Urban Development

America’s 10 ‘Greenest’ Cities
A new analysis ranks cities based on their environmental quality, energy consumption and production, transportation, density, and other factors.

How the Built Environment Affects Your Mood
Humans have survived for millennia by staying together, not apart.

Urban Trees Have Bigger Impact in Hot, Dry Cities
The cooling effect of robust urban tree canopies is more pronounced in hotter, drier cities like Phoenix and Las Vegas.

Book Review: Combining Sustainability and Smart Growth
A review of The Sustainable Urban Design Handbook, by architects Nico Larco and Kaarin Knudson.

Atlanta Beltline Expands Westside Trail and Redevelops Rail Corridor
The Beltline is expanding the Westside Trail with new sections, including the Kudzu Trail, while also redeveloping abandoned rail corridors, with completion expected between 2025 and 2027.

Massachusetts TOD Law Yielding Results
While some cities are fighting the state’s push to increase density near transit, others are already breaking ground on multifamily projects that will bring hundreds of new housing units online.

Former DC Army Garage Gets New Life
The fortress-like underground structure posed unique challenges to engineers redeveloping a former U.S. Army complex.

New Orleans: An Urban Planner’s Guide to the City
One of the nation’s oldest cities and a coastal architectural gem with a storied past, New Orleans must contend with its precarious location at the mouth of the Mississippi Delta and the constant threat of flooding.

Love Letter to Asheville
A River Arts District resident and urbanist reflects on her experience in the former “climate haven” in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.

Zoning for Good
A new book highlights the power of zoning to change communities for the better.

Insights and Innovations from the California Land Recycling Conference
The 2024 CLRC showcased innovative strategies for transforming brownfields into sustainable, equitable community assets, emphasizing environmental, social, and economic empowerment through land reuse.

Migration to Disaster-Prone Areas Persists
Regions at high risk for flooding, wildfires, and other climate-fueled disasters continue to see rapid population growth.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know in 2024
Whether you’re a TikTok enthusiast or a Substack reader, you can find plenty of valuable and engaging urban planning content in the new media landscape.

Exposition Park’s $351.5 Million Transformation
This revitalization will create vital green spaces, improve accessibility, and enhance connections with community, making Exposition Park a central hub for recreation and culture in Los Angeles.

California Secures $360 Million in Federal Funding for Parks, Habitat Restoration, and Clean Transportation
This funding will drive transformative projects across the state, improving access to green spaces, protecting natural ecosystems, and advancing sustainable transportation initiatives.

Oregon Cities Debate Expanding Boundaries
A recent bill allows cities to apply for a one-time expansion to Oregon’s historic urban growth boundaries, which limit development at the edges of cities.

First Model Homes Revealed in Disney-Built Community
Disney’s Cotino, in the Southern California desert, is the first of the company’s ‘Storybook Living’ developments.

Saving Walkable Urban Places
A few key changes can help downtowns out of the ‘urban doom loop.’

Experts Call for Extreme Heat Action Plans as Communities Face Growing Risks
Experts are urging cities and counties to develop heat action plans and personalized heat warnings as extreme heat becomes a leading cause of climate-related deaths.

Governor Newsom Signs Bills to Restrict Oil and Gas Operations Near Communities
The signed legislation grants local communities more authority to restrict oil and gas operations near sensitive areas and address the environmental risks of idle wells, while also ensuring the permanent shutdown of low-production wells.
Pagination
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.
Municipality of Princeton
Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission
City of Mt Shasta
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)