The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
American-Style Suburbia Spreading Across The Globe
<p>Cookie cutter subdivisions typically associated with American suburbs are popping up in the outskirts of cities in countries as far away as Argentina, China and Pakistan.</p>
'Fully Contained Communities' Spark Comprehensive Plan Debate
<p>Officials and residents in Snohomish County, Washington, are grappling over proposed changes to their comprehensive plan. A major point of contention is whether "fully contained communities" should be allowed.</p>
Can Landscape Architects Get Kids to Walk to School?
<p>Fewer kids are walking to school these days. This piece from the American Society of Landscape Architects' <em>Land Online</em> wonders what landscape architects can do to reverse the trend.</p>
Central Park on the Sea
<p>Cruise ship designers have announced plans for a new 1,180-foot long ship that will be equipped with a "central park" they are comparing to a traditional town square.</p>
BLOG POST
On Pride
<p class="MsoNormal"> Cities are sized-up, measured and analyzed in countless ways. <em>The Economist</em> uses statistics to indicate how New York’s financial sector is faring against its London counterpart. Richard Florida measures the extant of the creative class.<span> </span>Allan Jacobs carefully records intersection densities and Jan Gehl simply counts pedestrians. Some, like Peter Calthorpe, go beyond the city line and take stock of the whole region. <span> </span> </p>
Five Unlikely Gay-Friendly Cities
<p>New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles are usually regarded as hotbeds for homosexuals. But five unlikely cities -- in places such as Texas, Oklahoma and Alaska -- show that more gay-friendly cities are coming out of the woodwork.</p>
Market Woes Stifle 'Great Park' Progress
<p>Three years after Irvine, California's "Great Park" was approved, development of the planned public spaces, homes and businesses has struggled to move forward. The housing crisis is being blamed for the lack of action.</p>
Preserving a California Ghost Town
<p>This article from <em>Discover</em> takes a tour of Bodie, California, a gold-mining mountain ghost town, where the entire city is in a state of "arrested decay".</p>
States Take Action on Foreclosures While Federal Government Stumbles
<p>Without a clear federal plan to counteract the swath of foreclosures sweeping across the country, state governments are finding ways to reduce the local impacts.</p>
Wave of Bankruptcies Will 'Remake' Shopping Malls Across the Country
<p>Thousands of stores across the country face closure as the credit crisis curtails consumer spending, and chain retailers file for bankruptcy.</p>
BLOG POST
Media Density Discussions are Needed for Cities
<font size="2">Can any North American city have a meaningful public discussion about sustainability, about its "green-ness" or ecological footprint, without having the challenging but necessary public discussion about the city's density?</font><font size="2"> <p> Many are still trying to. Many freely trumpet smart growth and sustainability without the tension and trouble that comes with discussing the "d-word" openly, and thus avoid the necessary heavy-lifting. Few politicians, and embarrassingly not enough city planners, are willing to tackle the density issue publicly, as it is still what <em>Sustainable Urbanism</em> author Douglas Farr calls the "3rd rail" of sustainable city building. </p>
Grassroots Environmental Movement Sprouts in China
<p>Environmental activism is on the rise in China. It's not a fast rise, but its existence is seen by many as a major step.</p>
The Fight for $1 Homes
<p>A HUD plan that allows municipalities to buy up foreclosed homes for just $1 is causing controversy in Wayne County, Michigan, where cities and counties are fighting over who is best suited to take over abandoned homes.</p>
Planning Cities In The Age Of Global Warming
<p>A recent conference hosted by the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy focused on how planners around the world are designing urban areas that respond to the impacts of climate change.</p>
BLOG POST
Time for Change? Skip the Change, I’ll Take Dollars!
<p> <font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">I’ve been torn lately between two contradictory perspectives on the state of the country as it relates to providing transportation infrastructure and service.<span>
Sustaining Our $1.2 Billion Daily Gasoline Habit
<p>Gas prices have risen dramatically and continue to rise, with oil topping $110 per barrel. How are we paying for it, and who benefits? The News Hour's Ray Suarez interviews oil expert Lisa Margonelli for answers.</p>
Los Angeles Taco Trucks in Trouble
<p>Mobile taco trucks in Los Angeles may face tougher fines for parking in any one place for too long if proposed restrictions are passed by the county.</p>
The Most Bicycle Friendly City In America
<p>Two local transportation advocates shed light on the plans and policies that have made Portland, Oregon the bicycle capital of the U.S.</p>
A Final Plea For Transit In Southwest Michigan
<p>If local officials don't come together with a workable plan, Detroit may just blow its last chance to implement a regional transportation system.</p>
Leasing Toll Roads: Learning From Indiana
<p>While experts now say that the lease term Indiana agreed to was too long, and the payment it received in return too small, so far all parties appear to be better off –- the road, the drivers, the toll takers, the Governor, and the state.</p>
City of Clovis
City of Moorpark
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.
