Houston isn't freezing over. But, after decades of unbridled, un-zoned development, a new mayor, new planning director, and a raft of civic activists are promoting a general plan for the famously laissez-faire city.

(Updated: 03/24/2015) Houston's lack of zoning has always presented a paradox. On the one hand, it's a conservative policy, giving private enterprise a free hand to build the city, and profit from it, as it sees fit. On the other hand, it has been a radical experiment in city-building, being the only major city in the United States without strict land-use controls.
For over ten years, a nonprofit group called Blueprint Houston has claimed that the experiment has been, if not a failure, then at least problematic. Led by planner Peter Park, Blueprint Houston has led the movement to consider smarter ways for Houston to cope with its explosive growth and perhaps rein in some of the sprawl that has resulted from rampant speculation and leapfrog development: "for Houston, the relationship between development and transportation needs to be addressed—not just cars and future traffic, but also the relationships between development and various types of transportation beyond the automobile."
With the appointment of *Planning and Development Department Director Pat Walsh last year, many of Blueprint Houston's goals are being realized. Upon taking the position, Walsh ordered that a general plan be drafted within a mere 10 months. Walsh touts the plan as a guiding document for operating the city. He emphasizes that zoning ordinances will not immediately spring up like bluebonnets. But, he also contends that Houston isn't exactly un-planned in the first place:
"We regulate development with subdivisions, landscape ordinances, dedication of right of way, drainage, and parking," Walsh told The Architect's Newspaper. "We do have a lot of deed restriction–like zoning protections. We do not expect zoning to be an outcome of this. This is about making sure we are effective as possible at creating and enhancing the city.”
The plan is expected to be presented to the City Council for adoption by this fall.
*The post has been corrected to reflect the proper title and gender for Pat Walsh.
FULL STORY: Houston, We Have a Plan

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