Urban Development
Advice for a Post-Parking Mandate World
After abolishing parking requirements, what can cities do to make the most of new space and revenue and avoid backlash?
Constitutional Protections for Environmental Rights Latest Roadblock for NYC Megaproject
The latest in a series of lawsuits against a megaproject proposed for Manhattan is the first to sue on the grounds provided by a constitutional amendment approved by the state of New York a year ago.
In Reversal, Ontario Government Could Open Toronto Greenbelt to Development
The Toronto Greenbelt was an urban growth boundary created in 2005 as one of the most obvious political victories for the Smart Growth movement in North America. A new bill would reverse course on the region’s growth policies.
Anchorage Eliminates Parking Requirements Citywide
Anchorage is the latest city to enact sweeping parking reforms, in another blow to the car-centric status quo of planning.
How Low Land Taxes Contribute to the Housing Shortage
The relatively low cost of holding on to vacant lots leads to underdevelopment in what are often prime residential areas.
$323 Million Waterfront Project Cruising Along in St. Louis
Lighthouse Point, a $323 million marina and waterfront development proposed for the banks of the Mississippi River, has already been granted a special district, tax abatements, and sales tax exemptions.
Developers Rebrand Baltimore’s Port Covington Megaproject
The megaproject formerly known as Port Covington is now known as Baltimore Peninsula.
Seattle Considering Expedited Design Review for Affordable Housing
An emergency order in April 2020 exempted affordable housing projects from the city of Seattle’s design review process. A new ordinance would allow affordable housing proposals there own path to approval for another two-year test period.
Houston Development Aims to Create Hyper-Walkable, Micro-Living Neighborhood
The 17-acre Second Ward project has spurred both optimism for a more walkable city and concerns about displacement and gentrification.
Nashville Sets Downtown Parking Maximums
Nashville is the latest city to enact a substantive change to the parking requirements set by the city’s zoning code—doing away with parking minimums and setting parking maximums in the city’s Urban Zoning Overlay.
European Cities Act on Density
The sprawling mass of suburbia has been a disaster for the environment. But now smaller, denser cities herald a renaissance in city living.
Report: Sustainability Goals Go Unmet in Many Global Cities
Cities around the world are failing to achieve progress toward their sustainability and public health goals, new research finds.
Arizona’s Growth Threatens Water Supplies
New communities are popping up across Arizona’s desert, evading water consumption restrictions and straining the state’s groundwater supplies.
San Francisco Could Strike Deal on New Tower
The city is leveraging height increases and density bonuses to acquire more properties for affordable housing.
Palo Alto Includes Industrial Rezonings in its State-Mandated Housing Element
Palo Alto, a Silicon Valley city with a history of exclusionary zoning tactics, has produced a new Housing Element that calls for more than 6,000 housing units to be built in the city by 2031.
Where and Why Rezonings Are More Likely to Succeed
A new analysis of developer-initiated rezonings in Louisville, Kentucky sheds light on how the land use regulation system works.
Voters Reject Miami Beach High-Rises
Developers planning to build above the city’s current height limit will have to go back to the drawing board.
Skyscraper Proposed for Austin Would Be Tallest in Texas
The skylines are starting to catch up to the hype about everything being bigger in Texas.
Elizabeth Warren Points to Development as a Path for Electoral Success
An op-ed written by Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) details Democrats’ recent track record of large-scale capital investments and calls for more.
Seeking a Post-Pandemic Comeback, WeWork to Close More Offices
WeWork isn’t dead yet, hoping to ride post-pandemic interest in flexible workspace to a comeback story for the ages. There are still cuts to be made, however.
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.
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie
