Activists in Jersey City are suing over plans to replace a fledgling waterfront arts district with new high-rises. The city says the land, which is next to commuter and light rail stations, is best used for "smart growth" high-density housing.

An influential Vancouver Realtor has proposed a density bonus scheme that he says would get developers to provide more housing affordable to first-time buyers.

To make North American cities more bicycle friendly, planners should look to Stockholm, Sweden and Freiburg, Germany -- two European cities were bikes and cars happily co-exist on the street.

Typically considered a poster child for sprawl, Atlanta's leaders and residents are now trying to steer the city's growth and development down a greener path.

If jobs and services are reoriented and public transport rethought, sprawling cities like Melbourne can mitigate the consequences of dwindling energy supplies, argues a recent column.

In a report back from the APA conference in Las Vegas, Daniel Lerch worries that planners are not concerned enough about planning for a constrained-energy future.

Aging sewage systems in municipalities across the country are falling into disrepair, resulting in massive leaks and spills that threaten drinking water and public health.

Flashing lights on the walls on train tunnels that display a 15-second video to passengers have been introduced in L.A., bringing new revenue to the area's transit agency, but bothering some riders. Some say the ads intrude on public space.

Flemish nationalists in small-town Belgium are hoping to keep immigrants out by requiring that all schoolchildren speak Flemish -- an attack on the droves of French-speaking immigrants that have descended on the country.

Cyclist wins a "race" across Philadelphia, beating a car and city transit in fight through morning traffic.

Quebec is notorious for its lavish subsidies designed to lure business. But with transparent accounting and a cost-benefit ratio of 3.74 to 1, the province's economic development agency makes sure taxpayers know what they are getting for their money.

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.

Architects in Baltimore are arguing that the city should build its new arena near its other sports facilities, freeing up the old location for redevelopment that can help revitalize its downtown.

After an avalanche drastically cut the supply of electricity, residents the Alaskan capital of Juneau cut their power consumption by almost 40 percent in a few weeks. Now the city is gaining attention as a leader in energy conservation.

North Carolina bills itself as the "good growth state." But as North Carolina's population heads toward 10 million, the state's low-density pattern of development is straining the infrastructure.

Rising gas prices are pushing more and more Oregon drivers out of their cars. High public transit ridership figures and a reduction in vehicle-miles traveled suggest former drivers are now using transit instead of driving.

This article from Grist looks at the city of Phoenix as it teams with Arizona State University to shift the city's direction from endless sprawl to a smarter, more environmentally-conscious growth pattern.

This article from Governing looks at the role of higher education and medical facilities in keeping urban areas alive.