Urban Development

A conceptual rendering of a large bus and transit hub in Clearwater, Florida.

Site Location Snafu Puts Clearwater’s RAISE Grant Funding at Risk

Wires were crossed between the city manager and the city council in Clearwater, Florida, though the city is now back on track with a plan that won $20 million in grant funding from the federal government in August.

August 31, 2022 - Tampa Bay Times

View of houses against backdrop of snowy mountains from across a lake at sunset or sunrise

Utah’s Daybreak Shows a Way Forward for American Suburbs

Suburban dwellers are increasingly calling for more mixed-use development, walkability, and access to transit.

August 30, 2022 - Deseret News

Texas Sprawl

San Antonio Considering Major Development Code Overhaul

Neighborhood registration and accessory dwelling units are among the hot button items included in a package of 193 proposed amendments to the San Antonio Unified Development Code.

August 29, 2022 - San Antonio Report

Pacific Ocean

Redondo Beach’s Housing Element Failed. Now a Developer Is Planning 2,300 Residential Units.

Anti-housing development planning now has consequences in California.

August 26, 2022 - Easy Reader News

A large reservoir and its dam are shown in golden foothills.

Bay Area Development Encounters the Limits of the Water Supply

A development battle pitting Contra Costa County against the East Bay Municipal Utility District illustrates the challenges of developing new housing supply in a time of drought.

August 25, 2022 - The Mercury News

The Interstate 10 freeway cuts through residential neighborhoods in the city of Alhambra. Downtown Los Angeles is visible in the background,

Report: CEQA Lawsuits Challenge Almost Half of All Housing Development in California

A new report details the reach of California’s controversial environmental regulation, and warns of more consequences to come.

August 25, 2022 - Center for Jobs & the Economy

New York transportation carbon footprint map

CoolClimate Policy Tools

The CoolClimate Network's Interactive Policy Tools calculate and compare the GHG reductions provided by various emission reduction policies. These tools can help households, businesses and communities identify the best emission reduction strategies.

August 25, 2022 - CoolClimate Network Smart Tools for a Cooler Planet

Urban Living

D.C. Could Lead the Downtown Office Conversion Trend

Many urban cores around the country are faced with increasing office vacancies concurrently with a housing affordability crisis caused, at least in part, by a lack of supply. D.C. is particularly primed for a wave of adaptive reuse.

August 25, 2022 - Archinect

A view over the tops of the historic brick buildings of Cincinnati.

Cincinnati Ends Parking Requirements in the City’s West End

The West End neighborhood of Cincinnati is home to 6,000 residents but only one dine-in restaurant.

August 24, 2022 - Cincinnati Business Courier

MBTA Green Line

Massachusetts Releases Transit-Oriented Multifamily Housing Rules

Communities near transit stations will have to comply with a new set of regulations that support multifamily development and increased housing density.

August 24, 2022 - The Lowell Sun

RTD train pulling into a station in Denver, Colorado

Commerce City Approves Transit-Oriented Development

An isolated train station north of Denver could become a hub of housing and commercial activity.

August 23, 2022 - The Denver Post

A mid-rise building with retail and apartments. A car port announces the name of the development: Avalon.

National Redevelopment Role Model: Alpharetta, Georgia

Cities around the country have taken notice of the big redevelopment programs in the city of Alpharetta.

August 22, 2022 - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Massachusetts

Boston Will Urge Developers to Provide Diversity Disclosures

Stopping short of a mandate, the city plans to request that developers provide information about diversity and inclusion on their teams.

August 22, 2022 - The Boston Globe

View of buildings in Bangkok business district through extremely orange sunlight

What Is the Urban Heat Island Effect?

Man-made surfaces and urban density contribute to higher temperatures, intensifying heat waves and posing a growing danger to public health.

August 21, 2022 - Diana Ionescu

Denver Region

What Is the Transect?

In urbanism and planning, the term transect provides a conceptual framework for understanding how the scale of built environments can vary from place to place.

August 18, 2022 - James Brasuell

Cars are blurred as they pass the bright lights of the Michigan Theater at dusk in Ann Arbor.

Ann Arbor Votes to Eliminate Parking Minimums

Ann Arbor, Michigan approved changes to the city’s Unified Development Code (UDC) earlier this week that eliminate off-street parking requirements for a variety of development types throughout the city.

August 17, 2022 - The Handbuilt City

Virginia

Richmond Weighing How to End Parking Requirements

A series of town hall meetings will allow the public a chance to give feedback about zoning changes in Richmond, Virginia that would include the end of parking requirements.

August 17, 2022 - WTVR

Three blue Amazon delivery trucks at bays at a distribution center

Key Warehouse Centers Challenge Distribution Center Expansion

Communities near major e-commerce distribution centers are increasingly resisting new construction, citing air pollution and other public health impacts.

August 16, 2022 - Bloomberg CityLab

Walkable, mixed-use neighborhood in Barcelona, Spain

Could Los Angeles Emulate Barcelona’s ‘Superblocks’?

A proposal in the city council could bring the ‘superblock’ model to Los Angeles, opening up neighborhood streets to more biking, walking, and public amenities.

August 15, 2022 - The Real Deal

Aurora, Colorado

Aurora Restricts ‘Cool Weather Turf’ For New Development

Drought is reshaping western U.S. landscapes. Las Vegas banned ornamental grass in 2021. Aurora is now the first municipality in Colorado to curb the use of some grasses in new developments.

August 14, 2022 - The Denver Gazette

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.

Transportation Planner I

KFH Group Inc.

Director, Strategy and Research

Greater Baltimore Committee

Senior Planner

Eagle County Government

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.