Urban Development

Trash Can

Nudging People to Keep Cities Clean

Philadelphia looked at how interventions can change recycling and littering behavior.

January 8, 2019 - Apolitical

San Francisco Construction

San Francisco Home Construction Expected to Slump This Year

Due to various market and industry factors, developers are not planning to start many new construction projects in 2019.

January 8, 2019 - San Francisco Chronicle

empty parking lot of Eastvale, California's best buy and kohl's, mountains in background

A New Day for the California Environmental Quality Act

The California Natural Resources Agency posted the final version of amendments to the California Environmental Quality Act, enabled by 2013's SB 743, at the end of 2018.

January 8, 2019 - Streetsblog California

Seattle, Washington

Tax Deal Clears the Way for Seattle's Grand Waterfront Park Plans

A proposed waterfront plan has secured the necessary funding to move forward in Seattle, pending City Council approval.

January 7, 2019 - Crosscut

Manhattan, New York City, New York

Birds of Passage: Quantifying Jacobs's Gloom

While the debate continues unabated on the influence of the physical and land use characteristics of a city on crime, a critical aspect is left out: resident transience. Jacobs took notice and feared its negative influence. Was she right?

January 7, 2019 - Fanis Grammenos

Complete Street

Toward More Comprehensive Multi-Modal Transport Planning

Transportation planning is undergoing a paradigm shift. The new paradigm is more multi-modal and comprehensive, and so can better respond to changing travel demands and emerging community needs.

January 7, 2019 - Todd Litman

Modern Apartment Building

Assessing Feasibility Studies for Inclusionary Zoning

Cities use the studies to inform decisions about inclusionary housing programs. But a closer look shows that there is great variation in the methods and metrics, with no one correct approach for every situation.

January 6, 2019 - Terner Center for Housing Innovation

Chattahoochee River

Master Plan Strives for a 'Seamless' Chattahoochee River for the Atlanta Region

A comprehensive study to revitalize the Atlanta regional waterfront, dubbed the Chattahoochee RiverLands project, is now underway.

January 4, 2019 - Saporta Report

Belltown Seattle

End of Seattle Freeway and Tunnel Is a Green Opportunity

A community initiative says demolition of the Alaskan Way Viaduct and closure of the Battery Street Tunnel offer a chance to turn a series of green infrastructure ideas into reality.

January 4, 2019 - The Urbanist

Ontario, Canada

Ontario May Strip Protections from Toronto Greenbelt

A proposed bill would open nearly 2 million acres of protected land to commercial and industrial development.

January 4, 2019 - TVO

Paradise, California

LA Times: Poor Planning Sealed Paradise's Fate

The planning history of Paradise, California is blamed for the destruction of the city in the Camp Fire. Can planners find new models for both limiting carbon emissions and preparing for the effects of climate change?

January 3, 2019 - Los Angeles Times

Utah

Legislation Would Loosen Zoning for TOD and ADUs, Require Housing Plans From Cities in Utah

State preemption, in the form major zoning reforms and mandates for local housing targets, are on the table in the Utah Legislature this year.

January 3, 2019 - The Salt Lake Tribune

Seattle Stadiums

Seattle Releases RFP for Lid I-5 Study

The plan to top I-5 in Seattle with a cap park—what writer Natalie Bicknell calls "the most ambitious effort in our region"—is moving ahead with a $1.5 million feasibility study.

January 3, 2019 - The Urbanist

Austin Texas

Apple Is Going Suburban Rather Than Urban in Austin

Apple has plans to build a new campus and expand its Texas workforce. The decision to expand to an Austin suburb points to both regional and national trends and outcomes.

January 3, 2019 - CityLab

Downtown Dallas

The Data-Driven Plan to Cool Down Dallas

Dallas's resiliency plan analyzed the best ways to combat heat in every neighborhood.

January 2, 2019 - Governing Magazine

Bell Street Seattle

Level of Service Reform Takes Step Forward in Seattle

The city of Seattle is making more room for alternative transportation modes in its level of service calculations.

January 2, 2019 - The Urbanist

Ofo Bikes

Bikeshare Startup Ofo’s Future Is Looking Dim. What Went Wrong?

The Chinese company seemed to be dominating its corner of the shared mobility market—until its dramatic downfall.

January 2, 2019 - The Globe and Mail

San Francisco Skyline

San Francisco-ization, a City's Biggest Nightmare

Cities spend a lot of time and energy pointing to examples of what they don’t want to become.

January 2, 2019 - The New York Times

Ghost Town

On Different Ways to See a Place

Looking forward to 2019, Chuck Wolfe reflects on how time living in London—and exposure to many other places during 2018— has highlighted how the physical shell of the old often frames today's sociocultural realities around the world.

January 2, 2019 - Charles R. Wolfe

Washington

Displacement Controversy Arrives in SeaTac

Controversy surrounds a development deal in the city of SeaTac, after the city made a $15.5 million development deal that could displace a local business community powered by immigrants from Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.

January 1, 2019 - The Seattle Times

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.