The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Holding The Line On Miami-Dade's Urban Development Boundary
<p>Citing strained resources, Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez has vetoed a number of development projects located outside of the County's ever-tenuous urban development boundary.</p>
...Because It's Called 'Lawndale', Not 'Concretedale'
<p>The Southern California city of Lawndale has passed tight restrictions that prohibit residents from paving their front yards with concrete -- an effort to reduce the amount of vehicles parked in front yards and fight what some call a "sea of gray."</p>
The Catalyst For Urban Renewal
<p>Urban cores have undergone a long period of depopulation and depression. But with cities across the country attempting to bring these areas back, a few simple strategies are laying the groundwork.</p>
The Two Faces of California's Upcoming Election Year
<p>In California, the 2008 election year may result in victories for two contrasting interest: those who want to limit eminent domain powers and those seeking increased regulation of land use, writes William Fulton.</p>
Tapping The Power Of The Desert Sun
<p>The European Union and the desert countries of Northern Africa may form a collaborative effort to harvest solar energy in the desert areas. The solar power effort could power about one-sixth of Europe if it goes through.</p>
Is The Gate Closing On Gated Communities?
<p>The luster seems to have come off of gated communities: not only is the market for them shrinking, but they are facing rates of crime and foreclosure no different from other forms of development.</p>
Commercial Developers Finding Value In Mixed Use
<p>A tax-increment financed mixed-use mall redevelopment is showing signs of success in suburban Salt Lake City, Utah, raising nearby property values and indicating a trend amongst commercial developers who are finding profit by mixing uses.</p>
BLOG POST
Planning Schools: To Rank, Or Not To Rank?
<p>Professor Lance Freeman's <a href="/node/28749">recent post</a> about Planetizen's rankings of graduate planning programs does an excellent job of summarizing some of the thorniest problems with school rankings. The editors of Planetizen certainly agree with Professor Freeman when he states that rankings cannot accurately predict whether a particular program will provide a particular student with the type of education he or she would deem best. There are far too many individual factors involved, and any student who makes their decision primarily on the basis of such rankings would be doing themselves a great disservice. This point is also the reason why most of the 142 pages of the <a href="/guide">2007 Planetizen Guide to Graduate Urban Planning Programs</a> consist of detailed profiles of programs -- not rankings.<br /><br />However, we continue to believe, as Professor Freeman also acknowledges, that rankings do provide a useful measure of comparison for students who are evaluating a graduate program of study in planning -- something that is likely to be the largest single investment in their educational career. Therefore, we are planning to publish a new edition of the Planetizen Guide to Graduate Urban Planning Programs in the spring. In addition, we're working to improve our rankings process to help address some the concerns that Professor Freeman and others have raised.
A Killer View
<p>A Las Vegas homeowner has been convicted of killing more than 500 trees to improve his property's view of the famous Las Vegas Strip.</p>
Turning Abandoned Railways To Greenspace In Indiana
<p>The state of Indiana has announced plans to purchase more than 150 miles of abandoned railways, much of which is slated to become greenspace.</p>
Bikes on Trains: The Downside Of A Popular Program
<p>Caltrain's bicycle program has proven so popular that bike riders are regularly 'bumped', i.e they are left at the platform because the bike capacity has been reached, and relief doesn't appear to be forthcoming.</p>
Heat Islands or Hot Air?
<p>Sprawlmeisters take warning, advises Rob Steuteville's red-sky-at-night commentary from <em>New Urban News</em>. Your days of high pressure spin are numbered.</p>
Eminent Domain In The Spotlight
<p>With the recent multi-million dollar settlement over a Connecticut town's abuse of eminent domain, the land acquisition practice is facing increasing scrutiny nationwide.</p>
BLOG POST
Vancouver's EcoDensity Initiative Takes Next Step
<p> <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial"> </span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial">In an earlier post, I wrote about how the EcoDensity Initiative here in Vancouver has been transforming the public dialogue about density<span style="color: blue"> ( <a href="/node/25399">http://www.planetizen.com/node/25399</a> ). </span>Since then, over autumn, the conversations have intensified, with Vancouverites from all perspectives weighing in. Just Google "ecodensity" for a flavour of what’s being written, in media, articles, and blogs, etc. The community is very aware and engaged in this important initiative, and that’s a great thing.</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: blue"> </span> </p>
TOD Should Not Be Transit Agency's Business
<p>This editorial from the <em>Rocky Mountain News</em> argues that the Denver-area Regional Transportation District needs to stay true to its promise that it will not use eminent domain to acquire land for transit oriented development.</p>
Criticism Causes San Diego Politicians To Rethink Plan
<p>California Attorney General Jerry Brown's criticism of San Diego's regional transportation plan has some politicians in the area considering a major revision of the region's smart growth strategy.</p>
After City Inaction, Philadelphia Casino Construction Approved By Court
Calling out the Philadelphia City Council for "deliberate inaction" on a casino developer's zoning requests, the state Supreme Court has overstepped the city authority to approve the casino's construction.
Project Approved Under Measure 37 To Test Measure 49
<p>A subdivision project enabled by Oregon's Measure 37 and already under development when the state's voter passed the counteractive Measure 49 in November may be allowed to continue, raising questions about how to interpret to competing measures.</p>
Mobility More Of A Concern As Boomers Age
<p>Access to transportation for the elderly is of increasing concern as baby boomers approach retirement. Though the problem is major, many communities already have some programs in place to improve mobility for seniors.</p>
Tyler Technologies
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
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