The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
LEED-ND Officially Launches
LEED for Neighborhood Development, seen by many as a corrective to the green building rating system emphasizing sustainability at the neighborhood scale, is now official. Kaid Benfield was part of its creation, and has this report.
Are NIMFYs Next?
Converting front lawns into edible gardens is becoming popular, but some neighbors only see ugliness and worry about their property values. Are we entering the age of Not In My Front Yard (NIMFY)?
Seeking Preservation in Beijing
Wang Jun, author of two best-selling books on urban history and planning in China, became an advocate of historic preservation after watching Beijing's old city destroyed and rebuilt as skyscrapers.
More Companies Moving Back to the City
The suburbanization of business headquarters may be coming to an end.
Planning to Improve Public Health
Public health was an early impetus for better urban planning. But over the years, it has faded into the background. This piece from <em>Miler-McCune</em> looks at how health concerns are moving their way back into mainstream planning.
Georgia Transportation Bill Just the First Step
The Georgia legislature recently passed the Transportation Investment Act of 2010, which could greatly transform the urban realm in Atlanta and the rest of the state. The key phrase here is "could".
Inside the World of Maps
This series from the <em>BBC</em> looks at the art and innovation of cartography.
L.A. is Still #1
In terms of smog, metropolitan Los Angeles is still the worst city in the United States. In fact, all 10 of the smoggiest counties are in California, according to an annual report from the American Lung Association.
Won't Somebody Think of the Children?
Kids make up a big part of city populations. But often the built environment doesn't reflect a world planned with children in mind. This post from <em>Polis</em> looks at an effort to put children's needs back in the minds of planners.
FEATURE
Changing the World One Block at a Time
The neighborhood is the basic building block of human society, and successful efforts to make the world a better place often start right there, says Jay Walljasper.
Immigrants Twice as Likely to Bike
New research shows that recent immigrants are twice as likely to ride bicycles as other Americans. Though the health impact is beneficial, the ridership is less likely to continue in the second generation.
Controversial Offshore Wind Farm off Massachusetts Approved
U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar today approved the first offshore wind farm in the United States, a project that faced vocal opposition from local tribes and others.
New Amtrak Train Runs On Beef
Beef by-products, turned into bio-diesel, make up 20% of the fuel being used today by Amtrak's Heartland Flyer between Fort Worth and Oklahoma City.
Developers Spearhead Smart Growth Makeover
Rockville Pike, Maryland has grown haphazardly and auto-centrically for the past few decades. A group of developers has brought planners and politicians together to makeover the town with smart growth principles.
A Self-Sustaining Urban Fish Farm
The Massachusetts Avenue Project in Buffalo's West Side is an urban fish farm designed to be a completely self-sustaining ecosystem, with food for the fish grown on the premises.
BLOG POST
DIY Urbanism: One Block, One Shipping Pallet at a Time
<!--StartFragment--><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; font-family: Cambria"> <a href="http://www.kunstler.com">Jim Kunstler</a> once said that if the 20th Century was about getting around, the 21st Century is about staying in places worth staying in.
Toxic Suburbia
A 50-acre section of the Los Angeles suburb of Carson is contaminated with methane gas and benzene. Owners of the 285 homes in the area are left with few options.
The Greenest Cities
CNN explores the world's 'greenest' urban centers, and find that complexity is the secret of their success.
A Local City Way of Thinking
That's where Sugar Hill, Georgia is headed, says City Manager Bob Hail. He says, "You can live here, work here and you can play here. That's the whole idea."
Why Peak Oil Will Bring us Closer
In this excerpt from his new book "Eaarth", Bill McKibben discusses how such efforts as the Transition movement and farmer's markets are tapping into our need for neighbors.
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.
