As land prices in Colorado mountain resorts spiral ever upward, real estate speculators are discovering old mining claims in nearby national forests are as good as gold.
“Originally part of the national forests and other federal land, mining claims were carved out by prospectors and mining companies under the 1872 Mining Act, a still-standing federal law that allows the land eventually to be patented - turned over to private ownership and used for anything, which today includes houses, hotels and ski areas.
As our resort towns get overly crowded and built up, people are increasingly looking for their little slice of paradise," said Doug Robotham, Colorado director of Trust for Public Land, a nonprofit organization seeking to stem the modern-day incarnation of the land rush occurring throughout the West.â€
Some resort town planning agencies have developed unique density exchange programs with developers in an attempt to stanch housing sprawl into adjacent unspoiled national forestlands.
FULL STORY: Old claims being mined for new digs

Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

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

Walmart Announces Nationwide EV Charging Network
The company plans to install electric car chargers at most of its stores by 2030.

Seattle’s Pike Place Market Leans Into Pedestrian Infrastructure
After decades of debate, the market is testing a car ban in one of its busiest areas and adding walking links to the surrounding neighborhood.

The World’s Longest Light Rail Line is in… Los Angeles?
In a city not known for its public transit, the 48.5-mile A Line is the longest of its kind on the planet.

Quantifying Social Infrastructure
New developments have clear rules for ensuring surrounding roads, water, and sewers can handle new users. Why not do the same for community amenities?
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.
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions