Texas

Designing Three Model Developments For Houston

Duany Plater-Zyberk and Company is on charrette designing three different sites in Houston, a city well-known for its homogeneous suburban development. Plans include a TOD, sustainability, brownfield redevelopment, and of course walkability.

July 1, 2007 - The Houston Chronicle

Geologists Warn Major Development Project Could Endanger Galveston

Plan for 4,000 new homes and two hotels could threaten Galveston, TX, which was hit by the deadliest hurricane in American history.

June 28, 2007 - The Los Angeles Times

Look At Houston In A Different Light, Argues Kotkin

Often maligned by by most planners and urbanists, the City of Houston, Texas, receives a glowing defense from Joel Kotkin.

June 25, 2007 - The Houston Chronicle

Documentary Follows Suburban Development Fight In Austin

"The Unforeseen," a new documentary, takes a thoughtful look at the various interests at stake in the development of sprawling real estate in Austin.

June 20, 2007 - NOW

Bringing People To Downtown To Spur Development

Rather than investing in new downtown development projects and hoping for people to come, Fort Worth, Texas, is trying to attract more residents downtown with street fairs and events, building a customer base for any future development.

June 16, 2007 - Fort Worth Star-Telegram

The Four Drivers Of Kotkin's Opportunity Urbanism

How transportation, density, discretionary income, and limited land-use regulation combine to maximize opportunity zones for upward social and economic mobility.

June 12, 2007 - The Houston Chronicle

The Price Of Cheap Energy: High Carbon Emissions

A state's carbon emissions is largely correlated with the source of its electricity -- the more coal power, the larger the carbon footprint, and the lower the electric rates.

June 10, 2007 - AP via Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Preservation Promoted Through Tax Exemption For Historic Buildings

The Houston City Council has approved a measure that would grant property tax exemption for owners of buildings assigned protected landmark status in the city. Officials hope the incentive will encourage historic preservation.

June 8, 2007 - The Houston Chronicle

The Essence of the Planning Debate: Architects vs. Economists

Should urban planners take their cues from architects who prefer central control or economists who prefer free markets?

June 4, 2007 - Houston Strategies

Good Heavens! Texas Churches Grow to Biblical Proportions

Living up to its reputation as a state who's residents like things big, Texas is home to three of the largest megachurches in the nation.

May 27, 2007 - Tierra Grande

Differences Over Mixed-Use Emerge In East Austin

After initially supporting the city's new mixed-use ordinance, some residents of East Austin asking the city to apply the brakes on adoption of the measure due to concerns about gentrification.

May 18, 2007 - Austin American-Statesman

How To Build Transit For Metro Areas With Multiple Centers

Christof Spieler compares the greater Houston area with a region in Germany and offers three lessons on how to successfully build transit networks connecting a region with multiple urban centers.

May 16, 2007 - Citizen's Transportation Coalition

Controversy Over El Paso's Downtown Redevelopment Plan

The city's 'segundo barrio' -- a historic Mexican-American neighborhood -- is the focus of a major redevelopment effort that opponents say is trying to 'white wash' the community.

May 4, 2007 - The Texas Observer

Local Officials Say Border Fences Will Harm Economy

Mayors and local officials along the Texas-Mexico border are angry that they were not included in a planning process to create more than 150 miles of fencing along the international border. Officials fear the fences will harm their local economies.

May 2, 2007 - The Houston Chronicle

Lawmakers Won't Let Go Of Commuter Rail Option

Legislators in Texas are proposing the creation of a commuter rail line running throughout the fast-growing border region near the Rio Grande River. Though the proposal was voted out of the state senate in early April, proponents are pushing forward.

April 24, 2007 - AP via Express News

$1.5 Billion Plan To Bring Hollywood To Austin

An ambitious $1.5 billion mixed-use project announced recently in Austin, Texas, proposes to anchor a 681-acre development with sound stages and other media-focused infrastructure. Will this project die a slow death like similar efforts before it?

April 17, 2007 - Austin American-Statesman

Candidates' Opposition To Redevelopment Plan Garners Voter Support

The feelings of city council candidates about a downtown revitalization plan appears to have the most sway over voters in El Paso, Texas, who are making large contirbutions to those opposing the plan.

April 15, 2007 - El Paso Times

Andrés Duany On Austin

With the annual Congress for New Urbanism coming to town in 2008, Duany offers his thoughts on the Texas Capital on a recent visit.

April 12, 2007 - The Austin Chronicle

MTA Subject To Tax On TOD Property

In accordance with state laws, the transit agency in Houston will have to pay property taxes on land it purchased for transit-oriented developments. Because the land will be developed privately, the law says it is not a public use and is not exempt.

April 9, 2007 - The Houston Chronicle

Houston Becomes Sixth-Largest U.S. City

The population in Houston has passed that of Miami, making it the sixth-largest city in the United States. Between 2000 and 2006, the city saw a 17.5% growth rate.

April 8, 2007 - The Houston Chronicle

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.