General Plans
California Bill Would Make Wildlife Connectivity Part of General Plans
The ‘Room to Roam Act’ would require cities and counties to consider local habitats and the impact of development on wildlife corridors and connectivity.
‘Tempe Tomorrow’ Plans for Expected Population Growth
Tempe planners are preparing a General Plan update scheduled for voter approval in March 2024.
What Is a Planning Commission?
Planning commissions fill an influential advisory role in planning processes, maintaining citizen oversight of government planning powers and also providing a public forum for debate about the future of communities.
L.A.'s New Housing Element Calls for 456,000 New Homes
The newly updated Housing Element of the city of Los Angeles General Plan makes an ambitious commitment to housing construction—after decades of slow construction and a population out of scale with the city's housing stock.
Montgomery County Charts a New Path with 'Thrive 2050'
A new plan under development in Montgomery County, Maryland plots a course change for the famously suburban county.
Ballot Box Planning: Letting Voters Decide
Land use planning decisions are mostly made by city councils and planning commissions. But there are times when the people decide, as exemplified by the city of Monterey Park's recently approved Measure JJ.
What Is a Specific Plan?
Specific Plans are unique to the state of California, but come up frequently in media coverage of planning. Understanding the purpose of Specific Plans can also open a window to understanding of how planning works all over the country.
Southern California City Pins Hopes for Transformation on General Plan Update
The struggling, industrial South Bay city of Carson wants to shake its image as the site of Los Angeles' landfills and waste treatment plants. It has embarked on a $1 million overhaul of its general plan, despite having a $4.1 million budget gap.
L.A.'s New Planning Framework Starts Now
After the defeat of Measure S, Los Angeles Planning Director Vince Bertoni explains how a slew of new planning reforms will help move the city forward.
Houston May Decide to Fence Itself In
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.
Back To The Future: The 1970 Los Angeles 'Centers' Concept Plan
The 1970 Concept Los Angeles plan is a history lesson for urban planners and a vision of what the city could have looked like.
Austin Releases An All Encompassing New 30 Year Plan
The city of Austin has released a new 197 page planning document to manage its population growth and inform planning decisions for the next three decades.
General Plans Getting Increasingly Specific
As cities like Long Beach and Santa Monica get more focused on urban design, their general plans become more and more proscriptive.
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.
Village of Glen Ellyn
American Planning Association, Sustainable Communities Division
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Cambridge, Maryland
Newport County Development Council: Connect Greater Newport
Rockdale County Board of Commissioners
