Land Use

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.
Pagination
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