The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

A New Method to the Planning Vision for Bethesda, Maryland
Montgomery County, Maryland is pursuing significant changes for Downtown Bethesda. The proof is in the draft Bethesda Downtown Plan—a long-range land use plan that would allow a new approach to density.

Renovations Complete on Germany's Suspended Railway
A unique railway in Germany has a new look.

Legal Bow Hunting in a Suburban County
Large swaths of Fairfax County, Virginia allow bow hunting of deer in park spaces very close to where people live. One writer wonders if the benefits of "urban archery" are worth the risks.

$2.3 Billion Ohio River Bridges Project Complete in Louisville
Whether you call it the Louisville-Southern Indiana Ohio River Bridges Project, the Downtown Crossing, or the new Spaghetti Junction—call it done.

Stakeouts and 'Private Eyes': Monitoring Short-Term Rentals for Tenants' Rights
The constantly moving legal lines between regulators and short-term rental companies like Airbnb have taken on some distinctly noir activities.

The Surprising Region with the Nation's Worst Particulate Air Pollution
It's not Southern California, with its ports and congested freeways, California's Central Valley, with its bowl-like topography, Houston, with its oil refineries, or the midwest, with its coal power plants. Hint: think Santa Claus.

The Housing Market Recovery Extends to Phoenix
Experts expect the Phoenix region, a hot bed for the negative effects of the housing crash of the Great Recession, to become one of the nation's strongest housing markets in 2017.

Expected for Approval Today: The New Buffalo Green Code
The Buffalo Common Council is expected to approve a highly anticipated overhaul of its zoning code. Known commonly as the Buffalo Green Code, city planners tout the new code as deliberately contemporary and progressive.

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The Smart Growth Movement: A (Partial) Success
Has the smart growth movement succeeded? It depends how you measure "success."
Student Planners at the University of Nebraska Making a Difference in Lincoln
Graduate students pursuing the Master of Community and Regional Planning (MCRP) degree at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln have been collaborating this semester with NeighborWorks Lincoln and city and county partners to assess local neighborhoods.
Auto Companies Prepare for Decline of Car Ownership
It's no longer just transit agencies that are trying to meet the first mile-last mile challenge—auto companies have also jumped in by offering "mobility services." And it's more profitable than selling cars!
Uber's Self-Driving Cars Leave Hometown for Warmer, and Friendlier Climates
California's loss is Arizona's gain. That's how Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey see's Uber's decision on Thursday to haul their fleet of self-driving Volvos from San Francisco to Arizona after the company refused to secure the necessary operating permits.
Artists' Housing, Beyond the SoHo Loft Model
New York has promised to create 1,500 affordable live/work spaces for artists. Architect Emma Fuller believes that careful consideration of building typologies could make it easier to reach this target.
Do Factories Belong in Dense Urban Environments?
"Vertical Urban Factory," an in-depth visual and written study of urban industrial structures, is reviewed by urban environment author Carol Berens.
Wanted: High-Speed Rail Operator for California
The California High-Speed Rail Authority has taken the first official step to find a train operator for the initial operating segment of the 800-mile project: connecting the Central Valley to the Silicon Valley, with estimated completion by 2024.

New Seattle Loan Fund Finances Affordable Housing
As excitement builds around Seattle's voter-approved transit expansion plan, the REDI Fund will preserve space for low and middle-income residents in new transit-oriented developments.

Op-Ed: Exclusionary Zoning Worsens Education Gap
Pete Rodrigue pulls from multiple studies, arguing that zoning contributes to an education gap between rich and poor students. Housing costs lie at the heart of the problem.

How Rising Seas Threaten the NYC Metro Area
A report from the Regional Plan Association maps out what might happen under 1, 3, and 6 feet of sea level rise. In the worst cases, several dense and populated regions are affected.

Austin Still Needs Permission From Texas to Lower its Speed Limits
A decision by the city of Austin to support lower speed limits on some city streets will remain a symbolic gesture until the state allows local governments to establish their own speed limits.

Holiday Cheer from Detroit: Downtown Office Vacancies Have Rebounded in a Big Way
A new report on office vacancies in Downtown Detroit shows just how far Downtown Detroit has come in ten years.
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City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
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.