throw at homeland security over the last decade, architects and urban designers found an opportunity to develop great public spaces that are enjoyable as well as secure, writes Carol Strickland.
New Report: States Held Accountable For Their Gas Tax Policies
The Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy has released a '50-state report' on state gas excise taxes - when they were last raised, the revenue loss to each state due to failure to maintain the tax, and what it would cost drivers to raise it.
Columbia Pike Streetcar is the Better Design
According to Miles Grant, "the streetcar is a relative bargain purely on the basis of direct cost per estimated user, not even including the external costs of sprawl and pollution that new and improved highways engender."
Redevelopment Project Across from Wrigley Field
According to Tribune staff reporter Ameet Sachdev, "owners of the Chicago Cubs bought property across the street from Wrigley Field from McDonald's Corp. for $20 million, expanding their opportunities to redevelop areas around the stadium."
Santa Monica OKs Urban Forest Master Plan
The plan is believed to set a precedent for urban forestry management. It includes a Street Tree Designations component, created in response to one failed attempt to replace non-native palms with other types of trees.
Communities Grapple for Land Control Amid Gas Drilling
In one Pennsylvania township and elsewhere, gas drilling companies are getting zoning concessions to drill on private property. The industry is standing its ground as communities voice their opposition.
High-Speed Rail Project Faces Opposition
In California, a recent poll, according to Charles Chieppo, brought bad news stating that 53% of the states voters approved a $9.9 billion bond three years ago, but of those polled, 64% support a re-vote, and 59% would vote no if they had the chance.
One Hundred Miles
County of Mendocino
planning NEXT
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
Montrose County
Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA)
The Pocatello Development Authority
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.
