The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Closing Liquor Stores, Hoping to Gain Public Health
A new zoning code in Baltimore will reduce the number of liquor stores in the city in hopes of reducing the violent crime rate. Will there be unintended consequences?

NACTO Guide Aids Bike Safety in the Intersection
Despite massive progress in building out new protected bike lanes, many communities are still coming up short with safety improvements at intersections, the location of most vehicle-bike conflicts.

2019 ParkScore Rankings Now Available
The trust for Public Land today announced the 2019 ParkScore rankings.

Streets in Dense Urban Areas Safer Than Suburban 'Stroads,' Study Finds
A new study considers urban form, roadway characteristics, traffic collisions, and fatalities in the Philadelphia region, to show that the densest parts of regions are the safest places to drive and walk.

ADU Development Reaches 'Fever Pitch'
Accessory dwelling units, also known as granny flats of mother-in-law units, are gaining popularity all over the country.

The Uncertain Flood Zone
Communities need accurate maps and more access to data to increase flood resilience—but right now FEMA's not providing that.

Tech Momentum Gathers Outside the Silicon Valley and New York City
Think Columbus, Ohio and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Study: How Beauty Is a Boon for Cities
Richard Florida discusses a study finding a range of connections between a city or neighborhood's aesthetic appeal and its economic health.

Political Fireworks as HUD Secretary Carson Testifies to Congress
U.S. Department of Housing and Development (HUD) Secretary Ben Carson testified before the Financial Services Committee yesterday. The media had plenty to report after the hearing.

Report: Many More Apartments Needed in and Around Columbus
New apartments aren't rising as fast as the population, and rents, in central Ohio.

Streetcar Facing $1.4 Million Budget Deficit in Cincinnati
The Cincinnati Streetcar, now known as the Bell Connector, weathered numerous controversies on the way to completion. Now it faces the prospect of balancing its budget less than three years after launching.

Shared-Equity Homeownership: A Primer
Alternative models of homeownership involving shared equity may be able to offset the urban housing crunch. They include the subjects of this discussion: community land trusts and housing co-ops.

Big Development Opportunities Envisioned for Atlanta's Hulsey Yard
CSX moved operations away from Hulsey Yard, so what should the land become?

Citywide Ban on New Drive-Thrus Moves Forward in Minneapolis
The city of Minneapolis doesn't want any more drive-throughs in the city, in an effort to cut down on emissions, car trips, and conflict points in the public realm.

State Preemption and Electric Scooters
The great battle between local control and state preemption shifts focus again in California. This time micromobility, electric scooters and the like, are on the front line of the conflict.

Asthma and Planning
Re-evaluating the role of planning in creating, and reversing, disturbing public health outcomes, like asthma rates among African-Americans in Philadelphia.

More Cities and Counties Arming Renters Against Source of Income Discrimination
St. Louis County is considering fair housing legislation that would prevent source of income discrimination, as many cities in the region have already done, and many more are also considering.

Planning and the Public Trust
The Go Cultivate! podcast recently discussed the question of public trust in local government planning.

The Political Segregation of U.S. Cities
Not all urban dwellers are as liberal as conventional wisdom would have us believe.

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The Wonderful World of Vicious Circles
Government's pro-sprawl and anti-density policies often create problems that justify more of the same.
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Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
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Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.