Smart Growth
Fun Parking Facts
Parking requirements are the dark matter of the urban universe: they affect transport and land use in mysterious ways. These fun facts illustrate the costs and impacts of economically excessive parking supply.
Boise Residents Revolt Over Planned CVS
A huge public response shows that the booming city is defining a new future with smart growth.
A New Traffic Safety Paradigm
Despite numerous traffic safety programs, traffic death rates have not declined in a decade and recently started to increase. We can do better! A new paradigm identifies additional safety strategies that reduce both crash rates and risk exposure.
Better Land Use Planning: One of the Best Ways to Improve Transportation
Smart growth advocates have been making this point for years, but a new report from the Washington, D.C. regional planning organization provides more evidence for the strategic location of population and job growth.
Amazon's Second HQ Poised for Smart Growth
Amazon's second headquarters is huge, and their bias for walkable places says they are going to do it all over again in a new city. However, maybe they should take the high road and not beg for subsidies.
Amazon's Second HQ Poised for Smart Growth
With a second headquarters, Amazon is poised to expand its preference for walkable places into a new city. However, maybe the company should take the high road and not beg for subsidies.
How to Manage the Sprawl in Growing Megacities
Around the world, people continue to move toward urbanized areas in search of opportunity. Developing megacities and megaregions must plan ahead for the continued growth, according to Bloomberg.
Lessons from an Inclusive Suburb
The suburban experiment of Clarksburg, Maryland hasn't been totally successful, according to this article, but it still offers many lessons for other communities like it.
Houses Appreciate. Cars Depreciate. Walkable Urban Neighborhoods Help Families Build Wealth.
Walkable urban neighborhoods tend to have more expensive housing but cheaper transport. By shifting spending from vehicles to housing a typical household can build a million dollars in additional equity by choosing a Smart Growth location.
Gentrification, for Better and Worse
Gentrification—more wealthy people moving into lower-income communities—often faces opposition, sometimes for the wrong reasons. It is important to consider all benefits and costs when formulating urban development policies.
Density is Destiny: Voting Records Mirror Proximity to Neighbors
Urban densities tend to encourage more liberal, tolerant values. Living among diverse neighbors can reduce fear and resentment, as everyday interactions break down stereotypes and misconceptions of ‘the other.’
Transit-Walkability Collaborative Established
The new Transit-Walkability Collaborative works to create safe, healthy, equitable, and sustainable communities by harnessing the synergy between walkability and quality public transit service.
Shining a Light on Smarter Development Policies in India
A new study uses night sky satellite images to measure urban development patterns in India. The results can help guide smarter growth.
The Smart Growth Movement: A (Partial) Success
Has the smart growth movement succeeded? It depends how you measure "success."
Limitations on Rural Sprawl in Maryland Nixed
Changes in state law that rolls back regulations on septic systems could spark more residential sprawl in Maryland's rural areas.
A New Guide to Revitalizing Cities Around the World
A major study by the Harvard University Graduate School of Design, "Revitalizing Places: Improving Housing and Neighborhoods from Block to Metropolis," identifies planning strategies to improve housing and urban development practices.
Urban Growth Boundaries Gone Awry: Protection Without Infill
Joe Mathews of Zócalo Public Square views with a great deal of skepticism the urban growth boundaries the voters of Ventura County adjacent to Los Angeles County have enacted since 1995 due to the lack of infill. Another measure is on the ballot.
An Accurate Answer to an Interesting Question: Are Compact Neighborhoods Really Most Affordable?
Contrary to recent claims, the evidence really does indicate that compact, multi-modal neighborhoods tend to be most affordable overall, considering both housing and transportation costs.
Selling Smart Growth
Smart Growth can provide many direct benefits to residents, businesses and local governments. Our challenge is to better answer the question that many stakeholders ask, "What’s in it for me?"
City vs. Suburb Battle Reignites
There's a new volley in the long-running battle between cities and suburbs. In his new book "The Human City," urban scholar Joel Kotkin contends that cities and their planners have lost sight of the residents who matter most: families.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Town of Zionsville
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.
