Anton Roux and John Stanley of ON LINE opinion outline the future for Australian cities.
Roux and Stanley have authored a new report that outlines future scenarios for Australian cities, looking in particular at the challenges posed by population growth and the trade-off inherent to increasing city size between "agglomeration benefits and increasing external costs such as traffic congestion, crime, pollution and noise /sustainability concerns."
The two authors point to a theory posed by Professor Ed Blakely from The University of Sydney that identifies cities of between 250,000-300,000 people as ideal for dealing with the above trade-off: "[these cities] can have the benefits of both scale and density to be competitive, without the detriment and burden related to larger populations."
They go on to emphasize the importance not only of developing new cities, but also of improving livability within existing cities and metro-areas and conclude with a discussion of the financial and political headwinds to meaningful changes in urban policy.
Thanks to Ryan Sloan
FULL STORY: Urban dreaming: Australian cities for the future

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