Land Use
California's Best and Worst Downtowns
San Francisco and San Diego are the No. 1 downtowns in California, according to California Planning & Development Report. L.A. is #4, behind Long Beach. Last? Fresno, Fresno, Fresno.
Legislating The Connection Between Land Use, Climate Change
California State Senator Darrell Steinberg tackles the connections between land use and greenhouse gas emissions with SB 375. Can California continue its leadership on climate change legislation?
A Black City Planned By Whites?
African-Americans are the majority of residents in Richmond, Virginia, but a new master planning effort has been criticized for attracting little participation from non-whites.
The New Public Spaces And Why They Are Important
Parks are no just about connecting with nature. The evolving public spaces of today revitalize abandoned industrial land and engage citizens.
Learning Architecture And Planning In The Land Of Suburbia
Ellen Dunham-Jones, director of the architecture program at Georgia Tech, thinks architects and planners need to understand suburbia better before they can begin the work of retrofitting our sprawling development patterns towards smart growth.
Georgia Hill Country A Case Study For Stopping Sprawl
Planners and environmentalists are hopefully that the use of transfer development rights (TDR) in the Chattahoochee Hill Country south of Atlanta can serve as a model for land conservation efforts nationwide.
Should Homes Be Banned From Fire-Prone Areas?
With the cost of fighting fires having risen dramatically, a recent op-ed suggests that cities and counties reign in sprawl and prevent home construction in forest areas.
Lamenting Sprawl In Kansas City
"Progress" and developers are carelessly expanding the reach of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area.
The Impact Of McMansions On The Value of Neighboring Homes
A Wall Street Journal writer shares her family's experience in a neighborhood quickly being dominated by McMansions.
California Lawmakers Fight Over Land Use Lawsuits
This year's budget dispute is colored by the state's effort to force local governments to reign in sprawl and stop global warming.
More Land May Not Mean Cheaper Housing
In the face of a proposal that would lighten planning controls over some new development in England, a recent report says that making more land available for development will not lower housing prices and will lead to sprawl.
Is It Time For Transit In The Boise Valley?
The Treasure Valley metro area, centered around Boise, Idaho, is the latest region to explore the ideal of rail transit, with officials looking to Salt Lake City as a model.
Preserve Industrial Areas Or Allow Housing?
As the popularity of condos and lofts in industrial areas rises amongst both developers and buyers, cities such as Chicago, L.A., and New York are taking steps to protect their historic industrial zones.
Can You Fight Climate Change From Behind The Wheel?
Lauded city official and smart growth champion Rick Cole argues that California can't reach 'green' goals without changing its car culture.
Building A New Catholic City In Florida
Tom Monaghan, the founder of Domino's Pizza, has built a Catholic college and a Catholic-focused community in Ave Maria, Florida. The 5,000-acre community will include 11,000 housing units, 1.2 million s.f. of mixed use space, and a 55-foot crucifix.
A Taco Stand in Every Neighborhood
A trip to Baja California -- with its ubiquitous taco stands -- inspires one resident of a New Urbanist community to deal with his neighborhood's lack of eateries by developing a plan for a taco stand.
Are Women Better Planners And Architects?
A survey by a British planning firm shows that most people think women would design and build more livable cities than men.
Portland's Smart Growth Pays Dividends, Literally
A new study lays out the annual savings residents of Portland, Oregon enjoy because of the green choices they and their elected leaders have made over the past 50 years.
The Fastest-Growing Suburbs In America
Forbes compiles a list of the top 100 fastest-growing suburbs -- predominantly in the Sun Belt and the West.
Oregon's Land Use Laws Won't Get 'Big Look'
Funding for an independent review of the state's planning system is slashed, with fingers pointing blame in many directions.
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
