A study conducted in Illinois has found no correlation between rates of obesity to suburban sprawl, as was previously believed.
"The finding challenges the widely held view that people who live in cities tend to be thinner because they have more opportunities to walk, while people in suburban and rural areas have to drive most everywhere they go." Instead, the study finds that obesity is associated to one's the level of education and income.
There was some relation found to those who commute by car, but that was only within specific zip code areas.
Read the full story: Obesity Tied to Education, Income, but Not Suburbia: Study
Obesity Tied to Suburban Life
London-based study ties obesity to sprawl and finds that suburbs have a bigger obesity problem than rural areas.
Are Planners Responsible for America's Obesity Epidemic?
Many factors have contributed to America's obesity crisis, but the design of the built environment has had an undeniable role. A new study shows that living in a smart growth community can increase physical activity among children.
Will sprawl save California?
California residents will vote on Proposition 45 in November, which would make it easier to build large housing developments on the outskirts of the state’s cities.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour
If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.
Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River
Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.
Chicago voters approve permanent festival grounds, penalty for vacant property owners
Currently, major summer and fall festivals take over public parks for weeks at a time, drawing criticism from nearby residents
NYC votes to cut outdoor dining red tape, speed up permitting
New York City also voted to allow the Department of Transportation to begin work on urgent projects before notifying elected officials.
California appears to reject Prop. 45
The proposition would have expanded the projects that qualify for a streamlined environmental review, effectively paring down the California Environmental Quality Act.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority