Land Use
A Small Town From Scratch
Developer Casey Roloff has built an ambitious new community on the Washington coast with New Urbanist ideas and a Northwest flavor.
Minnesotans Split Over Sod Farmland
Ham Lake, Minnesota, residents are torn over the best way to preserve the rural character of their St. Paul suburb.
Streets May Become Temporary Recreational Spaces in San Francisco
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom is considering a plan to temporarily close down certain streets to car traffic, creating public space for pedestrians -- similar to the successful Ciclovia that takes place weekly in Bogota, Colombia.
Mapping Needed to Improve Slums
Understanding and improving the Brazilian informal settlements known as favelas will require more information about the slums -- especially in the field of mapping.
Soon You Won't Be Able to 'Drive Until You Qualify'
High gas prices and slowing construction rates in exurban areas may mean that the era of "driving until you qualify" for affordable housing may be over soon.
'They Want to Make a Dam, and Now They Know They Shouldn't'
A group of Indians from the Amazon attacked a government engineer at a recent meeting where he was discussing a proposed hydroelectric dam on the Xingu River that could displace 15,000 indigenous people and destroy traditional fishing grounds.
UK 'Eco-Towns' May Encourage Sprawl
Plans for the construction of "eco-towns" in the UK have sparked protests from groups who argue that they will be too spread out and will encourage sprawl.
New Life for Ebenezer Howard's 'Garden City'
A campaign is underway in Wales to revive the "Garden City" concept, first brought to life in 1898. This time, supporters are claiming the radial, suburban plan is a sustainable alternative to cities.
Oklahoma City Highway to Be Replaced with Park
At one time, Oklahoma City is doing two things many cities have only hoped to: the city's getting rid of one of its aging inner-city highways and replacing it with a park.
Is New Urbanism A 'Last Gasp' Attempt to Reform Suburbanism?
Plans to bring New Urbanist designs into British Columbia will do little to stem suburban sprawl, according to this column from the Globe and Mail.
Planning For The End Of The Cul-de-sac
With Cul-de-sac restrictions catching on in the South, one Arkansas town is beginning to make plans to create complete, compact and connected neighborhoods.
Engaging The Public In Land Use Decisions
A committee in Baltimore charged with the task of encouraging more public involvement in land use decisions is learning how difficult that can be as it faces criticism that its own meetings didn't get enough participation from residents.
Capitalism Sprawls Into Russia's Frozen Expanse
American-style malls are cropping up in Siberia, and gobbling up land, to enable once-isolated Russians to consume in ways that might have been unimaginable a generation ago.
Living Well In The Era Of High Gas Prices
Want to learn how Americans can maintain a high standard of living in an era of sky-high gas prices? Just look at Europeans, who've been going it for decades, argues economist Paul Krugman.
Trading Planning Tips With Shanghai
While the city's regional approach is the envy of many American planners, Shanghai is also guilty of top-down planning that may end up encouraging sprawl.
Did Smart Growth Policies Save Oregon's Housing Market?
Oregon's housing market has faired far better than other areas of the country, with some experts agreeing that the state's more restrictive land-use policies helped to prevent an oversupply of homes during the free-wheeling mortgage years.
Debunking The Myths About TOD
Responding to critics of Denver's planned TOD developments, TOD expert John Renne responds to four common misconceptions about transit-oriented development.
The Importance Of Street Parking
New research from the University of Connecticut shows that on-street parking is a key ingredient in a vibrant and pedestrian-friendly downtown.
Dirty Politics Keeping Sprawl Alive in Florida
This commentary claims that dirty politics have prevented Florida voters from being able to control sprawl in their communities.
Saving and Improving Slums
This article from the Harvard Design Magazine looks at slums in Latin America and discusses the important role they play in their cities. Preserving the positive qualities of these communities is increasingly preferred over slum clearance.
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
