Land Use
Reconsidering the Alley
Los Angeles has 12,309 blocks of alleys, which make the streets pedestrian-friendly but creates a no-man's-land in the back that breeds trash-dumping and crime. Planners see opportunity in those alleys for a green future.
Little Havana Stadium Moves Forward
Despite controversy over its funding,location and impact, the Florida Marlins are likely to build a new retractable-roof stadium on the former site of the Orange Bowl in the city's Little Havana neighborhood.
Documenting Industrial Areas on the Ground
By enlisting the help of concerned local citizens, researchers are getting better documentation of the locations of potentially polluting industrial land uses near residential areas.
What Will the Future Look Like?
That's the question the Vancouver Planning Commission has been tossing around with the public for the last year or so, as they prepare a "Change Charter" for City Hall.
The Anti-Zoning Attitude of Palin's Hometown
VP hopeful Sarah Palin's hometown of Wasilla, Alaska is proud of its anti-government attitude and anything goes climate for building and planning.
Is New Urbanism 'Antiseptic'?
Columnist Michael Paul Williams of the Times-Dispatch worries that the planned New Urbanist development in Roseland, VA will turn out to be 'as antiseptic as a theme park."
Smart Growth Isn't Smart Without Transit
California's SB 375 could have a big impact on the way the state grows, but without more funding for public transit, any gains would be offset by continued congestion and traffic problems.
Big Density Plans for Toronto
Toronto is considering a broad new plan to encourage higher density.
Hong Kong Sprawls Into the Ocean
One man's personal quest to save the beauty of Hong Kong's Victoria Harbor from rampant development.
The Black Cloud: Using Games to Understand Air Quality
Human behavior and land use affect air quality, and those effects are very distinct at the local level. A new environmental game fusing public participation, air quality sensors and web technology shows how.
The Middle East's 'Urban Prison'
In this article from Progressive Planning, Tom Angotti looks at Gaza and the land use regulations that have imposed an "urban apartheid".
The Quest for the Perfect City
The director of the Design Museum in London reflects on the mostly unfortunate quest for perfection in city planning and architecture, as the museum's new exhibit, Design Cities, opens.
Architect Says 'Stop Planning For Cars'
Columnist and architect Arrol Gelner comes to grips with the end of the automobile era.
Community Calls for Involvement as Swaths of New York Land are Rezoned
One-sixth of the total land in New York has been rezoned under Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and some say it's fueling widespread gentrification. Community members affected by the changes are calling for more say in the future of their neighborhoods.
Graffiti Temporarily Allowed in Prague
In Prague, where graffiti is rampant, an art gallery has secured outdoor wallspace throughout the city and invited graffiti artists to use it as a canvas for 12 days.
Ancient Cities Found in the Amazon
Anthropologists have discovered traces of highly organized and gridded cities in the Amazon rainforest dating back to the 1200s.
Woman Dedicates Life to Fixing Local Park
Viviana Franco became a planner so she could reform a park 100 ft. from her childhood home in Hawthorne, CA. But her quest has become mired in local politics as the site was sold in a local auction.
Mississippi Gulf Coast Three Years On
Jason Miller reports how coastal Mississippi cities and towns are moving post-Katrina plans and ideas towards implementation.
Friday Funny: SeXXXercise Thwarted
The ACLU is helping a woman in Pittsburgh sue the city for violating her right of free expression. The city denied her occupancy permit to open a pole-dancing studio, teaching classes in "power lap dance" and "seXXXercise".
Room for Public Art in Louisville?
In 2006, the city of Louisville set up a wall where graffiti artists were allowed to paint. But when the art started offending neighbors and officials, the wall was shut down. This article wonders if there's room for more public art in Louisville.
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
