Stormwater Infrastructure

Climate Resilience Planning

'Zoning for Coastal Flood Resiliency' Wins Planning Commission Approval in NYC

Emergency responses to Hurricane Sandy have turned into long-term lessons in New York City, as the nation's largest city crafts a response to sea-level rise and extreme weather by making changes to the zoning code of coastal areas.

March 19, 2021 - Commercial Observer

U.S.-Mexico Border

Flooded: How Natural Disasters Lead to Predatory Lending in the Rio Grande Valley

The devastation that communities in the Rio Grande Valley face is twofold: the initial destruction of the floods and the cycle of debt and poverty as a result of predatory loans.

November 27, 2020 - Shelterforce Magazine

Houston Flood

Criticism for Army Corps' Houston Flood Protection Plans

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has revised a plan to protect the Houston region from flooding by tossing out a proposed tunnel and opting instead to dig Buffalo Bayou wider and deeper.

November 23, 2020 - Houston Chronicle

Mississippi River

Permeable Pavements Required for Parking, Sidewalks in New Orleans

New Orleans is looking for new ways to mitigate the effects of stormwater that regularly floods the city.

May 29, 2020 - NOLA.com

Permeable Pavement

A Minnesota Suburb's Permeable Pavement Leadership

Shoreview, Minnesota has one of the most extensive permeable pavement systems in the United States. This technology has reduced the need for expensive grey infrastructure like stormwater sewer systems.

February 7, 2020 - Next City

Highway Expansion Project Damages Flood Control Systems in Cincinnati

The Ohio Department of Transportation has prioritize the expansion of Interstate 71 in the neighborhood of Madisonville, in Cincinnati, over flood protection for property owners in the city, according to a recent city memo.

January 3, 2020 - Cincinnati Business Courier

Concrete Stormwater

Stormwater Credits Provide Incentives for Green Infrastructure

Most harmful stormwater originates on private property, and public agencies are looking for ways to entice property owners to implement more effective infrastructure.

December 27, 2019 - American Rivers

Vancouver, British Columbia

Vancouver, Rain City

Vancouver has committed to green stormwater infrastructure by approving a Rain City Strategy that establishes an Integrated Stormwater Management Plan for each watershed in the city.

November 14, 2019 - Water Canada

Marlyand

When the Floodwaters Receded in Ellicott City

Ellicott City, Maryland, a suburb located 12-miles from Baltimore with a historic Main Street that has experienced catastrophic flooding twice since 2016, offers a case study of the complementary effects of sprawl and climate change.

November 13, 2019 - NPR

Texas Flood

Texans to Vote on Flood Control Funding, Property Tax Breaks in Disaster Areas

The fingerprint of Hurricane Harvey and recurring flooding events around the state are evident in the statewide election in Texas on November 5, 2019.

October 21, 2019 - Austin American-Statesman

Echo Park

L.A. Unveils Plans for Historic Water Infrastructure Tax

Katy Young Yaroslavsky discusses the the Measure W Implementation Ordinance and the committee appointees tasked with determining how this new funding will flow into community water projects.

September 15, 2019 - The Planning Report

Mississippi River

All New Commercial Developments Require Porous Pavement in New Orleans

After the challenges of a rainy season with persistent flooding last year, New Orleans is ensuring that the future of its development is more stormwater friendly than its past.

September 13, 2019 - NOLA.com

Green Infrastructure

New York Sets a Goal for 5,000 New Curbside Rain Gardens

Seventy percent of the surface of New York City is impervious. A program with a goal to build a total of 9,000 curbside rain gardens will put a dent in the hardscape.

September 6, 2019 - Real Estate Weeky

Flooding

Flood Plans, Green Infrastructure Take Center Stage in Houston's Mayoral Race

The city of Houston will decide their next mayor in November, in a rematch of the two candidates who ran against each other in a tight runoff election in 2015 as well as a host of additional candidates.

August 21, 2019 - Houston Chronicle

Extreme Weather

Funding Research of Atmospheric Rivers to Better Prepare for Heavy Rains

Atmospheric river seems like a phrase that has only recently entered the parlance of the times, but the state of California has seen enough of the idea in action want to know more, and prepare for more.

July 12, 2019 - Water News Network

Charles River

Urban Rivers Everywhere Follow the Cuyahoga's Lead

On the 50th anniversary of the Cuyahoga River catching fire in Cleveland, it's a good time for urban river keepers everywhere to reevaluate their work and redouble their efforts to make safe and healthy rivers for everyone.

July 10, 2019 - The Boston Globe

Hurricane Harvey

Scrutiny for Houston Development Patterns After New Stormwater Regulations

Advocates and researchers say new development regulations, with more stringent flood protections, aren't doing enough to control the stormwater impacts of sprawl.

July 9, 2019 - Community Impact Newspaper

North Carolina Outer Banks Cape Hatteras National Seashore

Living Shorelines for Storm and Flood Protection

More coastal cities and communities are turning to the "soft" solutions of living shorelines—relying on "a combination of oyster reefs, oyster shells, rocks, marsh plants, and other natural materials can be an effective alternative to seawalls."

June 4, 2019 - Vox

Mississippi River

Monday Map: Water Infrastructure in New Orleans

The Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans has launched its first public dashboards to track its operations and initiatives.

May 20, 2019 - Sewage and Water Board of New Orleans

Flooding

Flooding Less of a Concern as Hurricane Memories Fade

Residents of Houston are less likely to think of flooding as a concern, or to think development should be prohibited in flood-prone areas, as in the years immediately following Hurricane Harvey.

May 15, 2019 - Houston Chronicle

FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?

After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.

Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold

The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.