Urban Development

Suburban Office Building

Watch: What it Takes to Retrofit Suburbia

June Williamson explains the necessary components of the next generation of the suburban retrofitting project, and why these actions are so necessary.

April 27, 2019 - Redesigning Cities via YouTube

Cleveland, Ohio

Idea for Saving an Aging Shopping Center: Remove Cut-Through Car Traffic

Planners like the idea of blocking car traffic on Shaker Boulevard through Shaker Square in Cleveland, The public is less sure.

April 26, 2019 - The Plain Dealer

Marijuana

Denver Won't Ease Restrictions for Social Marijuana Uses

The ongoing evolution of land use regulation related to legal marijuana hit a roadblock in Denver this month, although the city has already allowed nearly unprecedented freedom (in the U.S., at least) to buy, sell, and consume marijuana in the city.

April 26, 2019 - The Denver Post

Vancouver Waterfront

For Vancouver’s Carbon Footprint Reduction Plan, 2030 is the New 2040

Four months after formally recognizing climate change as an emergency, the Vancouver City Council considers six large-scale changes to dramatically reduce city-wide carbon emissions.

April 26, 2019 - Vancouver Sun

Detroit, Michigan

Protecting Detroit's Historic Food District

Detroit's historic food district is under very contemporary development pressure, so the nonprofit tasked with managing the market has decided to define principles that prioritize affordability and inclusivity in the area.

April 25, 2019 - Crain's Detroit Business

San Diego Beach Housing

California Bill Takes Aim at Vacation Rentals

Proposed legislation in California would limit short-term beach rentals in San Diego.

April 25, 2019 - Voice of San Diego

D.C. Metro Bus

An Energy Efficient Makeover for D.C.-Area Public Transit

D.C. Metro has a plan to reduce carbon emissions and energy consumption by building to LEED green building standards and buying electric buses.

April 25, 2019 - Smart Cities Dive

Pittsburgh Public Space EVent

We Need More Words for Play

Could cities harness the power of play to build more healthy, resilient, and equitable communities, if only we had the words for it?

April 25, 2019 - Sarah Siplak

Accessory Dwelling Unit

ADUs Offer Affordable Housing in California, but Challenges Persist

While accessory dwelling units have the potential to ease California’s housing crisis, homeowners still find the construction process difficult to navigate.

April 24, 2019 - San Francisco Chronicle

Salesforce Tower and 181 Fremont

Another Big City Announces Sweeping Energy Plans for Buildings

San Francisco and New York City made a theme of this year's Earth Day: mandating emissions reductions from buildings.

April 24, 2019 - San Francisco Chronicle

Stanford

California's Upzoning Bill, SB 50, Would Allow Apartment Construction in Wealthy Communities

The proposed legislation would open up cities like Palo Alto to higher-density housing.

April 24, 2019 - Los Angeles Times

The Villages, Florida

What Central Florida's Population Growth Reveals About U.S. Real Estate Trends

Big trends—a geographic shift back to the suburban and exurban areas and a "silver tsunami"—are apparent in population figures for two Florida locations.

April 24, 2019 - Curbed

Rhode Island Capitol Building

2019 'Parking Madness' Shows How Much Has Changed

Streetsblog USA's annual showcase of the worst examples of car-oriented land use this year focused on places that had overcome the worst excesses of 20th century planning.

April 24, 2019 - Streetsblog USA

Denver Skyline

New 20-Year Comprehensive Plan, and More, Approved for Denver

Two big pieces of the Denveright planning process, the Comprehensive Plan 2040 and Blueprint Denver, won approval from the Denver City Council earlier this week.

April 23, 2019 - The Denver Post

Los Angeles BRT

Transit Projects Would Provide Local and Regional Connectivity for L.A. Suburb

Two projects on the table in Glendale, California, a BRT line and a streetcar, would increase mobility options in the city.

April 23, 2019 - Glendale News-Press

Fruit Belt, Buffalo

Google Maps' Digital Erasure Highlights Issues of Community Identity in Buffalo, NY

In the face of displacement and gentrification, residents of the Fruit Belt neighborhood of Buffalo, NY point to tech-giant Google's map service as one among many possible causes.

April 23, 2019 - OneZero via Medium

Chicago Lake Michigan Trees

Urban Forestry Managers Need Better Climate Change Data, Report Says

Results of a new survey suggest that there are benefits to be reaped from a focus on climate change.

April 23, 2019 - CityLab

Waste Stream

Striving for a Zero-Waste Future

A number of U.S. cities have set ambitious zero-waste goals, but reaching targets has been challenging. Turning waste into a viable commodity is one strategy to get materials out of the waste stream.

April 23, 2019 - Next City

California Water Pipeline

Cities Win the Water Reallocation Game, Study Shows

A new study says that huge amounts of water are moved from rural areas to cities to support rapidly growing urban populations.

April 23, 2019 - The Straits Times

Cleveland, Ohio

Cleveland Bike Path Plan Leaves Some Locals Unhappy

Change was slow to come to a neighborhood in Cleveland, but not everyone is pleased with what a new riverside bike path will bring with it.

April 23, 2019 - Cleveland.com

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.