Louisville has the ignominious distinction of having the largest heat island effect of any of the largest cities in the United States. A new study from the Urban Climate Lab at Georgia Tech suggests ideas for lowering the heat in the city.
"Mayor Greg Fischer launched a "Cool502" effort on Monday to fight the city's documented problem with urban heat," reports James Bruggers. The mayor's announcement responded to a new study from Georgia Tech about the many negative effects of Louisville's heat problem.
In releasing the city's first heat management report [pdf], which provides neighborhood-by-neighborhood guidance, the mayor called on residents and business owners to take steps to improve the livability of Louisville by reducing heat.
Bruggers also wrote a second article published today, focusing more specifically on the new study that inspired the mayor's announcement. The report also details the benefits the city could achieve by taking steps to alleviate the problem. The same researchers released a report in 2013 finding that Louisville had the most intense heat island effect of any large city in the United States.
Read the full story: Fischer launches 'Cool502' to fight urban heat
Louisville's Tree-Protection Plan in Final Revisions
Faced with a costly urban heat island effect, Louisville is working on a new tree-protection ordinance that could be headed for a vote this week.
Green Infrastructure Thinking for Southern Cities in 2022 and Beyond
Resilience planning requires communities to think of a well planned and maintained tree canopy as a public utility system with multiple benefits.
Denver Voters Will Weigh Open Space Development
Two competing initiatives seek to change city regulations for residential and commercial development on the city's parklands and open spaces.
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.
Seattle passes record-breaking transit services expansion
Proposition 1 will double the city’s transit tax to add 95,000 more bus trips and preserve 180,000 bus trips annually.
Post election, Texas is no longer Musk’s 'AI oasis'
Elon Musk dolled out $446 million on the 2026 midterms, the most ever spent by a non-canidate.
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
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