Land Use
Aztecs Were Early Urban Gardeners
Urban gardening is spreading to Mexico City, resurrecting an ancient history of growing produce in the city.
Public Sculpture is Getting Better
After an experimental phase of earthworks and video installations, public art is on the rise. And, a New York Times art critic reports, the quality is looking up.
California's New Smart Growth Law Isn't So New
Bill Fulton says that California's new smart growth and climate change law doesn't really contain any new ideas, and it's unlikely to make a huge difference in California's growth patterns all by itself.
Something New Inside Failed Big Boxes
When big boxes go under, they leave big holes. Communities across America are coming up with some creative ways to reuse the huge spaces left behind when big box retailers move out.
Urban Farms Flourish in Oakland
In industrial West Oakland, backyard farming is flourishing, with more than 80 farms sprouting up with organic produce and a local bent.
Retooling the Exurbs for Global Warming
Scientists at the University of Michigan are studying ways to replant exurbs in order to capture more atmosphere-warming carbon dioxide.
Farm Resists Encroaching Sprawl
Development encroaches on one of the last family farms in Orem, Utah. Now the Cook Family Farm intends to stand their ground in the face of new city mandates and developer pressure.
New Daleville, Witold Rybczynski's Subject, is Failing
Witold Rybczynski wrote The Last Harvest about a new development being created in an exurban cornfield. NPR visits the half-finished community with Witold, which is suffering from the economic crisis.
The Social Functions of NIMBYism
Assessing NIMBYism: not just its agonies but also its value in democratizing land use planning decisions, and concluding with constructive advice on how to make the most of this painful but inescapable feature of the development landscape.
Should Industrial Neighborhoods Be Made 'Livable'?
With the success of livability efforts in Minneapolis, efforts are underway to do the same for the Hiawatha light rail corridor. But active industry and historically significant grain silos create a challenge for new development.
Landmark Smart Growth Bill Close to Passing in CA
CA's landmark smart growth bill, SB 375, is close to passing. It aims to reduce global warming by requiring regions to devise "sustainable community strategies".
Mayor Shuts Down Little Girls' Produce Stand
Katie and Sabrina Lewis of Clayton, CA have inadvertently gotten tied up in a political mess of zoning and commercial uses by selling produce from their family garden at a stand in front of their house.
Camelina: A Better Biofuel?
An overlooked native plant has a lot going for it as a biofuel, and wouldn't take away from food production.
Downtown Plaza Recovers from the 70s
New London, Connecticut, like many victims of the 1970s, was saddled with a harsh, ineffective public plaza at the heart of its downtown. Planners are working to return the plaza to its historic form.
Bikers vs. Environmentalists
Planners in Montgomery County, MD are nixing a proposed bike path because of its nearness to 'ecologically sensitive parkland'. Bicycle proponents think this argument doesn't hold water. Says one,'they're already running a big highway through there.'
Residents Fuming As Housing Threatens Park
A master-planned community in Baltimore is up in arms over plans to replace the community's iconic country club parkspace with a senior housing center.
Mixed-Use Faces Mixed Reviews in Fullerton
In Fullerton, CA, a dense new mixed-use building is facing criticism from neighbors and residents. 'All of a sudden we get one of these mixed-use buildings, [and] it's like a fort got dropped out of the sky,' says one neighbor.
Urban Gardens Taking Root in Post-Industrial City
The non-profit group Nuestras Raíces in Holyoke, Mass. has found urban agriculture a powerful community glue, providing increased food security and economic opportunity to the Puerto Rican population there.
Historic Land Use Bill's Steam Could Run Out
A California bill that seeks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by controlling land use may be one of the most important land use bills in years, according to Bill Fulton. But if it passes, the progress it makes could be short lived.
Sprawlfighting in San Jose
San José, California, after decades of sprawl that left the region one of the least-dense cities in the state, is on track to densify their underused areas. As one planner put it, "The decision was, let's not build out anymore, let's build up."
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
