The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

An unflinching op-ed begs a rethinking of narratives that cheer the "Triumph of the City." In the contemporary city, the argument goes, only the rich are better off from urbanization.

July 31 - Citymetric

FEATURE

Josh Whitehead, planning director of the Memphis and Shelby County Office of Planning & Development (OPD), discusses competing with suburbs, implementing a new zoning code, and redeveloping, for a second time, historic streetcar corridors.

July 31 - Josh Stephens

Not since 1963 have so many construction permits been issued. In fact, permits issued in the month of June alone exceeded the average annual total over the past two decades.

July 30 - The Wall Street Journal

An Atlanta City Councilmember and local advocates are pushing for the city to join the ranks of cities that have allowed tiny houses as a solution to housing challenges.

July 30 - Atlanta Magazine

Renewable diesel, a biofuel that differs from biodiesel by the feedstock used and its chemical makeup, making it indistinguishable from petrodiesel, is a small but growing industry. The announcement from UPS was welcome news for three companies.

July 30 - The New York Times - Energy & Environment

Maps are still an important tool in teaching kids to be global citizens.

July 30 - The Washington Post - Blogs

BLOG POST

Planners and designers should not be afraid to reclaim overused and misused words—as long as they know what they're doing.

July 30 - James Brasuell

A tough first week for the new LYNX Gold streetcar line in Charlotte inspired a review of the current research about the value of streetcars.

July 30 - The Urban Edge

Central districts have been surging back since the 1980s. But in most cities, the upper third of earners still favor outlying areas and are underrepresented closer to downtown.

July 30 - City Observatory City Commentary

The phased, two-year, 11.9-cent gas tax increase is the largest since Pennsylvania's gas tax increase passed in Nov. 2013. On July 1, 2016, fuel taxes will be raised 4.9 cents. Taxes will fund a $16.1 billion package of transportation improvements.

July 30 - King 5 News

Laura Bliss argues that implicit discrimination in the boundary-shaping policies of school districts necessitates reform of the property-tax funding system.

July 30 - CityLab

It's been a while since 2008, and a new crop of homeowners is colonizing the far-flung exurbs. Mostly foreclosed and even abandoned last time around, the exurbs are still a risky buy.

July 30 - Bloomberg Business

BLOG POST

Low-density zoning is not racist in the narrowest sense of the term—but it does have similar goals to racist housing policies and creates similar problems.

July 29 - Michael Lewyn

Pittsburgh's Riverlife recently hired Vivien Li from the Boston Harbor Association. Li's career trajectory helpfully informs the kinds of decisions that drive good waterfront planning.

July 29 - Pittsburg Post-Gazette

The Startup Genome Project ranks the Silicon Valley as far and away the best location in the world for startup businesses, but other American cities appear all over the top ten.

July 29 - CityLab

It may be too late to pivot on the recently announced rebuilding of New York City's LaGuardia Airport, but Jim Venturi has some ideas about how New York can solve two critical problems—one infrastructural, one humanitarian—at the same time.

July 29 - The Architect's Newspaper

Overcoming their differences, Republican leaders in both chambers agreed Wednesday to a three-month patch bill to continue transportation spending through Oct. 29. The bill must pass by Friday due to lack of funds in the Highway Trust Fund.

July 29 - Wall Street Journal

With a request for qualifications for a new bridge, connecting Detroit with Windsor, Canada, and a proposal for another bridge on the table, it'a bridge building time on the U.S.-Canadian border.

July 29 - Detroit Free Press

An op-ed argues that regional transportation oversight enable the region surrounding Milwaukee to better attract new business.

July 29 - Urban Milwaukee

On August 25, voters in Phoenix and Maricopa County will determine the outcome of Proposition 104, a transportation sales tax measure that would raise $17 billion for a wide variety of transportation improvements, including extended light rail.

July 29 - ABC 15 (Phoenix)