Virginia
Best Cities To Live in During a Recession
Business Week looks for the most recession-proof cities, using as their main criteria an abundance of jobs in stable industries like government, health care, and education.
Not Quite Urban, Not Quite Suburban
One city in Virginia has gone from suburban to (quasi-)urban in just a few years.
McCain Votes Against Transit
John McCain was one of two dozen senators to vote last week against a bill that included $1.5 billion to fund D.C. transit.
Plan Approved to Un-Sprawl Tysons Corner
In an effort to recreate sprawling Tysons Corner into a dense urban environment, county supervisors have unanimously approved a plan to build higher, denser, more transit oriented and more walkable.
Is New Urbanism 'Antiseptic'?
Columnist Michael Paul Williams of the Times-Dispatch worries that the planned New Urbanist development in Roseland, VA will turn out to be 'as antiseptic as a theme park."
Future Unknown For Famous But Damaged Tomb
The Tomb of the Unknowns, a 70-year-old marble monument in Arlington National Cemetery, is showing its age. With cracks and damage, some are calling on officials to make repairs, but others say it's time for a new tomb.
Commute Costs Changes Growth Patterns in D.C.
Suburban growth in the DC area has been fueled by low gas prices and abundant freeways. Expensive gas has changed this growth paradigm as commuters shift to public transit and seek close-in homes. Will government respond to the change in the market?
Parking Key to Tysons Corner Redevelopment
In the Washington D.C.-suburb of Tysons Corner, plans for a major downtown redevelopment hinge on one basic issue: parking.
Foreclosed Properties Eyed As Affordable Housing Stock
In a move to combat the growing numbers of foreclosed homes and provide affordable housing, Fairfax County, Virginia, has announced plans to buy up foreclosed properties to augment the county's supply of affordable homes.
Contributions From Developers Banned By Board
The county board of supervisors in Loudoun County, Virginia, has voted to ban itself from accepting any campaign contributions from developers or builders.
Learning from Arlington
Columnist Roger K. Lewis reflects on Arlington's Rosslyn-Ballston corridor and what other cities can learn from their success.
Lawrence Halprin Opines on Redesign of His Charlottesville Mall
Many of famed landscape architect Lawrence Halprin's optimistic 1970s public spaces are being updated and reconsidered. Historic preservationists fight back, but supporters say, "It's a living, breathing space, not a museum."
Gas Prices Cause High Demand for Transit
Rising gas prices have caused a big increase in transit ridership in Loudoun County, Virginia, where officials are looking to expand their bus fleet and capacity to handle the jump in demand.
Virginia Governor Seeks Sales Tax Raise For Transit Projects
Virginia Governor Tim Kaine has proposed a plan to raise sales taxes in the state to help fund public transportation projects -- a plan similar to one voters turned down in 2002. But this time, voters won't be involved in the decision.
Fears Over Immigrants Stymie Accessory Unit Ordinance
Planners in Arlington, Virginia want to allow rental units in single family neighborhoods, but residents are strongly opposed to the proposal, many of them worried that the units will attract low-income immigrants.
Feds Revive D.C. Metro Airport Extension
After declaring the planned Metro extension through Northern Virginia unfit for federal funds, the Federal Transit Administration has given tentative approval for the project, provided local governments contribute additional funding.
The Check Cashing Place Comes to the 'Burbs
A recent newspaper investigation in Virginia reveals that payday loan operations are eschewing poor neighborhoods and setting up in suburban areas.
Northern Virginia Funds Streetcar System
The first 4.7 miles of a streetcar network have been funded along a major corridor in Northern Virginia.
Developer Sues After City Blocks Tacked-On Big Box Plans
Developers who submitted a plan for a retail development and then added a big box store to the plan after it had been approved have sued the city of Blacksburg, Virginia, for instituting new planning rules that requires extra governmental approval.
'Clean Coal' Devastating the Appalachias
While coal industry lobbyists promote "clean coal", scientists argue that such technology is years away. Meanwhile, the mountains of West Virginia are being leveled with devastating consequences for the environment and for neighboring communities.
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