The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Largest Land Conservation in U.S. Sealed
<p>A deal between a Montana timber company and conservationists to preserve 320,000 acres of forest is the largest land conservation in U.S. history.</p>
BLOG POST
False Creek North - The Residents' Views
<span style="font-size: x-small; font-family: Arial"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial">What do the residents of Vancouver's False Creek North think of living in one of the largest centrally located, high-density, pedestrian- and family-oriented mixed-use neighbourhoods in the world? </span></span><span style="font-size: x-small; font-family: Arial"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial"> </span></span> <p class="MsoNormal">
The Bronx Debuts BRT
<p>Wired rides the Bronx's new Bus Rapid Transit, and determines that "rapid" is in the eye of the beholder.</p>
Oil and Coal Will Continue To Be Energy Mainstays
<p>Unless international carbon-capping treaties are implemented, fossil fuel consumption (with their greenhouse gas emissions) will increase 50% by 2030, largely resulting from growth in energy consumption in China and other developing nations.</p>
What Makes A Neighborhood Historic?
<p>Older districts are often marked by high property values and traditional architecture, but it's not just aesthetics and history that define them. Some historic neighborhoods have gone through vast changes, while others don't appear "historic" at all.</p>
Best American Cities for Design
<p><em>Business Week</em> looks at a recent list of the best cities for design in America.</p>
Bad Mortgages and Gas Prices = Good For Cities?
<p>The article suggests that rising gas prices, enduring subprime mortgage crisis, and some changing demographics (i.e., the aging of Baby Boomers) are all contributing to the greater popularity of central city neighborhoods.</p>
Honolulu Gets Higher
<p>A new condo proposal in a Honolulu neighborhood is 70 feet over the current height limits. Developers say new heights are necessary to make projects pencil out with rising construction costs.</p>
Should Public Meetings Offer Translation?
<p>Rezoning in New York's Lower East Side brings the issue of language to the fore, as members of the Spanish and Chinese communities find themselves unable to participate in important decisions about their neighborhoods.</p>
Chicago Alleys Go Permeable
<p>As part of a plan to utilize the city's rainwater and recycle it back to lake Michigan, Chicago has been renovating its 13,00 alleys to become permeable surfaces, where rainwater can soak back into the ground. 40 alleys have been redone so far.</p>
The Shaper of Boston
<p>The Boston Globe features an extensive profile of Kairos Shen, the city's new chief planner. Shen has had a hand in shaping most major projects in Boston already, and is poised to be a key player in Boston's future.</p>
Eight Options on Table for Seattle's Alaskan Way Viaduct
State, county, and city officials revealed eight new options for dealing with Seattle's Alaskan Way Viaduct, a damaged double-decker inner city freeway.
Mayors Oppose Attack on Iran, Cite Effect of War on Cities
<p>Citing the great burden America's cities are bearing due to the war in Iraq, a coalition of Mayors allied with anti-war groups tabled a resolution opposing military action against Iran at the recent Conference of Mayors.</p>
U.S. Infrastructure Crumbling
<p>The Economist reviews the state of America's crumbling civil infrastructure. With water, transit, bridge, and road systems failing, experts call for increased investment and careful planning.</p>
Fresh Food Financing
<p>Pennsylvania is putting its money where its mouth is with the Fresh Food Financing Initiative, a $120 million fund to encourage inner-city groceries.</p>
Fed Freezes Solar Power
<p>The Bureau of Land Management, with a pile of solar power plans on its desk, declares a moratorium on building on public land until they can do environmental impact studies.</p>
Is Urbanism to Blame For Social Alienation?
<p>This commentary from <em>ArchNewsNow</em> wonders whether urbanism is really the cause of social alienation, not the cure.</p>
Baltimore Neighborhood Looks to Transit for Revival
<p>West Baltimore residents and community groups see a new light rail project as their way up for their blighted neighborhood.</p>
FEATURE
Autograph Architecture
Architect John Field believes that signature buildings by celebrity architects are destroying the urban fabric and our sense of community.
GIS Solves Crimes
<p>Cops in Toronto catch a criminal through GIS plotting, and reporter Sara Barbour takes us on a tour of other unusual new applications of GIS.</p>
Pagination
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
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.