The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Seattle

'Seattle 2035' Plan Finalized and Adopted

"Seattle’s multi-year process to update the city’s Comprehensive Plan has come to its conclusion finding unanimous consent and approval from the City Council," reports Stephen Fesler.

October 18 - The Urbanist

China

98 Buildings from the 20th Century Added to Chinese Heritage List

The Chinese Society of Cultural Relics and the Architectural Society of China added 98 buildings to the 20th-Century Chinese Architectural Heritage List.

October 18 - Curbed

Reno, Throwing Away Benches to be 'Business Friendly'

Reno's blight initiative drew criticism when it removed 68 benches from a park it was renovating.

October 18 - NBC News - Reno Nevada

Harlem

The Langston Hughes House and a Gentrifying Harlem

Artists and community members seek to preserve the culture and identity of Harlem amid the growing popularity and expense of housing in their community and all over New York.

October 18 - Next City

Sprawl

Gov. Jerry Brown Condemns State School Bond Measure for Promoting Sprawl

Ten newspapers have joined California Gov. Jerry Brown in opposing Proposition 51, a $9 billion bond ballot measure endorsed by both Democrats, including the lieutenant governor, and Republicans.

October 18 - Planetizen


Bike Box

Feds Finally Onboard With Bike Boxes

The federal government officially downgraded the safety risk of installing bike boxes at intersections.

October 18 - Streetsblog USA

Newt

NIMBYs Find New Uses for Rare Newts: Development Killers

Developers in the UK have a new nemesis in the form of rare newts, which NIMBYs have allegedly planted at development sites to halt construction.

October 18 - The Telegraph U.K.


Green Party

BLOG POST

Especially in California, Greens Have Missed the Party

While the Green Party nominates a presidential candidate every four years as a publicity stunt, other politicians—Democrats and Republicans alike—have been steadily pursuing a green agenda in California. California cities are better off for it.

October 18 - Josh Stephens

D.C. Metro

D.C. Metro's Proposed Service Cuts Would Disproportionately Affect Communities of Color

Planning and urbanism writers in Washington, D.C. agree that a proposal to cut service to 20 stations in the Metrorail system would have harmful effects for minorities in the region.

October 18 - The Washington Post

Chicago

Chicago TOD Strategies: Sum Of Parts Equal, Greater Than the Whole

A successful TOD will be predicated upon three core elements: 1) development; 2) transit; and 3) transit-friendly amenities. While focus tends to be on the first two elements, this article provides insights on the importance of the third element.

October 17 - Renewal & Redevelopment (Association for Redevelopment Initiatives)

Replicas of Mid-Century Towns Built to Aid the Memories of Alzheimer's Patients

The Glenner Town Square development in Chula Vista, California will be one of the first "immersive facilities" in the United States, designed to trigger memories for Alzheimer's patients.

October 17 - CityLab

Texas Suburb

How Far Will Houstonians Drive for Housing They Can Afford?

New research looks into how commuting times in the Houston area effect on housing prices.

October 17 - Houston Business Journal

Denver

BLOG POST

Multimodal Millennials? A Closer Look Using Multifaceted Traveler Types

Kelcie Ralph guest blogs about a new article in the Journal of Planning Education and Research.

October 17 - JPER

Global Agreement Reached to Limit 'Super Greenhouse Gas Emissions'

An historic agreement reached by 170 global leaders in Kigali, Rwanda on October 15 to limit hydrofluorocarbons could have more of an impact on reducing climate change than the carbon emission agreement reached in Paris ten days earlier.

October 17 - The New York Times

Austin

New Tool for Measuring Progress of Sustainability in Austin

Austin Office of Sustainability upgrades transparency with a new online resource.

October 17 - Next City

San Francisco

San Francisco Board of Supervisors Propose 60-Day Hard Cap on Airbnb Rentals

Tensions between Airbnb and the city of San Francisco continue to mount as the city propose further restrictions on the service, even while the current restrictions are being challenged in court.

October 17 - The San Francisco Examiner

Oslo Creates Ambitious 'Climate Budget'

Oslo sets ambitious goal for carbon emissions with a "Climate Budget." The budget is a sign of climate policies to come as the Paris climate agreement begins to take effect around the world.

October 17 - Next City

Leonardo DiCaprio

Why the Disconnect on Climate Change and Urban Density?

Actor Leonardo DiCaprio is also a committed climate change activist. His documentary on the topic airs Oct. 30 on the National Geographic channel. At the U.N., he asked leaders to take bold action. Yet, as an Angeleno, he opposes increased density.

October 17 - Curbed LA

NJ Transit

The Recent Decline of New Jersey Transit's Commuter Rail Operations

The New York Times looks into the decline of New Jersey Transit commuter railroad, rated as outstanding only nine years ago. Much of the decline can be traced to decisions by the Christie administration beginning in 2010.

October 17 - The New York Times

Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh Launches New Permit and Code Tracking Website

The city of Pittsburgh launched a Buildingeye website to provide new access to the development and approval process in the city.

October 16 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Post News

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

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The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

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A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.

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.