Land Use
Transitioning From Sprawl To Compactness
Regional planning in CA's sprawling Central Valley has turned to the huge challenge of increasing density. Fortunately, SB 375 will facilitate planners' efforts to double Fresno County density to 8 units per acre. Yet institutional obstacles remain.
Small Farming: It Takes A Village
Local food and small farming are part of a growing food trend in the U.S. But, as Steph Larsen writes, the trend is going to need more infrastructure down the supply chain to sustain itself
Locals Peeved About New 'Clean' Scottish Power Lines
A 137-mile clean energy transmission line has been approved in the UK, connecting wind and wave power facilities near the coast. But some environmental groups are not happy about the plan.
Carfree Guangzhou
While car use is growing in Beijing and other Chinese cities, cars account for less than 1% of trips in the Xiguan district of Guangzhou. Karl Fjellstrom explains how the city has used preserved its historic core for walking.
Smart Growth From the Environmental Perspective
Kaid Benfield of the NRDC reviews The Smart Growth Manual by Andres Duany, Jeff Speck and Mike Lydon. Benfield gives it high marks for style and substance, and for the way it incorporates environmental issues.
SF's Transbay Terminal Project Edges Closer to Groundbreaking
The New York Times looks at plans for the new Transbay Terminal in San Francisco, which could break ground within months.
Cul-de-Sacs, R.I.P.?
New regulations in Virginia limiting their use may be the death knell for cul-de-sacs. Planners and developers debate their worth, but new studies show they aren't cost effective for cities, or even as safe as assumed.
New London's Big Gamble and Big Loss
New London, Connecticut was dealt a major blow when pharmaceutical giant Pfizer announced plans to pack up and leave the heavily city-subsidized building New London had lured the company with. Bill Fulton looks at the impact of the move.
Recession A Boon for Land Preservationists
Preservation groups and land trusts are beneficiaries of the economic recession, as prices on land have dropped low enough for many to buy up land for conservation purposes.
Urban Planning in Los Angeles, 2009
Curbed LA takes an amusing look at the urban planning proposals that bubbled up in L.A. throughout 2009.
London For Sale
Britain is becoming increasingly privatized as urban regeneration projects put entire neighborhoods in the hands of developers. One project spans 34 of Liverpool's streets, putting public space in private control.
Sub-Urban Planning
Triple Canopy translates a Chinese interview with Shu Yu, one of the world's foremost underground urban planners. He talks about the potential of underground space for urban habitation.
Improving L.A.'s Streets - With Photoshop
Blogger David Yoon takes photographs of Los Angeles streets and Photoshops them to be narrower, creating a fantasy L.A. that is more walkable and relatable.
A Farm Future for Detroit?
Agricultural investors are buying up abandoned and empty land in Detroit -- making a big wager on the future of the city as a farm town.
Metro Portland's Internal Growth Dilemma
The three counties in the Portland Metropolitan area are at odds about what parts of the region should and should not be protected by urban growth boundaries.
Air Quality Rules May Hinder Densification
New air quality guidelines aimed at reducing the carbon footprint of new housing developments may turn out to hinder the approval of dense projects in California.
Creating Car-Reduced and Car-Free Pedestrian Habitats
It will take a long time for the US to embrace pedestrians, bicycling, and electric carts as substitutes for cars in our communities. And yet an inevitable change is coming that will significantly increase environmental quality, and restore real community and economic viability. Changing legislation, master planning, and the development of car-reduced and car-free communities will move us forward, writes Greg Ramsey.
Digital Billboards Leaking Light Into Homes
The glow of digital billboards around Los Angeles is irritating residents, and after a recent court ruling putting a moratorium on new ones, locals are pressuring the city council to remove existing billboards as well.
As Timber Prices Fall, Development Looms
Timber land across the Pacific Northwest is changing ownership from timber companies to land trusts. And with timber prices flatlining, development looks more and more enticing.
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.
EMC Planning Group, Inc.
Planetizen
Planetizen
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
