Game of Thrones provides way more sex, blood, and dragons than your typical comprehensive planning project, but the dynamics can be instructive, particularly in places where demand for the high-quality amenities of urbanism out-paces the supply.
"Frustrated with efforts to pull your little kingdom together for long term strategizing? It could be worse. You could be caught up in the public outreach drama in Westeros. The battles renew on Sunday night, when HBO debuts season seven of 'Game of Thrones.'"
"The addictive series provides way more sex, blood and dragons than your typical comp planning project in American communities — at least in my experience. Nevertheless, the narrative undergirding, built as it is on the ambitions and frustrations of alliance formation, is plenty familiar. Which might help us talk about why holding together coalitions to get ambitious stuff done in our own communities is both essential and elusive."
Ben Brown discusses what drives the action, with a few pointers for policy planners.
FULL STORY: Comp Plan for Westeros? Same issues, more swordplay
It's the Complexity, Stupid! (Try 'Splainin' that in an Elevator)
The dangerous absurdity of building a national—or a community—to-do list around fear, resentment, and wishful thinking
Op-Ed: Why NYC Needs a Comprehensive Plan
The city’s congestion pricing program could change transportation and land use in radical ways. A comprehensive plan would make the most of those changes.
Controversial Comprehensive Plan Update Moves Forward in Charlottesville
Residents have had a chance to oppose the new residential density proposed by the "Charlottesville Plans Together" comprehensive planning process.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Canada vs. Kamala: Whose Liberal Housing Platform Comes Out on Top?
As Canada votes for a new Prime Minister, what can America learn from the leading liberal candidate of its neighbor to the north?
The Five Most-Changed American Cities
A ranking of population change, home values, and jobs highlights the nation’s most dynamic and most stagnant regions.
San Diego Adopts First Mobility Master Plan
The plan provides a comprehensive framework for making San Diego’s transportation network more multimodal, accessible, and sustainable.
Housing, Supportive Service Providers Brace for Federal Cuts
Organizations that provide housing assistance are tightening their purse strings and making plans for maintaining operations if federal funding dries up.
Op-Ed: Why an Effective Passenger Rail Network Needs Government Involvement
An outdated rail network that privileges freight won’t be fixed by privatizing Amtrak.
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.
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions