Density
Proposed Chicago TOD Ordinance: Increase Density, Eliminate Parking Requirements
Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced an update of the city's 2013 transit oriented development ordinance. The new version of the ordinance would have a sweeping effect on the land uses around transit stations in Chicago.
Op-Ed: Newer Model Density Falls Short of its Promise
The general principle is simple: more density equals lower prices and less environmental impact. But suburbia's imprint is deep, both on cities themselves and on how we expect to inhabit them.
Study: Columbus Neighborhoods Still Surprisingly Suburban
Columbus is surprisingly suburban, given that the city is the largest in population in the state of Ohio. Maybe that perception comes from the fact that it’s also the largest in size in the state?
Hot Buttons and Live Wires: Inside Raleigh's Zoning Code Debate
Public hearings are underway in Raleigh to discuss the zoning changes necessary to implement the city's Unified Development ordinance. Heated rhetoric was inevitable.
Op-Ed Critiques the Pro-Density Arguments of Denver Planners
A Denver Post op-ed critiques the arguments employed to make the case for density in Denver.
Can Seattle Solve the Affordable Housing Crisis With Zoning?
Seattle returns to zoning as a tool to promote the construction of affordable housing.
Cities Where Density Benefits Transportation Efficiency
A simple demonstration of one of the benefits of density.
Battle Cry of the Suburban Majority
According to Joel Kotkin, the next culture war will be fought over how and where Americans choose to live. It's suburbs vs. cities, again.
Guidance for Good Urban Density
A new report by the Urban Land Institute, "Density: Drivers, Dividends and Debates," examines the concept of density, its impacts, and how it can best be achieved in cities around the world.
The End of Single-Family Housing? Seattle Housing Committee Creates a Stir
A draft report, by the Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda (HALA) Advisory Committee created by Seattle Mayor Ed Murray, includes language about single-family zoning that has provoked debate.
Surprise Survey Finding on Density in the Bay Area
San Francisco and the Bay Area, known for their exorbitant housing prices and not unrelated, strong NIMBY attitudes, could be softening their opposition toward increasing density in their neighborhoods.
Planners Across America: Raleigh Makes Room to Grow Under the Leadership of Ken Bowers
In this interview for the "Planners Across America" series, Ken Bowers, AICP, discusses how the city of Raleigh will rely on the city's new comprehensive plan and development code to accommodate 100,000 new residents by 2030.
Seattle NIMBYs Protest Dense Development, Cite Eastern Bloc
A zoning bill has stirred up the fear that dense development projects will transform Seattle into a "Soviet cityscape." Residents accuse developers of using loopholes to squeeze in pricey, out-of-character townhomes.
How One Plan Manages Growth in London
While still deeply attached to its history, today London is grappling with rapid population growth. The ensuing need to increase density in appropriate areas and improve connectivity present London with challenges of a quintessentially modern kind.
The Code Change That Could Enable Mid-Rise Construction in Washington D.C.
Washington D.C. must wrap up its consideration of the 2015 International Building Code by July. Adoption of the IBC could enable new types of density in the nation's capital.
Does Portland's Urban Growth Need a Course Correction?
To curb suburban "sprawl on steroids" and foster higher density infill in Portland, a shift in planning strategy is needed, according to Rick Potestio, the principal of Potestio Studio, an architecture and design firm based in the city.
Neighborhood Activists Mobilize Against Mid-Rise Developments in Toronto
There are neighborhoods where residents are concerned about new developments raising prices, and there are neighborhoods where residents are concerned about new developments lowering home values. Toronto is currently dealing with the latter.
It's Time to Talk About National Minimum Urban Density Standards
What would a policy that requires development to make more efficient use of land and resources (like water, for instance) look like?
Stiff Opposition to San Diego Mixed-Use Mega-Project
In February, the city council approved One Paseo, a 1.4 million-square-foot mix of offices, residences, retail, and entertainment. The project's detractors have forced a referendum, putting a kink in San Diego's urbanist planning ambitions.
Seattle Zealously Protects Its Parkland
Based on a history of park-friendly ordinances, Seattle parks and urban forests are largely off-limits to developers. Landowners who flout these regulations must provide the city with an adjacent and equivalent parcel.
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 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
