Urban Development

One-Third of Downtown Salt Lake City Devoted to Parking
A new map highlights prime downtown real estate that could be repurposed for more productive uses.

How Transit Villages Are Reshaping New Jersey’s Urban Landscape
Will the Garden State become Manhattan 2.0 in the next 50 years? Probably not. Will it look different from today? Probably yes.

Kingston, New York Goes 100 Percent Form-Based for its New Code
Kingston recently adopted a form-based code, taking the rare step to entirely replace its old zoning code with form-based standards while also repealing parking requirements and allowing accessory dwelling units and missing middle housing.

California Adopts CEQA Reforms for Infrastructure, Leaves Out Residential
The state of California adopted reforms to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pertaining to climate-friendly infrastructure projects, but residential development interests hoping for relief from CEQA will have to wait.

Los Angeles Wants to Transfer Public Land to Marginalized Groups
A systematic reparations plan has begun in the city of Los Angeles, though it’s still too early to tell about the scale and impact of the plan.

Do Americans Really Prefer Sprawl?
Not if they live in a large metro area.

Missing Middle Housing Reforms Coming to East Tennessee
With the cost of housing around Knoxville, Tennessee rising, elected officials and political candidates are looking for new ways to allow residential density.

More Options Presented for Minneapolis I-94 Project
Two new proposals for replacing the freeway with at-grade segments offer new visions for the future of downtown Minneapolis.

San Diego Planning Commission Rejects Voluntary State Density Law
The density-enabling mechanisms of the California law Senate Bill 10 are too much for San Diego’s citizen planners.

Report: Fort Worth’s Panther Island Should Emphasize Mixed Use, Walkability
Originally planned as a primarily residential development, the riverfront development could shift to a focus on entertainment, commerce, and outdoor recreation.

Youth, Inexperience, and a Sense of Mission
Forty years ago this week, I arrived in Tallahassee to take my first full-time university job. It was a nervous moment. After nearly eight years of graduate school, I was about to learn if I was any good at the career I'd prepared so long to begin.

A Roundtable Discussion on the Future of Cities
Since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been shortage of opinions on the coming evolution of cities. It’s time to check in with the debate.

Anchorage Considering Consolidation of Residential Districts
If changes to Title 21 of the city’s municipal code are approved, Anchorage could go from having 15 types of residential zoning to one.

Nashville Adopts New Mass Timber Building Standards
Mass timber buildings up to 18 stories high will now be allowed in the Music City.

State Regulators Reject Palo Alto’s Housing Element a Second Time
More analysis and more equity will be required for Palo Alto to finally adopt a Housing Element that complies with state laws.

Colorado Erases Local Growth Limits
Colorado legislators passed a law earlier this year that preempts local limits on the number of building permits issued every year.

The Walkable Urbanism of Big Box Stores
For residents of many U.S. small towns and exurbs, the local Walmart offers a surprising benefit missing elsewhere in their communities: walkability.

Op-Ed: How to Make Over Pennsylvania Avenue
The Washington, D.C. street briefly regained its former vibrancy during the pandemic. A proposed redesign could bring it back once again.

Report Links Zoning and Land Use to Structural Racism
The historically comprehensive study outlines the policies that have shaped homeownership, generational wealth, and economic development in the Puget Sound region.

Majority of Americans Prefer Larger Homes and Longer Trips, Survey Says
The percentages have fluctuated on either side of the pandemic, but most Americans prefer to live in communities with larger houses, located farther away from schools, stores, and restaurants, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey.
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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)