Land Use
Judge To City: Stop The Manhattanization Of Downtown!
In a huge blow to a city already polarized by a ballot-box planning initiative affecting open space on the November ballot, a judge has halted downtown redevelopment by rejecting the Environmental Impact Report in part because of the 'shadow effect'.
California Planners Discover Saving The World From Climate Change Is Hard!
At last year's statewide conference, California planners were excited about saving the world from climate change. Now they discover it's hard work!
In Wake of Hurricane, New Beachfront Property Faces Seizure
An obscure law in Texas outlawing buildings on public beachfront could be invoked to seize hundreds of properties. Hurricane Ike has pushed the tide line closer to many homes, making them subject to the law even if they weren't damaged.
Familiar Name Tops List of Most Sustainable Cities
Portland, Oregon, has again been named the most sustainable city in the U.S. in a recent ranking.
Top Freeway Teardown Candidates
The Congress for the New Urbanism has released a list of the top ten urban freeways that need to be torn down.
Blocked Roads in Bangalore
Blogger S.G.Narayanamurthy reports from Bangalore on the continuing problems with obstructions to the streetscape from vendors, cafes, mechanics, parking, waste water, construction, etc. The story includes a slideshow.
Park(ing) Day in L.A., 2008
Some 'parkers' faced police harassment, but on the whole Park(ing) Day 2008 was sunny and positive, as Los Angelenos put their own stamp on the celebration. In this video slideshow, we take a tour of some of L.A.'s parking spot parks.
Hollywood -- the Urban Place
As California planners convene in Hollywood this week, Bill Fulton reminds them that Hollywood is not just Tinseltown, but a real urban place with a real urban history.
The Church of Wal-Mart
The Carlinville Southern Baptist Church purchased a former Wal-Mart building for their growing congregation, but found that the zoning wouldn't allow religious activities in the store. The church sued under RLIUPA and won this week.
Beachfront Brouhaha in Buffalo City
That's Buffalo City, South Africa, where public open space along the coast is being rezoned to business and residential, to the dismay of locals worried about beach access.
The Death of the Lawn
More and more lawns across the country are getting axed and replaced with gardens.
Bible Park USA Finds New Site, After Failing to Get TIF
Private funders attempting to build a $175 million Bible theme park asked for tax-increment financing to reach their goal. The county also denied a re-zoning request, but the park has found a new home in neighboring Wilson County.
Toronto's High-Rise Boom Could Mean End of Sprawl
Toronto is swimming in high-rise construction, with the second highest rate in the world. Some say this shift to the urban core spells the end of sprawl in Toronto.
Art, Beauty and Land Use in Detroit
Arts and Culture editor Rebecca Mazzei looks at public art - both official and unofficial - across the landscape of Detroit, and advocates for a bold new public art fund for the city.
Make No Little Plans, 100 Years Later
As the 100-year anniversary of the writing of the Burnham Plan for Chicago approaches, the city and its suburbs are thinking big about how to improve the city.
Public Space Not So Public in Downtown New York
A new study has found that almost 30% of the public space in New York's financial district has limited access or is completely closed to the public.
The Billboard Industry's War on Trees
Across the country, the billboard industry is fighting to prohibit tree planting on public spaces that might block their billboards.
Canada's Most Sprawled City Reconsiders- Developers Protest
Calgary has the largest ecological footprint of any large Canadian municipality. The city council is trying to fix that history with Plan It Calgary, a new land use and transportation plan- and developers are none too pleased.
No Slowing Floodplain Development in Britain
Floodplain development has proven time and time again to be big trouble when heavy rains come. But in Britain, that's not stopping it.
New Philly Slots Site May Help Gambling Fit Better
Philadelphia is still trying to figure out where to put its two approved casinos as it prepares to become the nation's biggest city to host gambling. In this piece, Inga Saffron says a new proposed site could make gambling work for Philly.
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
