Urban Development

St. Paul Apartment Construction Slows; Rent Control Under Scrutiny
Apartment permits declined by 48 percent in the past year in St. Paul. The city’s voters approved one of the nation’s most aggressive rent stabilization ordinances in November 2021.

Poorly Timed Arrival for Seattle’s Long-Awaited Transportation Fee
A proposed transportation impact fee, years in the making, is stirring a controversy at a time of declining permitting and construction activity in the city of Seattle.

The Growing Importance of Location Intelligence
Location intelligence is transforming decision-making, with an increasing number and type of organizations modernizing operations with a geographic approach to problem-solving, planning, and prediction.

The Tragedy of Parking
Parking minimums and other zoning laws have made American cities untenable for any other type of transportation. It’s time we find a new way to zone our cities.

Gainesville Reverses Zoning Reforms, Reinstates Single-Family Zoning
The Florida city will be the first in the country to rescing zoning changes that would have created opportunities for a wider variety of housing options in residential neighborhoods.

Columbus Rewriting its Zoning Code
Planners in Ohio’s capital city hope a new zoning code will help reverse some of the damage done by the city’s previous zoning codes.

The Dividing Line Between Good and Bad Density
Not all density is good, according to the participants at recent event hosted by the Congress for the New Urbanism’s District of Columbia chapter, and examples of new developments cross the line all over the world.

Montana Passes Sweeping Legislative Package to Rescind ‘California-Style-Zoning’
The Montana State Legislature recently approved a package of zoning reform bills modeled closely on bills approved in West Coast states, including the state of California, in recent years.

The Myth of Local Control
One common argument against statewide zoning reform is that local control of zoning is a venerable democratic norm. But in fact, state government often controls local land use in a variety of ways.

Freeway Removal Projects Gain Momentum
Thanks to decades of activism and newly available federal funding, state and local governments are starting to understand the negative impacts of highway construction and working to reverse the effects on cities around the nation.

Study: Renters, Women, Minorities Underrepresented in Land Use Decisions
The membership of decisionmaking bodies such as planning commissions rarely reflects the socioeconomic, gender, and racial characteristics of the local community.

Report: American Downtowns Safer Than You Think
A Brookings Institution study reveals that crime rates in major cities have risen, but downtown districts account for a negligible part of the growth.

How Commute Times Impact Office Vacancy
Workplaces that employees can reach more quickly are less likely to have high office vacancy rates, a new analysis finds.

Missoula Aims for Equity With Development Code Updates
The “Our Missoula Development Guide” is getting an update as the Montana deals with the contemporary pressures of population growth and gentrification.

Metro Atlanta Cities Weigh Zoning Changes
The southern city’s growth is prompting questions about how to increase the housing supply, maintain affordability, and accommodate new residents.

Events on Rural ‘Ranchos’ Cause Zoning Controversy in the Coachella Valley
Large events featuring live music have become popular on Coachella Valley ranchos. Some locals want to create a new land use category to clarify the rules about noise generated from the events.

Improving Gender Equality with Urban Planning
“It's a man's world” is not just a saying. As much as we are surrounded by societal structures that contribute to gender discrimination, we are often also surrounded by physical infrastructure that is just as limiting.

Upzoning Modestly Increases Housing Supply and Affordability, Study Says
A new study by researchers at the Urban Institute finds new evidence that upzoning produces housing supply and reduces costs, while downzoning does the opposite.

Minneapolis Comprehensive Plan Still Searching for Zoning Alignment
The vision set forth in one of the most ambitious and groundbreaking comprehensive plans in recent memory has yet to align with the practical realities of zoning in Minneapolis.

Fort Collins Code Update Rescinded Due to ADU Opposition
It’s back to the drawing board for a development code update in Fort Collins, Colorado, after residents revolted against zoning reforms that include by-right development of accessory dwelling units.
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EMC Planning Group, Inc.
Planetizen
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Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
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