The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Another Sign Code Goes Down in Flames
The sign code for North Redington Beach, Florida has been found in violation of the First Amendment, following a dispute with a local café.

Revoking a National Monument Not Easy, Even with Republican Congress
But that's no reason not to try, figures Republican Rep. Rob Bishop of Utah, chair of the powerful House Natural Resources Committee, who has his sights on the Bears Ears National Monument, barely a month old.

What Makes a Community 'Dementia-Friendly?'
With a high number of elderly residents, the London suburb of Purley has taken steps to become "dementia-friendly." There's no single definition of what that means, but community awareness and education are a focus.

Critics: NYC Zoning Promotes Segregation, Inequality
The editors of a new book on displacement in New York argue that the city's historical record of exclusionary zoning carries over into the present. Urbanist concepts in vogue today simply rehash old divides.

Republican Coalition Proposes a Carbon Tax to Fight Climate Change
Will a carbon tax have a better chance of success at the federal level if Republicans propose it? We're about to find out.
Where Thinking About the End is a Good Place to Begin
Facing scary stuff that's also inevitable tends to clarify the landscape for decision-making.

A Booming Brooklyn Seen from the Back of a Garbage Truck
New York continues to grow, and as the city changes, so does its garbage.

London's Tallest Buildings Currently Under Construction
In a growing London, skyscrapers seem to be popping up everywhere, We Plan London catalogs the ten tallest.

A Super Weekend for Houston Rail Transit
"Sunday might have been the Super Bowl, but Saturday was Metro’s super day," reports Dug Begley.

Op-Ed: Brooklyn-to-Queens Streetcar Won't Pay for Itself
Who thinks the Brooklyn-to-Queens (BQX) would pay for itself? Someone whose paycheck depends on it, Neil deMause argues.

Los Angeles Bans Sleeping in Cars
Critics of new regulations by the city of Los Angeles that ban sleeping in cars and RVs overnight say the new restrictions amount to a ban on homeless people.

Philadelphia District Council Taking a Hard Line on Unsanctioned Planters and Benches
A bill to require Philadelphia residents to get a letter from their district council before putting a bench or planter in front of their homes faces a petition from 5th Square.

Public Space Offering Surprising Lessons While Hosting Trump Protests
Christopher Hawthorne examines the unprecedented protests of the Women's March and the more recent airport protests for lessons in the understanding and appreciation of public space.

Is This a Way Forward for Urban Farming?
Pulling in community members and a network of local nonprofits, Phoenix's "Spaces of Opportunity" is an attempt to make urban farming something more than a catchphrase.
Tennessee Valley Authority on Trial for Drinking Water Contamination from Coal Ash
Two environmental groups are suing the nation's largest public power utility for contaminating drinking water through prolonged leaks from coal ash ponds at TVA's coal-burning Gallatin Fossil Plant into the Cumberland River and ground water.

Fortress No Longer: What's in Store for Willis Tower
Designed for a different era, Willis Tower's pedestrian-phobic base is in line for a complete overhaul. The goal is to open the immense tower to the street.
Rolling Digital Billboards Hit New Orleans' Streets
A southern Louisiana company is bringing a mobile, four-sided digital billboard to the streets of New Orleans

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Vouchers Can Work, But...
School vouchers might expand educational choice and thus make city life more appealing to middle-class families—but the most appealing versions of a voucher system are also the most costly.

Georgia State Senate Pumps the Breaks on Cityhood Processes
Atlanta's quickly growing region means many communities are seeking to incorporate. Several controversial processes, however, have compelled the state to reform the incorporation process.

Spare the Air: Beijing to Drastically Reduce Coal Use
Beijing promises "extraordinary" measures to reduce pollution in the infamously smoggy city.
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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.