Land Use
The Challenge of Vertical Construction
A 17-story condominium tower in Boise, Idaho is being built on a 32-foot-wide footprint. Workers talk about the challenges of constructing such a skinny building.
Front Yard Farming
A few eco-conscious -- and business savvy -- suburbanites are ripping up their lawns and growing vegetables to cater to the increasing demand for local produce.
San Francisco's Bay Area Growth May Change With Climate
Officials forecast need to adapt development model: to retreat from some areas, build in others, and reduce reliance on cars.
Do Houston Residents Want Zoning?
With planning likely to become a major issue in next year's mayoral campaign, a recent survey shows that most residents would support new rules -- including possibly land use zoning -- to manage the region's sprawling development.
To Save Detroit, Plan For A Smaller City
A recent editorial argues that Detroit must look for ways to concentrate its dwindling population in a smaller, more compact city if it is to survive.
New Website Shows Impact Of Transportation On Housing Costs
A new interactive mapping website launched by the Center for Neighborhood Technology in partnership with The Brookings Institution shows how affordability changes from neighborhood to neighborhood based on housing and transportation.
A Battle Over Building Heights
In anti-growth Santa Barbara, preservationists and smart growth advocates have forged a compromise that will permit taller buildings for developments that include affordable housing.
Bay Area TODs Helping To Cut Emissions
New transit towns around the Bay Area's BART stations are attracting residents who value the convenience and savings of a walkable community and nearby transit.
You Can't Escape Sprawl
With sprawl proceeding largely unchecked in North California, residents who fled the city for more rural areas now find that urbanization has encroached their once sleepy communities.
German City a Model for 'Sane Transportation'
The German city of Bremen has lessons to teach North American cities about sustainable transportation, according to this article from The Toronto Star.
In the Eye of Beijing's Boom
This article from National Geographic looks at the construction boom that is rapidly changing the face of Beijing.
American-Style Suburbia Spreading Across The Globe
Cookie cutter subdivisions typically associated with American suburbs are popping up in the outskirts of cities in countries as far away as Argentina, China and Pakistan.
'Fully Contained Communities' Spark Comprehensive Plan Debate
Officials and residents in Snohomish County, Washington, are grappling over proposed changes to their comprehensive plan. A major point of contention is whether "fully contained communities" should be allowed.
Can Landscape Architects Get Kids to Walk to School?
Fewer kids are walking to school these days. This piece from the American Society of Landscape Architects' Land Online wonders what landscape architects can do to reverse the trend.
Planning Cities In The Age Of Global Warming
A recent conference hosted by the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy focused on how planners around the world are designing urban areas that respond to the impacts of climate change.
The Explosive Growth of Homestead, Florida
Perhaps named as a self-fulfilling prophecy, the last seven years have brought unprecedented residential growth to Homestead, Florida. Commercial development is just trying to keep up.
Los Angeles Official Takes Up Anti-Density Cause
Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky has becoming increasingly outspoken against the city's new density bonus, saying it goes against the will of residents and will contribute to the destruction of stable neighborhoods.
Transplanting The Vancouver Model To The Middle East
The man largely responsible for planning modern day Vancouver has found his next challenge in the Middle Eastern capital of Abu Dhabi.
Black-Tie Optional: 'Stepsister' Cities Flourish in the Shadows
Say you're a big city. But right next door is an even bigger big city. What do you do to stand out? Josh Stephens explores the unique plight of America's so-called stepsister cities.
Is Vancouver Ready For EcoDensity?
Already praised for its efforts at encouraging residential density in its urban core, Vancouver's mayor is pushing for a new EcoDensity charter that would push for higher densities citywide. But even in Vancouver, residents are wary of more density.
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
