The Edmonton city council struggles with how to turn design guidelines into attractive buildings.
Edmonton has no lack of city planning documents "full of good intentions about how to design attractive buildings, create lively, pedestrian-friendly streets, preserve the character of neighbourhoods and combine residential and retail uses downtown." According to a new report by the city planning department, these guidelines have failed to "uphold standards of design that promote healthy communities, preserve unique neighbourhoods and build a vibrant downtown." Planning guidelines have already been worked out, yet it is clear that building standards alone are not enough. The question now is "how far the city should go in requiring developers to meet improved architectural standards?"
Thanks to Zvi Leve
FULL STORY: A wise design for downtown architecture

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees
More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

Congestion Pricing Drops Holland Tunnel Delays by 65 Percent
New York City’s contentious tolling program has yielded improved traffic and roughly $100 million in revenue for the MTA.

In Both Crashes and Crime, Public Transportation is Far Safer than Driving
Contrary to popular assumptions, public transportation has far lower crash and crime rates than automobile travel. For safer communities, improve and encourage transit travel.

Report: Zoning Reforms Should Complement Nashville’s Ambitious Transit Plan
Without reform, restrictive zoning codes will limit the impact of the city’s planned transit expansion and could exclude some of the residents who depend on transit the most.
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.
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