The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Charting the Climate Change Crisis
Analysis of global greenhouse gas emissions data points to the sectors, activities, and countries that are the biggest contributors.

PLANOPEDIA
What Is Mixed-Use Development?
Long an urban norm, mixed-use neighborhoods fell out of favor in the United States in the automobile age as single-use zoning became common. These days, mixed-use development is back in vogue, but implementation remains a challenge.

Transit-Friendly Makeover for Downtown Seattle Street
Transit commutes have borne the brunt of ongoing deconstruction work around Alaskan Viaduct in Downtown Seattle. Allowing two-way bus-only lanes on Columbia Street is supposed to improve the situation.

Opinion: Climate Change Has Brought the 'Era of Extreme' to the Great Lakes
Severe flooding in these coastal areas will become the norm, but how to best address the environmental challenges is not entirely clear.

The Leaning Tower of Dallas Is Too Good for This World
A failed demolition has created a new, albeit temporary, landmark for Dallas.

Waterfront Toronto Greenlights Most of Sidewalk Labs' Quayside Master Plan
An evaluation committee made up of Waterfront Toronto staff has given a green light for the Sidewalk Labs master plan for Toronto to proceed to the next stages of planning.

Airbnb, Denver Struggle to Find Common Ground
Where other cities have found common ground with Airbnb and the short-term rental industry, Denver's negotiations toward regulations have continued since 2018 with little to show for the effort.

Refugees Learn to Survive as Pedestrians on Houston's Dangerous Streets
For one refugee family, living in Houston has meant facing a host of new challenges as they traverse the city’s roadways without a car.

A Path for California to Get to Zero Carbon...And Below
A new study from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory evaluates strategies to achieve former Gov. Jerry Brown's goal of carbon neutrality by 2045. Unlike other reports that study emission reductions, it evaluates "negative emissions" strategies.

Opinion: L.A. Parking Requirements Need Serious Revamp
Los Angeles has a parking problem—namely, too much of it—caused by minimum parking requirements.

Paying for the Senate Highway Bill Would Require Additional $102 Billion
Under the new bill, the Highway Trust Fund would need more funding to get through the next five years.

Neighborhood Preference Splits on Partisan Lines
Preferences in the characteristics of communities—from the shape of the built environment to demographics—reveal stark partisan preferences. Planners are faced with the task of navigating ideological divides.

Zoning Code Update Makes the Nightly News in Cleveland
The potential of form-based codes to re-legalize the historic fabric of Cleveland is explained for the nightly news audience.

To Curb the Honking, Mumbai’s 'Punishing Signal'
Incessant honking just adds to the chaos on city streets, so Mumbai police put up a clever device to remind drivers that making noise will not ease traffic woes.

PLANOPEDIA
What Is Eminent Domain?
One of the most controversial powers defined by the Bill of Rights, eminent domain is the term used to describe the government's power to seize private property for public use.

The Smart Cities Revolution Happened, but Cities Were Left Out of Loop
Cities have transformed in profound ways, but more recent changes were the last part of a series of technology waves.

Congestion Pricing Has Mayoral Support in San Francisco
Additional disincentives for driving (i.e., congestion pricing and new parking fees) are on the mayor's agenda in San Francisco.

The Complex Story Behind the Failure of California's Upzoning Bill
SB 50 was often viewed as an attack on wealthy, single-family homeowners, but housing justice advocates also had issues with the legislation.

FEATURE
Prop 13 on the Ballot in California—Just Not the Prop 13 Everyone's Worried About
A case of mistaken identity has embroiled California in election controversy, as claims of bias and misinformation swirl around Prop 13 (2020), Prop 13 (1978), and an anticipated "split roll" initiative.

L.A. Officials to Look at Possibility of Car-Free Downtown Broadway
Los Angeles may follow in San Francisco’s footsteps by banning cars along a stretch of a downtown thoroughfare.
Pagination
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
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.