Washington
Developing A New Vision For Seattle's Green Infrastructure
A recent column calls on the city’s residents to come together to develop a 100-year plan to keep the 'Emerald City' green and livable.
3 Proposals For Replacing Seattle's Viaduct
Washington State Dept. of transportation offers 3 proposals for replacing the Alaskan Way Viaduct.
Jobs-Housing Balance: An Outdated Planning Concept?
A quick look at the Seattle metro area shows the term may be obsolete.
Stormwater Runoff -- A Community Amenity?
Dealing with stormwater runoff and the pollutants it carries has been the responsibility of civil engineers for decades. But it's been suggested that planners and architects elevate this infrastructural concern to the heights of community design.
Promoting Green Space In The Urban Core
The city of Seattle is proposing to change its planning regulations to encourage green vegetation in new urban developments.
Property Rights Votes Face Six States
Libertarians are pushing ballot initiatives in six Western states to vastly reduce the government's power to regulate land uses. The initiatives seek to limit regulatory takings of land by requiring the government to compensate owners for any losses.
Planning For A Downtown Revitalization
The city of Everett, Washington, is still working on a new plan for its downtown, but private investment is already starting to transform the area.
Car-less In Seattle
Pedestrian pioneer Alan Durning describes what his family of five is learning by living without four wheels in Cascadia's largest city. Can they survive without the essential currency of the modern American community?
Washington State Will Vote On Property Rights Initiative
Supporters and opponents of the controversial proposal are preparing for a major campaign in the fall.
Permanent Housing for Homeless Alcoholics
King County, Washington, offers permanent apartments for "chronic public inebriates" who are allowed to drink in their new homes.
In Seattle, Detached Garages May Be Approved For Apartments
With an aim toward affordable housing and helping homeowners pay their mortgage, Seattle considers allowing backyard apartments, much to the chagrin of local opponents.
Report Links High Car Crash Fatalities To Sprawl
The Cascadia Scorecard documents an emerging body of research indicating that car-centered urban design contributes to a high death and injury toll from car crashes and a high obesity rate, among other ills.
Older, Close-In Suburbs Could Make Difference In Mid-Term Elections
The midterm elections to take control of the House may hinge on "close-in" suburbs, once seen as strictly the domain of Republicans. These older suburbs may now give the Democrats a slight advantage due to changing demographics.
Server Farms: The Hot New Land Use
The Washington farmland town of Quincy has signed deals with Yahoo and Microsoft to house huge new Internet data centers -- server farms -- and land prices are spiking. Low power costs and high connectivity can create a 'technology gold rush'.
Around Puget Sound, Long Commutes Worth It For Some
Some people prefer the suburban sprawl, in spite of soaring gas prices and hour-long commutes. Schools, open space, and lower cost of housing may offset costs.
Brownfields to Art Parks
When is a brownfield not a brownfield? When it's transformed by art works, as in two U.S. cities.
Friday Funny: The Committee To Save Big Ugly Things
Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels has produced a spoof political ad to mock the preservation of the city's controversial Alaskan Way Viaduct, although he may run into ethics violations for using a City Hall production crew.
Streetcar System Moves More Than People
For less than the cost of a recent school levy, Tacoma, Washington, could have a brand new old-style streetcar system.
Seattle's 100-Year Plan For A Green, Livable Future
An open space preservation coalition led a visioning exercise for the future of Seattle, to "design Seattle's green network for the next century".
Why Not Tell The Truth About Rising Gas Prices?
The policy director of Climate Solutions (based in Washington state and British Columbia) opines that rising gas prices have beneficial effects on the environment, and consumers need to be given the truth so as to make real changes in lifestyle.
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.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS)
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
City of Cambridge
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
