What do we lose when we narrowly associate planning with an 'urban' or 'city' context? The ability to effectively plan for rural, transitional, regional, and even urban areas, says Ruth Miller.
The inability to reach consensus on what defines a rural area - the State of California has eleven official definitions alone - is a barier to good policy and communitcation, argues Miller. And, "[m]ore generally, the artificial difference between 'urban' and 'rural'
creates barriers to communication. Rural residents don't see themselves
as urban, so why should they need urban planning? Urban residents can't
relate to rural areas, so why should they be concerned with
agricultural preservation?" This hinders the ability to plan for each, seperately, and together from a regional perspective.
For regional planning to work, says Miller, we need to recognize the inherent connection between urban and rural policy making, and we need to effectively define what rural actually is. One potential solution: "Demographers in Minnesota
coined the term 'ruralplex' (as opposed to 'metroplex') to describe
areas connected by similar soil types, geology, climate, and settlement
patterns."
FULL STORY: Rejecting the Narrow Framework of “Urban” Planning
NYC Planning Director Marissa Lago Touts Regional Planning
Marisa Lago pens in an opinion piece supporting a regional approach to planning, timed for the release of a new "Geography of Jobs" report.
Where's the planning in metropolitan transportation planning?
Randal O’Toole’s recent policy study from the Cato Institute, “Roadmap to Gridlock” is s worthy read for all professional planners, no matter what their ideological or professional stripe. Undoubtedly, most planners probably consider someone who maintains a blog called the “Antiplanner” more of a bomb thrower than a serious policy analyst. But this dismissive attitude throws an awful lot of good work by the road side, and a good example of that is O’Toole’s “Roadmap to Gridlock.”
Applying to Graduate School in Planning: A Second Update
In 2008 and 2018, I wrote some much-read blogs about how to get into planning school. As deadlines near, I revisit that advice. I look first at the big picture of the case you need to make for the admissions committee and then the logistics.
The City of Broken Sidewalks
Can Los Angeles fix 4,000 miles of broken sidewalks before the city hosts the 2028 Olympic Games?
Shifts in Shopping: Transforming Malls Into Parks
Maybe zombie malls still have a second life — one with a little greenery.
Major US Cities Still Suffering Downtown Decline
Research shows that the “donut effect” hollowing out central business districts since the pandemic continues to cause economic decline in the 12 largest American cities.
Why Traffic Never Gets Better
Despite abundant research showing that roadway expansions provide limited congestion relief and increase long-term traffic problems, they still occur due to wishful thinking: advocates claim that “this” project is different.
San Francisco Tops ‘Urban Mobility Readiness’ List
An annual analysis of global cities assesses public transit, technology, and sustainability.
Bike-Mounted Sensor Could Improve Safety for Cyclists
A new camera technology can detect when vehicles pass too close to people on bikes.
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 Prescott
Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization
Village of Glen Ellyn
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
CORP - COnsulting Research Projects
City of Cambridge, Maryland
Newport County Development Council: Connect Greater Newport
Rockdale County Board of Commissioners