All too often parking is treated as a leftover -- essential, but not worthy of good design. A little thought can make a huge difference, writes columnist Whitney Gould.
"Developers and building owners treat these spaces as leftovers: essential to have but not worth investing any money to design. Architecture schools don't spend much time on the subject. And the rest of us, who just want a place to park, take what we can get, preferably close to our destination. The results, like the lot at the county-owned marina, are basically paved deserts... Why care? Because a bad parking lot can blight an entire neighborhood, wasting valuable real estate and creating a sense of placelessness. These vast asphalt surfaces also add to the urban heat island effect, raising surrounding air temperatures. They speed the flow of polluted runoff into waterways..."
"Yes, such garages are expensive. But a discussion about costs might force us as a community to make some hard choices about how much parking is really necessary, as opposed to sharing space or improving mass transit. And remember the long-term environmental and aesthetic costs of paving over key chunks of the urban landscape."
Thanks to Chris Steins
FULL STORY: A little landscaping can change a lot

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

Canada vs. Kamala: Whose Liberal Housing Platform Comes Out on Top?
As Canada votes for a new Prime Minister, what can America learn from the leading liberal candidate of its neighbor to the north?

The Five Most-Changed American Cities
A ranking of population change, home values, and jobs highlights the nation’s most dynamic and most stagnant regions.

Amazon-Owned Robotaxis to Begin Testing in LA
Los Angeles will become the sixth city where Zoox is testing its autonomous vehicle technology.

New York MTA Says No More Borrowing, Will Cut Costs Instead
The agency says it won’t take out any new loans to finance its planned improvements and is finding other ways to cut costs.

Research: More Complex Streets Are Safer
Streets that offer more perceived obstacles and distractions can force drivers to slow down and drive more carefully.
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.
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions