Land Use

'Political Recall' As Slow Growth Strategy?

California's fastest growing region resorts to using the political strategy of 'recall' to slow growth.

October 18, 2005 - Los Angeles Times

Trailer Towns -- A Housing Mistake?

As shelters close, trailer towns open for storm evacuees. FEMA opens the first of many such villages for those displaced by Katrina.

October 18, 2005 - The Christian Science Monitor

Designing California's Second-Largest Park

At more than 2,300 acres, Orange County's new park on the site of a former marine base, will be the second-largest in California, about the size of Griffith Park in Los Angeles.

October 18, 2005 - The Los Angeles Times

Judge Rules Oregon's Measure 37 Unconstitutional

Oregon's land use laws were thrown into new controversy as a Marion County Circuit Court Judge ruled last November's property rights initiative invalid.

October 18, 2005 - The Oregonian

Bad Zoning Codes Cause Sprawl

Connecticut's cities' zoning codes -- many based on MuniCode's bolierplate code -- make sprawl ineveitable.

October 17, 2005 - The Hartford Courant

Reversing The Ravages Of Urban Renewal

One of the most livable places in the U.S. tries to revitalize its downtown.

October 15, 2005 - The New York Times

'Reservation Shopping'

One of the new ways the industry is growing is through what critics call 'reservation shopping' -- the push to build Indian casinos on nonreservation land.

October 14, 2005 - The Christian Science Monitor

Treating Suburban Sprawl As A Health Issue

Suburbanites are about 35 per cent more likely to be obese than their urban counterparts. Can obesity be solved through economic incentives and disincentives for development?

October 14, 2005 - The Globe and Mail

Ten Years Of Urban Growth Boundaries

After 10 years, it appears Ventura County's Save Open-space & Agricultural Resources (SOAR) effort -- a unique urban growth boundaries initiative -- is working. Why haven't they been duplicated elsewhere?

October 13, 2005 - The Los Angeles Times

Gulf Rebuilding Plans: Mix and Match

Political parties see the Gulf as a lab for their policy ideas. There's room for many of them, but not all, writes the CSM on their editorial pages.

October 13, 2005 - The Christian Science Monitor

The Largest Community Planning Effort Ever Undertaken

A team of 100 architects and planners from 50 design firms, and led by Andres Duany, are converting on South Mississippi for the Mississippi Renewal Forum.

October 13, 2005 - Sun Herald

Ventura County's Unique Growth Control Measure

This southern California county employs a different type of urban growth boundary. Rather than forbidding development outside the UGB, such developments are determined by the electorate.

October 12, 2005 - The Los Angeles Times

Getting Smart With Mr. Grow

A Utah visionary points the way to regionalism and public transit in Michigan.

October 12, 2005 - Michigan Land Use Institute

Exurbs Are Dead, Long Live The Exurbs

Business Week explores whether higher energy prices signify the beginning of the end for exurban development, or whether exurbs have become an integral part of the American economic system.

October 12, 2005 - BusinessWeek

Many Big Planning Visions For New Big Easy

Planners look to reconceive what took 300 years to evolve.

October 12, 2005 - The Christian Science Monitor

Twin Cities Metropolitan Council Publishes 'Local Planning Handbook'

The Twin Cities Metropolitan Council of local governments publishes a web-based "Local Planning Handbook" to guide planners in the seven-county metropolitan area through the preparation and updating of their city and county comprehensive plans.

October 11, 2005 - Metropolitan Council DIRECTIONS

How City Hall Caused Sprawl in Atlanta

How local government policy -- as opposed to state and federal policies -- contributed to Atlanta's sprawl.

October 11, 2005 - Social Science Research Network/Ecology Law Quarterly

Oregon's Growth Boundaries: Constitutionality and Policy

Is Oregon's urban growth boundary (UGB) program -- the most stringent anti-sprawl measure adopted by any U.S. state -- constitutional? Has it saved Portland from effects of sprawl?

October 10, 2005 - Utah Law Review, Social Science Research Network

Sprawl vs. Judaism

Michael Lewyn explains how sprawl reduces Jewish observance and conflicts with Jewish views of social justice, and points out that Jewish law has historically allowed extensive land use regulation.

October 9, 2005 - Southeastern Environmental Law Journal/Social Science Research Network

Community Choices For Treasure Valley

Treasure Valley residents in Southwest Idaho get a chance to weigh in on future growth scenarios.

October 9, 2005 - The Idaho Statesman

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.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.