The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Density And The 'Downzoning Uprising'

Density means vitality and energy for a city...as long as it is not too close to home.

October 12 - The New York Times

Many Big Planning Visions For New Big Easy

Planners look to reconceive what took 300 years to evolve.

October 12 - The Christian Science Monitor

Don't Ask Poor to Bear Cost of Smart Growth Goals

The U.S. settlement system has created a powerful link between access and opportunity: research demonstrates that commuting by car significantly increases the employment and earnings of working families. The suburbanization of employment, the presence of

October 12 - The Washington Monthly

Three Technology Startups Take On Gridlock

MIT's Technology review examines Traffic.com, Inrix, and Circumnav Networks -- three startup firms that offer sophisticated, real-time traffic information.

October 12 - MIT Technology Review

FEATURE

URISA 2005 Annual Conference Photos

Spatial information professionals gather at the 43rd Annual Conference of the Urban and Regional Information Systems Association being held in Kansas City, MO.

October 11 - Abhijeet Chavan


Twin Cities Metropolitan Council Publishes 'Local Planning Handbook'

The Twin Cities Metropolitan Council of local governments publishes a web-based "Local Planning Handbook" to guide planners in the seven-county metropolitan area through the preparation and updating of their city and county comprehensive plans.

October 11 - Metropolitan Council DIRECTIONS

Mechanizing The Manufactured Modern House

Thus far, modern architecture hasn't taken advantage of modern prefab technology -- but an architect in Missouri is looking to change that with a low-cost, modern manufactured house.

October 11 - The New Yorker


A Baby Boomer Tsunami? Maybe Not

The the next five years, the oldest members of the baby boom generation will turn 65, causing alarms in some quarters about a "retirement tsunami." Will this demographic shift be as dramatic as doomsayers claim?

October 11 - Stateline

Lowering The Speeding Limit To Improve Air Quality

The government in The Netherlands has voted to reduce the speed limit on its busiest highways to help the air quality in the country.

October 11 - Shared Spaces

Parisians Protest The SUV

A group of environmentalists calling itself Les Dégonflés are waging a war on Parisian SUVs -- and their campaign is gaining support across the city.

October 11 - The Los Angeles Times

How City Hall Caused Sprawl in Atlanta

How local government policy -- as opposed to state and federal policies -- contributed to Atlanta's sprawl.

October 11 - Social Science Research Network/Ecology Law Quarterly

Housing Boom Jumps The Mexican Border; A Global Housing Bubble?

American buyers -- usually from California -- are using equity in their US homes to buy vacation homes in southern half of the Baja Peninsula, causing the Baja housing market to sizzle.

October 11 - The Los Angeles Times

The Downzoning Uprising... In NYC

The neighborhood preservation movement has arrived in New York City, and residents are pushing back against ever-increasing density.

October 11 - The New York Times

Planning for a Disaster-Resistant Community

The American Planning Association offers a workbook about hazards and how they affect communities.

October 11 - Smart Growth Online

Oregon's Growth Boundaries: Constitutionality and Policy

Is Oregon's urban growth boundary (UGB) program -- the most stringent anti-sprawl measure adopted by any U.S. state -- constitutional? Has it saved Portland from effects of sprawl?

October 10 - Utah Law Review, Social Science Research Network

Hollywood's Time to Shine

Hollywood, California, is finding new life, new residents, and new business thanks to ambitious redevelopment plans.

October 10 - Urban Land Magazine

Saving The Climate Must Begin In Cities

Cities account for 75% of the world's enegry use. A few successful strategies to reduce emissions could cause massive changes in the environment.

October 10 - Nature

Can America Accept Toll Roads?

Columnist Neal Peirce offers the hard truth about the economic realities of gas prices and road taxes.

October 10 - Denver Post / Neal Peirce

How Seattle's Monorail Proposal Crashed And Burned

The Seattle Monorail was supposed to represent the future of transportation. Now the monorail proposal is "a smoldering wreck." What happened?

October 10 - The Weekly Standard

Loft Development in Detroit Accelerates

Thanks to new Neighborhood Entreprise Zone designations, loft development is becoming more viable in Detroit.

October 10 - The Detroit Free Press

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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.