If we want to improve our cities, we should start by throwing away the traditional municipal zoning code.
"If Americans built homes the way they build cities and suburbs, it would be illegal for your bedroom, bathroom and kitchen to be under the same roof," writes Ventura County Star senior reporter John Krist, after attending a talk by author and planner Peter Katz.
"As labels go, 'form-based codes' is pretty terrible. The concept it embodies, however, is one many communities ought to consider embracing, particularly those --like most in Ventura County -- facing political or physical constraints on their ability to accommodate population growth and economic development. Managers in Ventura and Santa Paula already are taking a hard look at it, as they focus on imaginative redevelopment of their aging urban fabric."
Thanks to The Practice of New Urbanism
FULL STORY: Creating a livable place
Coming Soon to Ohio: The Largest Agrivoltaic Farm in the US
The ambitious 6,000-acre project will combine an 800-watt solar farm with crop and livestock production.
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
U.S. Supreme Court: California's Impact Fees May Violate Takings Clause
A California property owner took El Dorado County to state court after paying a traffic impact fee he felt was exorbitant. He lost in trial court, appellate court, and the California Supreme Court denied review. Then the U.S. Supreme Court acted.
Divvy Introduces E-Bike Charging Docks
New, circular docks let e-bikes charge at stations, eliminating the need for frequent battery swaps.
How Freeway Projects Impact Climate Resilience
In addition to displacement and public health impacts, highway expansions can also make communities less resilient to flooding and other climate-related disasters.
California Grid Runs on 100% Renewable Energy for Over 9 Hours
The state’s energy grid was entirely powered by clean energy for some portion of the day on 37 out of the last 45 days.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Tufts University, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy & Planning
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
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.