Exclusives

BLOG POST

The "Vertical Sprawl" Myth

Opponents of high- and mid-rise development often use the term "vertical sprawl." But in fact there is little similarity between high-rise infill and suburban sprawl: the major arguments against one do not apply to the other.

April 4 - Michael Lewyn

BLOG POST

An Easier Way To Fight Sprawl

Instead of always fighting to make sprawl development harder, let's focus our energy on making great infill development easier.

April 3 - Norman Wright

BLOG POST

Density Done Well, and Not Just Downtown

It’s an understatement to say that the “D-Word” is a controversial subject in cities across North America. It needn’t be so though, and shouldn't be, as when it’s done well, density is immensely important to the success of cities and regions.

April 2 - Brent Toderian

BLOG POST

The Power of Place: On Democracy and Public Participation in Planning

More thoughts on how public participation in the placemaking process can create better places and better functioning democracies.

March 26 - Jonathan Nettler

New York Sandy Power Outage

FEATURE

Top Trends 2012-2013

Over the course of the year, the editors of Planetizen review and summarize thousands of articles, books, studies and editorials related to planning and urban development. Here are our picks for the most notable planning trends of the past year.

March 19 - Jonathan Nettler


BLOG POST

Are Tall Buildings Bad For Downtown?

Do skyscrapers cause 9-to-5 business districts?

March 17 - Michael Lewyn

BLOG POST

Critiquing the "Urban Mobility Report"

The "Urban Mobility Report" produces widely-cited congestion cost estimates. It is biased in various ways that exaggerate congestion costs and roadway expansion benefits. Few users of these cost estimates seem aware of these problems.

March 6 - Todd Litman


BLOG POST

Essence of Sustainability

Challenges that strong and weak markets alike share

March 1 - Charles Buki

Writing

BLOG POST

Writing a Statement of Purpose for Graduate Education

How should a statement of purpose for a graduate school application differ from one for an undergrad program? This post outlines the elements of a compelling graduate school statement.

February 27 - Ann Forsyth

Wild Detroit

FEATURE

A Plan To Shrink Detroit (Well)

Justin Hollander, PhD, AICP, looks closely at Detroit’s new Strategic Framework Plan and finds a compelling plan to manage depopulation. The plan takes a realistic view of what it would take to make Detroit a great city without growing.

February 26 - Justin Hollander

BLOG POST

The case against mixed-use: not proven

A recent study suggesting that mixed-use zoning increases crime is not as persuasive as it might seem at first glance.

February 26 - Michael Lewyn

BLOG POST

The Most Important Urban Design Decision Vancouver Ever Made

Vancouver's ahead-of-the-curve 1997 decision to prioritize active transport, rather than balance its ways of getting around, has affected everything about how the city has been designed since then.

February 25 - Brent Toderian

BLOG POST

Affordability As A Transportation Planning Objective

Transportation system users rate inaffordability as a top concern, but conventional planning ignores this issue. Increasing transport affordability requires changing planning practices to favor more affordable modes and more accessible development.

February 25 - Todd Litman

BLOG POST

Parks, in Need of a New Metaphor

Parks have long been likened to "the lungs of the city." But to better capture the totality of parks' role in our urban milieu a more apt metaphor is necessary.

February 19 - Steven Snell

BLOG POST

Form-Based Codes Lite

There may be a way to supply some of the benefits of form-based codes without heavy-handed aesthetic regulation. In theory, a form-based code could be limited to verifiable characteristics such as setbacks, yard types, building height, frontage size and lot coverage.

February 12 - Michael Lewyn

BLOG POST

The Conundrum of local food and/vs. sustainability

Most plants grown for food require significant amounts of water - water that Los Angeles doesn't have. How does one identify the point at which local isn't sustainable?

February 11 - Lisa Feldstein

College Students

BLOG POST

Making the Most of Being a Student, Part 2

Making the most of being a student requires more than just completing the course credits necessary for a degree. See my suggestions for activities beyond the classroom that are key to getting a great education.

February 8 - Ann Forsyth

man looking at computer screen

FEATURE

Keeping Up with the Field: Computerized Tools for Tracking Research and New Ideas

Urban planning professionals and researchers increasingly face information overload. Todd BenDor and Rob Goodspeed suggest three techniques for strategically monitoring the web for new research and ideas.

February 5 - Todd BenDor

BLOG POST

Of Plans and Prose: Tips for Planning Journalism

Having served on the editorial board of Plan Canada for more than four years now, I've gained a pretty good sense of what makes a solid article on planning practice, and the common pitfalls to which authors often fall victim. As such, I offer below some guidelines that should assist prospective authors interested in submitting to the practitioner literature in producing the most suitable submissions requiring the least amount of revision.

February 4 - Michael Dudley

BLOG POST

Yes You Can (Get Groceries Without A Car)

Shopping for bulky items can be one of the challenges of living car free. Here are three of the best ways I've found for dealing with the problem.

January 30 - Michael Lewyn

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.

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.

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