Land Use

Fourth Ward Project Aims for Sustainability on Atlanta's Beltline
A new megaproject hopes to bring new life to a former industrial site.

Pedestrians First: Tools for a Walkable City
A comprehensive new website provides information on why and how to improve community walkability and offers practical tools for evaluating walking conditions.

How Massachusetts Zoning Reform Impacts ADU Laws
Cities and towns have until February to adjust their zoning codes to reflect more permissive rules for accessory dwelling units.

Judge Overturns Township’s Ban on Cemeteries
Brooks Township in Michigan ran afoul of the state constitution when it instituted a blanket cemetery ban with the intent to block a green cemetery.

Community-Led Conservation: Protecting Elephant Hill’s Unique Biodiversity in Northeast LA
Community-led efforts are crucial in protecting the unique biodiversity of Elephant Hill in Northeast LA, with a focus on preserving the threatened Southern California black walnut tree and ensuring public access to this vital green space.

Birthplace of Single-Family Zoning Poised to Pass Upzoning Plan
Berkeley, California, pioneered exclusionary zoning in the early 1900s; with its new upzoning proposal, the city hopes to reverse that negative legacy and boost its housing supply by eliminating single-family zoning.

NYC Agencies Tasked With Finding Affordable Housing Sites
Mayor Eric Adams signed an executive order that requires city departments to evaluate their properties for potential housing development.

Democrats Embrace YIMBY Ideas
Vice President Harris’s housing platform is shaping up to include some long-awaited support for pro-density policies and zoning reform.

Austin Lot Size Changes Could Make Homes More Affordable
Land acquisition makes up 15 to 20 percent of the cost of an average home in the Austin area.

Public Pools: A Threatened Amenity?
Municipal pools offer important benefits to urban residents, but some cities are struggling to keep them open.

Housing Toolkit Promotes ‘Infill Micro-Housing’
A report developed for Chattanooga and Hamilton County outlines potential small housing types that could easily and affordably fit into existing neighborhoods.

Utah Sues Over Public Lands Access
State leaders say they want to open 18.5 million acres of unappropriated federal lands to recreation, conservation, and extractive uses.

North Texas Town Launches Downtown Revitalization Plan
The Design Downtown Denton plan takes aim at improving walkability and highlighting the city’s historic assets.

ADUs as Condos: What Does it Mean for Homeownership?
A California law that allows the sale of ADUs as condos may soon make homeownership more attainable.

Boulder Could Eliminate Parking Requirements Citywide
A new study found that half of the city’s commercial parking spaces are usually empty.

Texas Adopts Statewide Flood Plan
The plan outlines thousands of suggestions for mitigating flood risk, which pose a threat in all of the state’s planning regions.

New Survey Shows Support for Unbundled Parking
Parking reform advocates say separating the cost of parking from rent can promote more sustainable transportation choices and reduce driving.

San Jose Homeowners Can Now Sell ADUs as Condos
A new policy could help boost the supply of smaller, more affordable ‘starter homes’ in the first California city to legalize the sale of ADUs.

Spokane Could Eliminate Parking Minimums Near Transit
A Washington state proposal to reduce parking minimums failed in the state legislature earlier this year.

How Hawaii Can Make the Most of its ADU Law
The state recently legalized accessory dwelling units in residential districts, but there’s more state lawmakers can do to reduce other hurdles to large-scale ADU production.
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
City of Moreno Valley
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland