Urban Development

Electric Train

TOD and Zero-Emission Trains: Can You Guess Where the Controversy Is?

The nation's first fuel cell electric train will make its debut in Southern California in about four years, but it's also associated with a controversial ballot measure on the station sites that voters of Redlands will decide on Super Tuesday.

February 24, 2020 - KVCR

South Los Angeles Market-Rate Housing Development

Developer Sues L.A. After Area Planning Commissioners Reject Multi-Family Project

A development controversy also now an expanding legal controversy, after a local planning commission rejected a controversial development proposal allowed by zoning.

February 24, 2020 - Los Angeles Times

San Francisco Rail Transit

Uber App Feature Integrates Transit and Ridesharing

Uber’s "Make My Train" app feature lets riders better plan journeys across modes.

February 24, 2020 - Smart Cities Dive

Shopping Cart

Dollar Stores and Grocery Stores

Opponents of dollar stores argue that dollar stores are the mortal enemy of grocery stores. Is this really true?

February 24, 2020 - Michael Lewyn

Silicon Valley, facing Downtown San Jose

Zuckerberg and Company Set Goals on Housing Policy and Affordable Housing

With over $500 million in resources, the Partnership for the Bay’s Future is funding policy and affordable housing projects throughout the region.

February 23, 2020 - The Mercury News

Air Pollution

Charting the Climate Change Crisis

Analysis of global greenhouse gas emissions data points to the sectors, activities, and countries that are the biggest contributors.

February 23, 2020 - The City Fix

Demolition

The Leaning Tower of Dallas Is Too Good for This World

A failed demolition has created a new, albeit temporary, landmark for Dallas.

February 21, 2020 - The Dallas Morning News

Toronto Waterfront

Waterfront Toronto Greenlights Most of Sidewalk Labs' Quayside Master Plan

An evaluation committee made up of Waterfront Toronto staff has given a green light for the Sidewalk Labs master plan for Toronto to proceed to the next stages of planning.

February 21, 2020 - The Star

Short-Term Rentals

Airbnb, Denver Struggle to Find Common Ground

Where other cities have found common ground with Airbnb and the short-term rental industry, Denver's negotiations toward regulations have continued since 2018 with little to show for the effort.

February 20, 2020 - The Denver Post

Houston

Refugees Learn to Survive as Pedestrians on Houston's Dangerous Streets

For one refugee family, living in Houston has meant facing a host of new challenges as they traverse the city’s roadways without a car.

February 20, 2020 - Texas Monthly

Welcome

Neighborhood Preference Splits on Partisan Lines

Preferences in the characteristics of communities—from the shape of the built environment to demographics—reveal stark partisan preferences. Planners are faced with the task of navigating ideological divides.

February 20, 2020 - Pew Research Center

Cleveland Warehouse District

Zoning Code Update Makes the Nightly News in Cleveland

The potential of form-based codes to re-legalize the historic fabric of Cleveland is explained for the nightly news audience.

February 20, 2020 - News 5 Cleveland

Mumbai Traffic

To Curb the Honking, Mumbai’s 'Punishing Signal'

Incessant honking just adds to the chaos on city streets, so Mumbai police put up a clever device to remind drivers that making noise will not ease traffic woes.

February 20, 2020 - The New York Times

Connected City

The Smart Cities Revolution Happened, but Cities Were Left Out of Loop

Cities have transformed in profound ways, but more recent changes were the last part of a series of technology waves.

February 19, 2020 - Governing

Los Angeles Residential

The Complex Story Behind the Failure of California's Upzoning Bill

SB 50 was often viewed as an attack on wealthy, single-family homeowners, but housing justice advocates also had issues with the legislation.

February 19, 2020 - Curbed

Vote

Prop 13 on the Ballot in California—Just Not the Prop 13 Everyone's Worried About

A case of mistaken identity has embroiled California in election controversy, as claims of bias and misinformation swirl around Prop 13 (2020), Prop 13 (1978), and an anticipated "split roll" initiative.

February 19, 2020 - James Brasuell

Broadway Los Angeles

L.A. Officials to Look at Possibility of Car-Free Downtown Broadway

Los Angeles may follow in San Francisco’s footsteps by banning cars along a stretch of a downtown thoroughfare.

February 19, 2020 - Curbed Los Angeles

New York Street Parking

N.Y.C. Parking Reform Takes Step Forward as Debate Rages On

In Manhattan, a contentious debate has been brewing over on-street parking and how that space could be used for something other than storing cars.

February 19, 2020 - Gothamist

Littleton / Mineral Station

Colorado Town Halts Development Ahead of Code Changes

Littleton, Colorado, home to a population growing beyond 40,000, wants a break from multi-family developments.

February 18, 2020 - Littleton Independent

Arlington Transit Bus

Virginia Proposal for No-Cost and Reduced-Fare Transit

The program would allow transit agencies throughout the state to eliminate or reduce fares.

February 18, 2020 - Greater Greater Washington

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.

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.