Government / Politics
Un-Eminent Domain Effort Fails
The city of Dublin, Ohio, is trying to un-eminent domain some land it acquired from a local landowner. The project it had seized the land for has since fallen apart, and the city now wants its $5 million payoff back.
The Rise of the Form-Based Code
There are nearly 300 form-based codes either enacted or in development across North America. New Urban News takes a look at the rising trend.
America in 2050: More Decentralized
The U.S. is expected to grow by more than 100 million people over the next 40 years, and much of that growth will occur in urban areas. Joel Kotkin says that this growth will highlight the inefficiencies of centralized power.
Why the Census Needs Adjustment
The Census is going to be wrong, according to this column from The Washington Post. Statistical adjustments help get undercounts closer to reality, but many opponents prevent their use.
Carrion to Leave Urban Affairs Post
Adolfo Carrion, director of the White House Office of Urban Affairs, has announced plans to leave his position, trading it for a post in the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Why Toronto Will Never Be A Great City
Toronto Star architecture critic Christopher Hume writes that a recent controversy in the city over a proposed waterfront sports complex highlights why Toronto will never be a great city.
South Africa's Crumbling Urban Rail Network
More than a third of the rolling stock in South Africa's urban rail network will go out of service within the next three years, creating a looming rail catastrophe across the country.
Economic Woes Decimate Planning Departments
The budget crisis in California, as elsewhere, has forced planning departments statewide to bid farewell to valuable staff members and come up with creative ways to handle caseloads.
Lessons From NYC: Congestion Pricing
In April 2008, the NYS Assembly rejected NYC Mayor Bloomberg's congestion pricing proposal for Manhattan. A subsequent attempt to toll the free East & Harlem River bridges also failed. Bruce Schaller (NYC-DOT), involved in both efforts explains why
Road Lobbyists Take Hit From Livability Movement
The concept of "livability" seems to be catching on -- both at a local level and up in the federal government. This is especially true in the Department of Transportation. That could mean bad news for the road building lobby.
Portland's Empty Urban Renewal Area
Tax breaks and incentives helped spur a rash of development in Portland's South Waterfront district. But the development has struggled to lure residents.
Science City Approved in Maryland
Montgomery County, Maryland, could become home to a new "science city" development that creates a hub of scientific research institutions and thousands of jobs.
Reintroducing Cars To Pedestrian Malls
Downtown Sacramento's 'K' St. has been one of the city's most notable economic failures. Banning cars while providing the light rail an undisturbed path never fulfilled the hopes that urban planners had for the pedestrian mall. Now cars will return.
Tech-Focused Planning for the Future of Cities
Broad thinking about the future may mean focusing on smaller, technology-based planning solutions, according to this essay from Regional Plan Association Executive Director Thomas K. Wright.
Stadium in a Box
The desert nation of Qatar is trying to win hosting duties for the 2022 World Cup. A new plan to build temporary stadia is helping to increase the country's chances.
LEED-ND Officially Launches
LEED for Neighborhood Development, seen by many as a corrective to the green building rating system emphasizing sustainability at the neighborhood scale, is now official. Kaid Benfield was part of its creation, and has this report.
Planning to Improve Public Health
Public health was an early impetus for better urban planning. But over the years, it has faded into the background. This piece from Miler-McCune looks at how health concerns are moving their way back into mainstream planning.
Georgia Transportation Bill Just the First Step
The Georgia legislature recently passed the Transportation Investment Act of 2010, which could greatly transform the urban realm in Atlanta and the rest of the state. The key phrase here is "could".
Won't Somebody Think of the Children?
Kids make up a big part of city populations. But often the built environment doesn't reflect a world planned with children in mind. This post from Polis looks at an effort to put children's needs back in the minds of planners.
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Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Ada County Highway District
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
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Salt Lake City
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