Sprawl
Green Belts Cure Sprawl, Cause Problems
Touted as a solution to mindless suburban expansion, the vast green belts around U.K. cities create new challenges. Among them: less affordable housing, longer commutes, and dubious environmental benefits. What happens if these spaces get developed?
Evidence of Peak Sprawl in the New York Region
"A new report out of Rutgers University reveals that since 2010, the fringes of the New York region have lost population as the core has grown," according to an article by Stephen Miller.
Lessons in Sprawl from an Abandoned Government Housing Program
The Mexican government built houses for five million citizens in the last decade, only to see those houses abandoned en masse after sprawling patterns out stretched demand.
Columbus, Ohio Launches 'insight2050' Plan to Curb Sprawl
The Mid Ohio Planning Commission (MORPC) is working with Columbus 2020, ULI Columbus, and planning firm Calthorpe and Associates to head up a new effort called insight2050 that will develop "objective analytical tools" to prepare for growth.
Sprawl and the 'Death of the American South'
A post by Sustainatlanta reacts to the recent study that predicted massive, sprawling growth in the South in the next 50 years. The post's concern is that sprawl will "eviscerate' the Southern lifestyle.
Highway to Serfdom
Classical liberal commentator F.A. Hayek argued that monomaniacal government planning would eventually lead to limits on individual freedom—and government hostility to pedestrians may be an example of this.
Can the Walton Family Help Reverse Arkansas Sprawl?
Led by the Walton Family Foundation, Northwest Arkansas officials look to "sense of place" and walkable urban solutions for future economic growth and attraction of talent.
Commuter Rail Station in Virginia Central to 'Transit-Oriented Sprawl' Plans
Among proposed examples of new urbanist communities, Greater Greater Washington calls out one, located along Prince William's Potomac riverfront, as particularly experimental, sprawling, and centered on a Virginia Railway Express station.
Mission Accomplished? Not Yet
Even if today's renters and homebuyers are more likely to want urban life and walkable neighborhoods than their parents, plenty of political obstacles stand in their way.
The Suburban Story; Continued
Any narrative of the contemporary American residential market that neglects the continued proliferation of sprawl fails to describe the complex preferences of the public.
Modeling the Explosive Growth of the Southern Megalopolis
A new study, "The Southern Megalopolis: Using the Past to Predict the Future of Urban Sprawl in the Southeast U.S." predicts urban sprawl and warns of its possible consequences over the next 50 years.
Concerns Raised about Sprawl, Public Safety Implications of Autonomous Vehicles
A pair of articles sounds separate warnings about what a future of autonomous vehicles will mean for law enforcement and fuel consumption. The warnings are far from the utopian ideal that many desire for the technology.
Economic Growth without the McMansions—Is America Ready?
Henry Grabar beckons the death of the McMansion, calling it an "American embarrassment" with no easy solution for planners.
Does Low Congestion Mean Urban Failure?
The least congested cities tend to be small, declining, and dangerous.
Tracking the Rate of Sprawl for U.S. Cities between 2000 and 2010
Many studies have measured and compared the sprawl of U.S. metropolitan areas. A recent study tracks the rate at which the same cities grew either less compact or more compact for the decade between 2000 and 2010.
What Urban Planners Fail to Grasp in Climate Action Plans
Climate mitigation and adaptation have become de rigeur aspects of urban planning for most cities, according to results from MIT's international Urban Climate Change Governance Survey. What's missing in most plans is the link to economic development.
Pending Massachusetts Zoning Code Bill Would 'Promote Sustainable Communities'
A Boston Globe editorial calls for the Massachusetts State Legislature to approve Bill H.4065 (An Act promoting the planning and development of sustainable communities).
Defending Atlanta from Anti-Sprawl Malcontents
Robert Bruegmann, professor emeritus of art history, architecture, and urban planning at the University of Illinois at Chicago, defends the recent attacks against Atlanta, especially regarding its sprawling footprint.
Revisiting Master Planned Communities in Arizona—Ten Years Later
In recovery mode following the most recent housing crisis—two Phoenix-area master-planned communities are continuing to grow.
How Does Social Status Drive Transit Opposition?
A new book explains how suburban dwellers have built "zoning rules, housing covenants and other mechanisms" to protect "their privileged place in the residential pecking order."
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
