Urban Development

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.

Disney Plans New Residential Developments
Despite the less-than-magical results of its experiment in Celebration, Florida, Disney has announced plans to build a chain of master-planned communities around the country.

Lawmaker Proposes Permanent Environmental Review Exemptions for Transit Projects
A 2020 law that exempts transit, bike, and pedestrian projects from California's strict environmental review process could become permanent.

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.

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.

Condos Racking Up Equity Faster Than Single-Family Homes in Austin
Condo value in Austin rose 28% between December 2020 and December 2021, according to a recent report.

Virginia Law Granting Local Authority for Energy Efficiency Rejected Due to Housing Affordability Concerns
The state preemption pendulum swings again—this time in favor of state preemption of energy efficiency standards in Virginia.

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.

California Court Upholds Density Bonus Law
In a rebuff to proponents of local control, a California state appeals court upheld a 1979 law that allows developers to bypass local zoning regulations when including affordable housing in their projects.

The Problem With Miami Beach's High-Rises
Last year's Miami Beach condo collapse could portend more tragedy to come if developers don't address the risks of aging buildings and climate change.

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.

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.

Opinion: High Tech Won't Save Cities
After some notable disappointments in the development of 'smart city' projects, experts are increasingly critical of the movement to use tech to solve urban problems.
Pagination
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