United States

Google To Fund Plug-in Hybrid Car Development

Internet search giant Google will give $10 million to support the development of plug-in hybrid cars.

June 21, 2007 - USA Today

Indoor Activities Cut Time Kids Spend Outdoors

A number of studies have detailed the decreasing amount of time children spend outdoors -- a revelation that is prompting policy makers to look for ways to pull kids away from indoor activities such as video games and the Internet.

June 21, 2007 - The Washington Post

Shaping America's Cities: Part 1 - A Debate Over Sprawl

Author Robert Bruegmann and activist Gloria Ohland debate over urban sprawl.

June 20, 2007 - The Los Angeles Times

U.S. Cities Follow Californian Opposition To Wal-Mart

Many cities are following the lead of various municipalities up and down California that are using any and all possible powers to prevent Wal-Marts from moving in. But despite the growing opposition, business is booming.

June 20, 2007 - The Christian Science Monitor

EPA Bullseye: Smart Growth Targets Big Builders

The US EPA is directing educational and research efforts that explain (among other things) the financial benefits of smart growth directly to the nation's largest homebuilders and developers.

June 18, 2007 - New Urban News

Following in The Footsteps Of Chinatown

From Thai Towns to Little Ethiopias, cultural and ethnically-themed neighborhoods are increasingly sought by cities to lure economic activity and residents.

June 17, 2007 - The Economist

Historic Preservation Is Environmentally Friendly, Too

Saving and reusing older buildings converses resources on top of preserving a communities historic character.

June 17, 2007 - Historic Preservation

Census Figures Show More People Commuting Alone

Despite rising gas prices, more people are commuting to work alone, the amount of carpoolers has dropped, and no increase has been seen in the percentage of Americans who use public transit, according to recent figures from the U.S. Census Bureau.

June 16, 2007 - The Washington Post

Want A Strong Economy? Provide Good Child-Care

Research by several economists shows that areas with a lack of child-care suffer economically, since parents are more likely to drop out of the workforce or move to communities with more options.

June 15, 2007 - The Wall Street Journal

Pavement In The Park

U.S city parks have given over large swaths of green to automobile storage, but not every park is held hostage by the automobile. Cities are finding ways to increase access while relieving pressure to provide parking in parks.

June 15, 2007 - Parks & Recreation

Putting Business Incentives On A Leash

State and local governments are starting to demand money back from companies that receive tax breaks and grants to locate in their community, and then skip town.

June 15, 2007 - The Wall Street Journal

Study Shows Walkable Nieghborhoods Important To Health Of Elderly

Walkability has been shown to greatly improve the health and wellbeing of senior citizens. In response to recent studies on this issue, planners are looking to create walkable neighborhoods that encourage healthy habits for residents of all ages.

June 15, 2007 - The Seattle Times

Western Governments Team Up Against Greenhouse Gases

With a regional goal of curbing greenhouse gas emissions, the Western governments of British Columbia, California, Washington, Oregon, Arizona, New Mexico and Utah have joined forces to push environmental policies the federal government has avoided.

June 15, 2007 - NPR

EPA And Cities Focus On Cleaning Up Water-Faring Vessels

Efforts are underway to 'green' ferries and other commercial ships -- which represent a major but largely ignored source of air pollution.

June 14, 2007 - The Christian Science Monitor

Growing Old In The Suburbs

A new report from the Brookings Institution shows that suburbs are aging faster than cities -- and may signal a desire by seniors to stay put in their suburban communities.

June 14, 2007 - The New York Times

For Economic Development, Casinos Don't Pay

While more states are approving commercial casinos in hopes of creating jobs and increasing tax revenues, economists are increasing skeptical of the benefits of legalized gambling.

June 13, 2007 - The Wall Street Journal

TODs Prove To Be A Boon For Urban Regions

In this special report, the WSJ examines the growing popularity of rail-based TODs, examining their effect on land values as well as the challenges they may face in obtaining approval.

June 13, 2007 - The Wall Street Journal

The Housing Bubble and the Baby Boomers

The troubling ratio of mortgage debt to housing value is going to pose a problem for millions of baby boomers, who are set to retire with almost no equity, according to Dean Baker of the Center for Economic and Policy Research in Washington, D.C.

June 12, 2007 - Center for Economic and Policy Research

Building TODs Without The Transit

With pedestrian-friendly urban design increasingly popular, many suburban communities are building urban village-type developments usually designed around transit stations -- except they don't have transit.

June 12, 2007 - USA Today

More U.S. Cities Make Kyoto Protocol Pledge

More than 500 American cities have signed on to voluntarily comply with the Kyoto Protocol, an international set of standards to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that the U.S. has repeatedly refused to sign.

June 12, 2007 - The Washington Post

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.

Associate/Senior Planner

Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development

Senior Planner

Heyer Gruel & Associates PA

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.