The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Downtown LA Stadium Developers Release 10,000 Page EIR
David Zahniser and Ari Bloomekatz report on yesterday's release of the EIR for a proposed $1 billion football stadium in downtown LA, by developer AEG, which intends to take significant steps to encourage event-goers to use mass transit.
New Riverfront Rail Trail in America's "Most Livable City"
Pittsburgh is smoothing over the residue of its industrial past, turning an abandoned railway into a waterfront park, Paige Miller reports.
Can Tappan Zee Park Make It Past the Drawing Board?
Plans to transform New York's Tappan Zee Bridge into a park have captured the public's imagination, but some speculate it's just a pipe dream, Peter Applebome reports.
Is a Denser Future Best for Los Angeles?
Inspired by the controversial new Community Plan for Hollywood, <em>The New York Times</em> has invited six debaters to its opinion pages to offer their views on whether Los Angeles should "New Yorkify".
BLOG POST
Getting into Planning School: How Much do Transcripts Matter?
I’ve had a lot of questions lately from students about how important transcripts are in the graduate admissions process. Your application is one of the few times anyone will actually read your transcript so it has some importance.
Making Sustainable Food More Accessible to Less Fortunate Americans
As government funding for programs that make fresh fruits and vegetables available to low-income women and young children get cut, Sarah Parsons asks how to make the sustainable food movement less elitist.
Find Yourself A City to Live In
Emily Badger examines a new tool unveiled this week that makes finding your ideal city, and fulfilling the commandment of the Talking Heads' 1979 song "Cities," much easier.
The Ugliest Buildings in the World?
<em>The Telegraph</em> takes a shot at identifying the 21 ugliest buildings ever designed and built. Some of their choices will no doubt surprise you, including one that hasn't even been completed.
New Exhibit Documents the Promise of Mid-Century Baghdad
Julie V. Iovine examines a new exhibition at the Center for Architecture in New York that seeks to capture the spirit of architectural possibility and optimism that defined midcentury Baghdad.
America Chooses More Urban and Less Suburban
Haya El Nasser and Paul Overberg report on how current trends could cause the extinction of suburban sprawl.
BLOG POST
More logical fallacies in planning policy
A couple of weeks ago, Todd Litman made a blog entry on logical fallacies in planning.*<span> </span>After looking at the list of possible fallacies at the end of his post, I thought I would show some (hopefully not too common) examples of these fallacies: <p class="MsoNormal"> <strong>Ad hominem</strong> (arguing against the person rather than the argument) – “Smart growth is in the U.N's Agenda 21 so we have to fight it to stop the U.N's plan to socialize the world.”<span> </span>“Concern about urban containment is just another example of Tea Party extremism.” </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <strong>Anageon</strong> (relying on inevitability)- “Sprawl is inevitable, so there’s nothing we can do about it.” </p>
Monumental Regional Plan for Southern California Gets Final Approval
As the largest council of governments in the country adopts a $525 billion transportation and land use plan for the next two decades, Josh Stephens marks the beginning of Southern California's age of climate-friendly, smart-growth regionalism.
Do Hybrid Cars Make Cents?
According to Nick Bunkley, and data compiled by TrueCar.com, probably not. Aside from two hybrids and a diesel car, gas would need to cost $8 a gallon before most hybrids cover their increased initial cost versus a similar, non-hybrid model.
Detroit Cuts Deal to Avoid State Takeover
Just 24 hours before Governor Snyder's deadline for appointing an emergency manager for Detroit to help rein in its budgetary troubles, the city council has voted to approve a consent agreement with the State of Michigan.
Asking What Comes Next, as Maryland Tries to Move Beyond Sprawl
McKay Jenkins looks at the challenges confronting Maryland as the state tries to reckon with the devastating consequences of the era of sprawl and prepare for an additional one million people over the next twenty five years.
How Can Atlanta Become a Smart City?
Maggie Comstock looks at what it takes to be considered a "Smart City", and asks what an organizationally and infrastructurally challenged city like Atlanta can do to raise its IQ.
New Platform Aims to Be a Facebook for Cities
Claire Thompson profiles Neighborland, an online urban planning platform that aims to promote organic conversations that can build momentum and facilitate connections around improvement projects.
There's More to Compact Cities Than Mid and High-Rise Housing
The mismatch between current US housing stock and the growing demand for walkable urban living can be addressed in part by recovering the skills required for intermediate-density housing, argues Dan Parolek.
Bay Area's Population Problem: More Out Than In
More people leave the 9-county region than migrate there from other states. In fact, the population would be in decline if it wasn't for foreign migration. Notably missing from the report on Census data is the birth rate for the region.
Snapping Up Foreclosures on a Whole New Scale
A California real estate group aims to capitalize on cheap foreclosures, collecting homes en masse thanks to a semi-automated decisionmaking system.
Borough of Carlisle
Smith Gee Studio
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)
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.
