Urban Development
Pending Massachusetts Zoning Code Bill Would 'Promote Sustainable Communities'
A Boston Globe editorial calls for the Massachusetts State Legislature to approve Bill H.4065 (An Act promoting the planning and development of sustainable communities).
How to Put More Kick in Urban Parks and Recreation Planning
Los Angeles County planner Clement Lau makes a case for increasing the number of fields and facilities dedicated to a sport that is growing in popularity – soccer.
Despite Rejection of Residential High Rise, Houston Still Open to Density
A recent ruling that favored local homeowners over a developer in Houston had some wondering whether Houston's days as a "development free-for-all" were over. Fear not, says Stephen J. Smith.
The New Retirement Community Paradigm
After postponing home purchases during the recession, people over the age of 55 have been the first group to return to the home buying market.
Cities of Love: Paris, Boston, Venice, Quebéc City (and Buffalo?)
Spring brings out the romance in cities. Here's a bit of inspiration from Quebéc City...and Buffalo.
Is Big City Growth Here to Stay?
In this opinion piece, Brookings demographer William H. Frey looks at three years of census data and discusses whether urban growth will stay through the decade or whether the U.S. will return to its traditional, post-War suburban growth patterns.
The Case for Neighborhood Bars...and Why Planning is Like Cooking
Beyond permits and specific plans, urban planning is the creation and facilitation of a user experience, where the neighborhood bar is an essential ingredient to the cohesiveness of a neighborhood.
'May the Use Be With You': San Francisco and Chicago Wooing George Lucas's Museum
After a plan to locate a new museum for the film memorabilia of George Lucas at Crissy Field in the Presidio in San Francisco failed, the City by the Bay and the Windy City have entered competing proposals for the location of the museum.
How Street Performances Transform Public Spaces
A busking advocate blogs about the benefits of street performances in public spaces and the need to revisit street performance licenses and requirements.
De Blasio Moving Forward with New York City's Largest Housing Development in Three Decades
Although the Hunter's Point South was a Bloomberg-era proposal, the de Blasio Administration last week released an RFP for $100 million in construction to build the infrastructure and public amenities necessary to support the project.
Can the Garden City of the Past Work in the Future?
Anthony Flynt explores the motivations behind Robert A.M. Stern's recent revival of the Garden City as a model for future development. Among the benefits of the model proposed by Ebenezer Howard in 1902, according to Stern: equity and comfort.
Twin Developments to Revitalize Downtown Minneapolis
With a $1 billion NFL stadium on the way, and a $400 million mixed-use development that recently broke ground next door to the new home of the Vikings, stakeholders have high hopes for Minneapolis' downtown.
How Green is My Neighborhood? Let Me Count the Ways
Neighborhood-scale sustainable development is flourishing, as are tools for assessing and certifying the triple bottom line of projects. Ten neighborhood rating tools are reviewed for their best fit for planners, developers, and communities.
New Research: Social Vulnerability Significantly Predicted Storm Damage from Hurricane Ike
Wesley E. Highfield, Walter Gillis Peacock, and Shannon Van Zandt from Texas A&M examine the damage after Hurricane Ike and its relationship to social vulnerability (Available via Open Access, http://goo.gl/K) in a new JPER article.
Supply and Demand: Debating the Blame for Gentrification
Jim Russell and Daniel Kay Hertz are engaged in an ongoing debate about how supply and demand in markets of so-called "superstar metros" influences processes of gentrification.
The Lay of the Land in the Columbus Success Story
Aaron Renn recently explored Columbus, Ohio, where he found a city fueled by growth and doing many things right, but lacking the differentiation it merits among the country's urban marketplaces.
Parking Propels Real Estate Bubble in Beijing
What's causing underground parking spaces to go for $160,000 in Beijing? Quartz reports that demand, narrow roads, resident disenfranchisement and old zoning law give developers the upper-hand.
How Fictional Characters Can Give Real Perspective to Planners
Eric Jaffe reports on a simulation method used by the Regional Plan Association to bridge gaps in community engagement while developing the Fourth Regional Plan.
Developer Defeats Planning Expertise in Downtown Los Angeles
The Los Angeles City Council recently approved a pedestrian footbridge for a large development west of Downtown. The approval came suddenly and despite the protests of advocates, planning professionals, and the volunteer City Planning Commission.
Transit Planning for the Future of the Brooklyn-Queens Waterfront
The Brooklyn-Queens Waterfront is amidst a radical change—massive housing projects, celebrated parks, and new jobs by the thousands. One writer calls for transit planning now, to support the waterfront of the future.
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.
Yukon Government
Caltrans
New Jersey Institute of Technology
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Norman, Oklahoma
City of Portland
City of Laramie
