Anti-Sprawl

Colorado

Zoning Changes Produce Quick Development Results in a Colorado Town

In September, the city of Longmont, Colorado approved new land use and zoning laws. By April, developers were proposing thousands of residential units and hundreds of thousands of square feet in commercial space.

May 23, 2019 - Times-Call

Cemetery

Fake Cemeteries May Help Curb Sprawl in Spain

In order to stop new development in areas previously consumed by forest fires, Spanish firefighters are using a little known law that prohibits new building's within a 500 meter (0.3 miles) radius of a cemetery.

February 14, 2017 - The Independent (UK)

Porter Ranch

Vouchers Can Work, But...

School vouchers might expand educational choice and thus make city life more appealing to middle-class families—but the most appealing versions of a voucher system are also the most costly.

February 7, 2017 - Michael Lewyn

The "Vertical Sprawl" Myth

Opponents of high- and mid-rise development often use the term "vertical sprawl." But in fact there is little similarity between high-rise infill and suburban sprawl: the major arguments against one do not apply to the other.

April 4, 2013 - Michael Lewyn

Mitt Romney: Smart Growth Champion?

Lisa Hymas has a fascinating look at the anti-sprawl effort championed by Mitt Romney during his time as Governor of Massachusetts, which became the model for a key Obama “smart growth” initiative — the Partnership for Sustainable Communities.

April 23, 2012 - Grist

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.