Land Use

Empty Road

What Is Car-Centric Planning?

'Car-centric planning' refers to urban planning that privileges the private automobile as a primary transportation mode, often to the exclusion of people who walk, bike, or use public transit.

February 17, 2022 - Diana Ionescu

A subdivision of large suburban homes, some with bright blue pools, sits atop a low hill in Hays County, Texas.

Pressing Pause on Development in the Shadow of Austin's Growth

The Dripping Springs City Council points to inadequate wastewater infrastructure and the need to update its comprehensive plan as reasons for the city's development moratorium.

February 17, 2022 - Community Impact Newspaper

Solar panels are lined up on agricultural land.

Legislation Would Limit Solar Power Installation on Agricultural Land in Iowa

If SF 2171 wins approval in the Iowa State Legislature, solar will have a limited number of options for installation on agricultural land.

February 17, 2022 - Iowa Public Radio

Students passing through the historic Sather Gate on the University of California, Berkeley campus.

Without New Environmental Impact Report, UC Berkeley Will Enroll Thousands Fewer Students

A high-profile example of the power of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) might cause thousands of students to miss out on a chance to attend the University of California, Berkeley.

February 15, 2022 - Berkeleyside

An overhead image of a large wooden building as it's being constructed.

Ballot Initiative Could Overturn California's Zoning Reforms

The "mother of all NIMBY initiatives" is seeking signatures to qualify for the statewide ballot in California.

February 15, 2022 - James Brasuell

A map showing proposed zones for future development in the city of Rochester, New York.

Rochester, New York Drafts a Zoning Map to Match its New Comprehensive Plan

The Rochester 2034 Zoning Alignment Project is implementing the award-winning Rochester 2034 Comprehensive Plan.

February 15, 2022 - WXXI News

Arizona Suburb

Arizona Enters the Upzoning Fray

Arizona lawmakers have proposed a bill that would boost the state's affordable housing fund and increase density in some residential areas.

February 14, 2022 - azfamily.com

A map showing the city of Hammond and surrounding cities in Louisiana and Florida.

Louisiana City Halts Multi-Family Housing Construction Due to Infrastructure Concerns

The Hammond City Council has paused multi-family development approvals while it studies ways to improve the city's infrastructure.

February 10, 2022 - The Daily Star

MacDougal Street

Urban Villages for the Proletariat

Compact, walkable urban villages benefit working families and organized labor by creating jobs, improving household affordability, reducing commute duration, improving economic opportunities, and creating cleaner, healthier communities.

February 10, 2022 - Todd Litman

Brooklyn, New York City

Development Investments Quickly Follow Gowanus Rezoning

The controversial rezoning of the Gowanus neighborhood in Brooklyn, approved by the city at the end of 2021, is already having a noticeable effect on the real estate market.

February 9, 2022 - Crain's New York Business

A suburban street in England, shown directly from above, with lush, green yards and driveways with cars parked in front.

Recent Greenfield Developments Build Car Dependency in England, Report Says

The promises of politicians and developers to build more sustainably in the U.K. are going unfulfilled, according to a recent report.

February 9, 2022 - Transport for New Homes

Rattlesnakes

Silicon Valley Town Backs Off Mountain-Lions-as-Density-Deterrent

An update for Woodside's plans to avoid a state-mandated rezoning by claiming that the entire town serves as mountain lion habitat.

February 8, 2022 - Los Angeles Times

Pacific Coast Highway

Legal Battle Heats Up Over the Form and Function of Oregon's Coasts

As Oregon's coastal beaches erode, taking valued public space with them and exposing private property to increased risks from flooding and sea-level rise, some local governments want to allow property owners the right to "armor" the coast.

February 8, 2022 - OBP

African American

Building Up the 'Zoning Buffer' to Increase Housing Supply Without Raising Land Values

New research helps explain why urban housing prices are escalating and how communities can increase affordability. It emphasizes the need to upzone sufficient urban land to create a large competitive market for parcels ready for infill development.

February 7, 2022 - UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies

Milwaukee Avenue District in Wicker Park, Chicago, IL

Opinion: Repurpose Parking for Bike Lanes and Outdoor Seating

With car parking banned from two blocks of Chicago's Milwaukee Avenue on weekend nights, the city could take the opportunity to permanently adapt the space for other uses.

February 7, 2022 - Streetsblog Chicago

Detroit Freeway

How Policymakers Are Grappling With the Racist Legacy of Urban Freeways

In Michigan, the state's Department of Transportation is looking for ways to mitigate the damage caused by decades of urban renewal policies and reconnect neighborhoods cut off from amenities and opportunities by highway projects.

February 7, 2022 - Deadline Detroit

Houston Freeway

Freeway Intersection at the Heart of Intense Debate in Fort Bend County

The location of a proposed crossing in the fast-growing southwest Houston suburbs could have a significant impact on the area's development.

February 7, 2022 - Houston Chronicle

View of Castle Rock, Colorado

Colorado Town Approves Wildfire Management Plan

As Castle Rock faces an increasing threat of wildfires, town officials urge residents to use the recommendations in the plan to eliminate risks and protect their homes against future blazes.

February 3, 2022 - The Denver Post

A map showing the location of Woodside, California and its surrounding roads.

A Novel Defense Against State-Mandated Density: Mountain Lions

Woodside, a small town in the South Bay Area of California, has invented a new method for resisting state-mandated zoning reforms.

February 3, 2022 - The Almanac

Los Angeles

L.A. Reimagines Parking for New Uses

In famously car-centric Los Angeles, developers and city officials are changing the way they view parking space, opting instead to allocate the space to more effective uses.

February 3, 2022 - Commercial Observer

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.