Land Use
New Plan, New Growth Pattern
The City of Sacramento is looking to change its growth pattern as it prepares a new version of its general plan.
Short-Sighted Plans Highlight Lack Of Vision In Melbourne
Plans to extend Melbourne, Australia's already-extensive freeway system are short-sighted and illustrate the lack of true planning vision in the city, according to this column from The Age.
Adressing Parks Shortage Crucial To Future Of L.A.
Los Angeles is one of the most parks-deficient cities on the West coast. How planners address this shortage will shape the future of the city, writes Christopher Hawthorne.
Drive-In Utopia
Drive-in movie theaters are satisfying a need for public spaces that also allow some privacy.
Suburban Officials Try To Build Sidewalks Amid Local Opposition
Facing residential opposition, city officials in suburban Minneapolis are having trouble getting sidewalks built in many neighborhoods. The residents argue that sidewalks are not needed in the suburbs.
Utopian Industrial City Becomes Model For Urban Disarray
Planners intended Ciudad Guayana to be the "Pittsburgh of the tropics". Today, the city has lost its former prosperity and is grappling with a array of urban epidemics.
Flood Victims Call On Government To Limit Flood Plain Development
Residents of a British town that was recently flooded gathered to demonstrate against governmental housing plans that do not advise against building in flood plains.
Desertification Causes Relocation Of Thousands In China
With desertification threatening thousands of acres of land, Chinese officials have announced the forced relocation of more than 10,000 people.
Development Threatens Wetlands
Citizens and homeowners in Washington have teamed up against a number of proposed housing developments that would replace more than 100 acres of open space and wetlands.
Park Space Requirement Dismays Developers
Builders' groups and developers are upset over a proposal in Houston that would require them to include park space in any developments of 100 units or more. They say the requirement will stifle development.
Measure 37 Causes Billboard Blight In Oregon
An unintended effect of Measure 37 -- Oregon's controversial 2004 land use law -- is that homeowners are allowed to build giant billboards on their property. Some have, and local officials are hoping a new ballot measure will address the issue.
Deceptive Planning Brings Wal-Mart To Disgruntled Community
This piece from The Roanoke Times laments the coming of a Wal-Mart Supercenter, and blasts the planning process that let a proposed mixed-use walkable town center transform into a "big-box juggernaut".
Measure 37's First Case Still Unsettled
Preparations are underway to take Oregon's land use legislation Measure 37 back to the ballot this November, but the property rights case that became the face issue still remains unsettled.
Lifestyles Clash At Urban Growth Boundary
At the edge of Portland's urban growth boundary, a clash of rural and urban lifestyles is causing disputes between homeowners, farmers, and hunters.
Town Hopes Smart Growth Plan Will Boost Economy
The city of Germantown, Tennessee, is on the verge of approving a new "Smart Code" based on Smart Growth and New Urbanism principles. City officials are hoping the new zoning changes will allow the city's economy to blossom.
Will The Auto Mall Come To Berkeley?
The City of Berkeley, California, is considering changing is long-held policy against auto malls within city limits.
Consensus Elusive In Portland Harbor Redevelopment Planning
As planners move forward on plans to rezone and redevelop the riverfront and harbor in Portland, Oregon, environmental and industrial interests are clashing on how best to make it happen.
Turnpike Expansion Takes Land, Provides No Sound Barrier
As plans develop to add lanes to a turnpike in Pennsylvania, residents are upset over large losses in property and no provisions for sound barriers.
Famed Danish Urbanist Jan Gehl Hired To Consult For New York City
Jan Gehl, the renowned Danish urban designer, is in New York City this week where, sources say, he has been hired as a consultant for Mayor Michael Bloomberg's Long-Term Planning and Sustainability initiative.
Pedestrian Friendliness Rating Engine Draws Attention On Web
A fun new website that attempts to quantify the pedestrian-friendliness of a neighborhood is getting some buzz in the blogosphere.
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
