Eco-friendly developments are struggling to achieve approval due to zoning restrictions in the suburbs of New York and New Jersey -- a story that is more and more familiar in suburbs across the country.
"Early last year, Mr. Duffy and his business partner, Brian Fahey, signed a contract to buy 130 acres of land here pocked with corn and pumpkin fields. Since then, he has been trying to persuade the township to let him build a cluster of 32 small, eco-friendly houses - in a layout that would violate zoning laws requiring single-family homes to be built on at least five acres."
"But on Oct. 22, after Mr. Duffy and Mr. Fahey's third presentation before the Planning Board, the town unanimously rejected the proposal, saying that the five-acre zoning law, established in 2004, remains important to the township's rustic character."
"Mr. Duffy and Mr. Fahey are at a standstill. They can modify their plan - which would have spared the town a subdivision of 15 sprawling homes and resulted in less runoff and erosion - or sue."
"For every project being considered for certification by the United States Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, in the categories of neighborhood development or multiunit residence - 13 are in the works in New Jersey, 10 in Connecticut, and one each on Long Island and in Westchester - there are dozens of similar projects stuck in limbo, hoping for approval."
FULL STORY: Looking for ‘Green’ Lights in the Suburbs

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.

California High-Speed Rail's Plan to Right Itself
The railroad's new CEO thinks he can get the project back on track. The stars will need to align this summer.

‘Displaced By Design:’ Report Spotlights Gentrification in Black Neighborhoods
A new report finds that roughly 15 percent of U.S. neighborhoods have been impacted by housing cost increases and displacement.

Nevada and Utah Groups Oppose Public Land Sell-Off Plan
A set of last-minute amendments to the budget reconciliation bill open up over half a million acres of federally managed land to sales.

More Than a Park: A Safe Haven for Generations in LA’s Chinatown
Alpine Recreation Center serves as a vital cultural and community hub in Los Angeles' Chinatown, offering a safe, welcoming space for generations of Chinese American residents to gather, connect, and thrive amidst rapid urban change.
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 Clovis
City of Moorpark
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