The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

<p>Local municipalities are drafting laws to crack down on McMansions by imposing strict building restrictions, a move that has sparked controversy between officials and homebuilders.</p>

May 21 - The New York Times

<p>Birth rates have been steadily declining in many Asian countries -- a trend some are attributing partly to rapid industrialization and urbanization.</p>

May 21 - International Herald Tribune

<p>In an effort to help Boston bikers ride safely, an online "wiki" has been unveiled that uses mapping software to identify the safest and most dangerous routes in the city.</p>

May 21 - The Boston Globe

BLOG POST

<p><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Verdana">I would like to think that the overwhelming response to the question posed in the title would be a resounding, &quot;No!&quot;  I never gave the issue much thought before last week because frankly, I didn&#39;t really need to.  Working in a city like Philadelphia where the overwhelming percentage of proposed projects requires a zoning variance, we&#39;ve trained ourselves to work within an imperfect system and make the best of what&#39;s at hand.  (It should be noted that Philadelphia is about to embark upon a process to re-vamp the zoning code, but that is for another post in the future).  More importantly, the issues faced by some neighborhoods go a lot deeper than zoning.  So why this post?</span></p>

May 21 - Scott Page

<p>The government agency may halt plans for several new high-rise complexes in Arlington, Virginia, due to concerns about the danger posed to planes headed to Reagan Airport.</p>

May 21 - The Washington Post

<p>Jaime Lerner's bold actions helped convince Curitiba's residents to adopt change and created a model for the world to follow -- even as the city faces new challenges to its much lauded transit and waste collection programs.</p>

May 21 - The New York Times

FEATURE

If a correlation exists between birth rates and urbanization, does the post World War II baby boom owe its existence to urban sprawl?

May 21 - Sriram Khé, PhD

<p>Not since oil prices peaked in 1981 have vehicle-miles-traveled dropped as they have for the past 18 months. Rising gas prices, expanded public transportation, aging of the population, and urban revitalization deserve much of the credit.</p>

May 21 - USA Today

<p>Following up on a series from three years ago, the Cleveland Plain Dealer finds that much hopeful talk on the benefits of regional cooperation have yet to translate into actual reform.</p>

May 21 - The Cleveland Plain Dealer

<p>Menlo Park, California, struggles with the compatibility of being green and fighting climate change, while resisting high density housing, even around transit stations and corridors.</p>

May 20 - Menlo Park Almanac

<p>Metro Atlanta's boom probably won't last unless state and local leaders tackle the worsening traffic and begin investing in public transit.</p>

May 20 - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

<p>Transit officials in Minneapolis are happy about the rise in gas prices -- a trend that has caused an increase in ridership. The city's cyclists and environmentalists are also finding benefits.</p>

May 20 - Minneapolis Star-Tribune

<p>A program to redistribute farmland from wealthy landowners to the rural poor in Venezuela has shown success for the new farmers as well as violence on both sides of the struggle.</p>

May 20 - International Herald Tribune

<p>The Boston suburb of Boxford is on the verge of approving a measure that would allow residents to rent extra housing space at state affordable housing prices. Boxford and other suburbs are looking to reduce their low stock of affordable housing.</p>

May 20 - The Boston Globe

<p>City dwellers and suburban homeowners alike are seeking solutions to muffle the constant stream of sound in their homes.</p>

May 19 - The New York Times

<p>Many modern day manufactured homes have upgraded their looks, attracting both buyers looking for value as well as style and sustainability.</p>

May 19 - San Jose Mercury News

<p>New plans to clean up the Mapocho River demonstrate Chile's desire to turn Santiago into attractive city and regional business hub.</p>

May 19 - Bloomberg

<p>During a press conference about the Clinton Foundation's efforts to promote green building, the former U.S. President gave Mayor Bloomberg's congesting pricing plan a thumbs up.</p>

May 19 - International Herald Tribune

<p>The Masdar Initiative is billed as the first zero carbon and waste free city to be ever constructed.</p>

May 19 - Fosters and Partners Press Release

<p>The 20-year plan proposes an airport rail link, extensions to the transit system and the bicycle network, new streetcar lines, and tolls on major highways and bridge links to the island. City council will vote on this plan in the fall.</p>

May 18 - CBC News