There are few political third rails in the world of planning like Agenda 21, a nonbinding United Nations resolution often found at the center of planning controversies in the United States.

President of the United Nations General Assembly Mogens Lykketoft announced new United Nations Form-Based Code Guidelines today, as part of the recently ratified COP 21 climate agreement.
Lykketoft described the new Form-Based Codes as "Agenda 21 times 2" and said it would "scare people into mixing uses and adding density."
Form-based codes are a relatively new invention of development regulation, relying on issues of form rather than land use as organizing principles.
What could go wrong with adding a new-fangled and complex regulatory scheme to an already controversial international policy directive? A lot, actually, and the United Nations is counting on it.
Lykketoft responded to questions about the potential controversy that would surround the Form-Based Code Guidelines by insisting that Agenda 21 is not a U.N. plot to overthrow the sovereignty of the United States. "It's actually just a U.N. plot to annoy planners," said a noticeably smug Lykketoft before dropping the mic and getting on a private jet with Kanye West.
FULL STORY: U.N. Releases 'Agenda 21 Times 2'

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.

Walmart Announces Nationwide EV Charging Network
The company plans to install electric car chargers at most of its stores by 2030.

New State Study Suggests Homelessness Far Undercounted in New Mexico
An analysis of hospital visit records provided a more accurate count than the annual point-in-time count used by most agencies.

Michigan Bills Would Stiffen Penalties for Deadly Crashes
Proposed state legislation would close a ‘legal gap’ that lets drivers who kill get away with few repercussions.

Report: Bus Ridership Back to 86 Percent of Pre-Covid Levels
Transit ridership around the country was up by 85 percent in all modes in 2024.
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 Moorpark
City of Tustin
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