In Seattle's Green Lake neighborhood, a local with a wicked sense of humor has taken planning into his/her own hands, posting a plan to turn an empty eyesore of a lot into a public park.
Not just any public park: this plan imagines a pit full of brightly-colored plastic balls for kids of all ages to play around in. From the sign, posted on the chain link fence surrounding the empty lot:
"DPD is conducting an environmental review of the following project:
To construct one ground-level ball pit pond containing 1,200,00 cu. ft. of rainbow plastic balls."
"Existing ramp to be converted into 40 ft. slide. Addendum to the downtown height & density laws has been submitted."
FULL STORY: Prankster reimagines 3-yr-old eyesore construction site as giant happy playspace
Friday Funny: Squirrelly Passenger Causes UK Train Cancellation
Planetizen’s Friday Funny stories are often satirical, but this nutty story from Reuters is 100 percent genuine.
Friday Funny: Gated Community Doubles Down
The Onion skewers suburbia.
Friday Funny: How Much Parking Does That Parking Spot Need?
The Onion takes parking requirements to their logical conclusion.
How Would Project 2025 Affect America’s Transportation System?
Long story short, it would — and not in a good way.
But... Europe
European cities and nations tend to have less violent crime than the United States. Is government social welfare spending the magic bullet that explains this difference?
California Law Ends Road Widening Mandates
Housing developers will no longer be required to dedicate land to roadway widening, which could significantly reduce the cost of construction and support more housing units.
Exposition Park’s $351.5 Million Transformation
This revitalization will create vital green spaces, improve accessibility, and enhance connections with community, making Exposition Park a central hub for recreation and culture in Los Angeles.
California Secures $360 Million in Federal Funding for Parks, Habitat Restoration, and Clean Transportation
This funding will drive transformative projects across the state, improving access to green spaces, protecting natural ecosystems, and advancing sustainable transportation initiatives.
Herds of Sheep Manage Vegetation Where Powered Mowers Can’t
Cities are hiring grazing sheep to keep vegetation in check in sensitive sites and uneven terrain.
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.
Ada County Highway District
Placer County
Mayors' Institute on City Design
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Cornell University's College of Architecture, Art, and Planning (AAP), the Department of City and Regional Planning (CRP)
Lehigh Valley Planning Commission
City of Portland, ME
Baton Rouge Area Foundation