North Carolina
City Council Okays Wal-Mart, Calls it TOD
The City Council of Charlotte, North Carolina has signed a deal with WalMart to build a SuperCenter in place of an abandoned mall. City Councilmember Nancy Carter says it will create an opportunity for transit-oriented development.
Hi-Tech Highway Coming To North Carolina
Groundbreaking for the nation's most technologically highway, a toll road, occurred on August 12 in North Carolina. Attended by Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez, the 19 mile road will have no toll booths. It is expected to open 2011.
Charlotte Transit Plans Face Delays, Even With Tax Increase
Votes in the Charlotte area are considering another raise to their sales tax to fund transit projects. New documents show the tax increase may not bring the improvements quickly. But without the raise, some projects may never get built.
Can Charlotte Overtake Atlanta as Powerhouse of the South?
Atlanta is seen by many as the economic powerhouse of the South. But some say Charlotte's progress in providing transit and reducing traffic may begin to tip the scales.
Charlotte Considers Doubling Tax to Fund Transit
Mecklenburg County commissioners are scheduled to debate whether to add a second half-cent sales tax to fund transit in the Charlotte area.
Recession Forces Charlotte to Cut Down Light Rail Construction
Two new light rail projects near Charlotte were planned to get built at the same time, but the economic recession is forcing officials to choose one and delay the other.
Zoning Keeping WalMart From Eager Community
Residents of Charlotte, NC are pushing the State to change a zoning rule to allow a WalMart to go in on Independence Blvd. Land around the boulevard is being held for a possible freeway, but residents claim the area is stagnating from the strictures.
Forget Closing the Freeway Loop, Fund Transit
Charlotte politicians have been pushing for the completion of a freeway loop around the city -- a $220 million project. Mary Newsom argues that road funding would better serve the city and the region if it were directed to Charlotte's transit system.
Directing Raleigh's Future
A new comprehensive plan being released in Raleigh has many -- both in and out of the city -- wondering what's the best way to grow in the post-sprawl world.
New Experiments in District Heating
New projects in North Carolina and Ontario take an old idea of district heating to new levels using solar.
North Carolina Tries Toughening Up Emissions Standards
NC Rep. Price Harrison hopes that the third time's a charm when he reintroduces legislation requiring higher auto emissions standards. If it passes, the state's standards may start looking more like California's within the coming year.
You Can't Teach A Big Box New Tricks
A Home Depot Expo in Charlotte, NC, is closing. Mary Newsom explains that the real problem with big boxes like this is that they don't make sense over time.
FEMA Redraws Flood Maps
FEMA has redone official maps of flood-prone areas across the country, designating some as flood zones for the first time.
An 'Urban-Chicken Movement' in North Carolina
North Carolina city dwellers have taken eating locally to a new level by raising their own chickens for eggs. Controversy ensues.
Big Box Breakthrough in Charlotte
Lofts and ground floor retail envelop a new Lowe's store in Charlotte, forming a buffer between the large store and the surrounding Dilworth neighborhood.
141 Miles of Rail for Raleigh-Durham Triangle
A feasibility study released last week shows that a 141 mile transit system could be built on existing right-of-ways in the Triangle for $1 billion, a fraction of the proposed budget for transit in the region through 2035.
Prescribing a Healthy Future For Charlotte
Charlotte faces a number of challenges in the 21st century, from rising immigration to declining industry to sprawl. This Citistates Report suggests one strategy to harbor a healthy future: go green.
Leading With Our Stomachs
Surrounded by storefronts, but nowhere to shop? Charlotte, NC, like many reviving downtowns, has a plethora of restaurants but a lack of significant retail.
Brick By Brick: Protecting A Community’s Sustainable Future
Pineville, North Carolina was expanding rapidly and at risk of losing its identity. To preserve the town's character, planners put their faith in the common brick. City planning officials Kevin Icard and Travis Morgan bring us the story.
Friday Funny: Developers Bad at Naming Streets
Developers often see naming streets as their way of making a mark, naming streets after daughters, alma maters, or the family dog. But they often find themselves tangled up in regulations and the limits of their own creativity.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
Greater Baltimore Committee
Eagle County Government
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
Journal of the American Planning Association
