The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Operate Parks Like a Business
Mindy Craig makes the case for an evolution in the management of parks in an era of shrinking general fund allocations.
BLOG POST
What Makes a 'Farmers' Market?'
What constitutes a farmers' market, rather than an outdoor or public market?

Friday Funday: New Google Maps Game Tests Your Geography Knowledge
If you're obsessed with trivia and maps, prepare to lose some hours.
Fracking Opponents in New York Achieve Landmark Legal Victory
In a huge victory for fracking opponents and a major blow to the shale gas drilling industry, the New York Court of Appeals, the state's highest, ruled on June 30 that municipalities can use zoning laws to enact fracking bans or moratoria.
Census: More Americans Living in 'Poverty Areas'
In the most recent analysis to come from a bounty of data releases this week from the U.S. Census, Governing examines the growth of poverty, especially the areas where it concentrates.
New Census Data Shows the Country's Age
Christopher Ingraham breaks down recent data from the U.S. Census that shows which counties are getting younger and which are getting older.
America the Brewery-ful
Many communities around the country have welcomed breweries for their economic development and placemaking potential. Recent data from the U.S. Economic Census shows just how much the beer industry is growing.

Los Angeles River Visionary Reflects on $1 Billion Recommendation for Revitalization
When the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced its preference for a $1.08 billion plan to restore habitat in the Los Angeles River, many credited Lewis MacAdams's fight to change the city's relationship with its waterway over nearly three decades.
Study: Oregon Bikers Abide Red Lights
Move aside, myth of the reckless biker who flouts the law at every possible junction.
Planning 'Beyond Blight' in Flint, Michigan
Luke Telendar updates the planning efforts of Flint, Michigan, which earlier this year released its first new master plan since 1960, "Imagine Flint," and has more recently released a blight

How to Work with Planning Consultants
Los Angeles County planner Clement Lau review of the book "Working with Planning Consultants."

BLOG POST
Land Use Planning Crucial for Mitigating Pipeline Hazards
Open Access to Anna Osland's Article, "Using Planning to Mitigate Hazards from Hazardous Liquid and Natural Gas Transmission Pipelines." Link here: http://goo.gl/bDYGJg. Osland finds land use planning is overlooked in N.C. pipeline networks.
Redefining Affordability in the Most Expensive Neighborhoods
Ryan Hutchins reports on the details of a recent negotiation between Helen Rosenthal, Upper West Side City Council representative, and the developer of a 1,000-unit residential project in Hell's Kitchen.
Transportation Network Companies Struggling with ADA Compliance
Ted Trautman provides a thorough investigation of the actions (or lack thereof) of transportation network companies to provide access for customers with special needs.
Comparing Naperville and Joliet: the Underappreciated Importance of Legacy
Pete Saunders compares the disparate experiences of two Chicago suburbs, Naperville and Joliet, who took different approaches to legacy.
Federal Transportation Funds to Decrease August 1
U.S. Treasury Secretary Anthony Foxx warned State DOT officials in a July 1 letter that due to declining funds in the highway account of the Highway Trust Fund, he will implement a new reimbursement policy that may cause some states to halt projects.

FEATURE
This Dubuque, Iowa Master Plan Is a Rust Belt Victory
The Historic Millwork District Master Plan, approved in 2009, provides exemplary solutions in historic preservation, parking requirements, and environmental standards, all now rewarding the city of Dubuque, Iowa with economic development.
Pittsburgh's Mellon Square Re-Opened After Six-Year Wait
Named as one of the APA's Great Public Spaces in 2008, Mellon Square in Pittsburgh was badly in need of repair. Earlier this month, the park completed a $10 million restoration process that launched in 2009.
Housing Costs Driving Aspiring Musicians Out of Nashville
Boom times in Nashville have some in the Music City worried that as musicians and other artists struggle with the cost of living, the city will lose its identity as a cultural and creative capital.

Explaining the Limitations of Travel Time Comparisons
Jarrett Walker details the nuances of travel time comparisons, following on a recent Boston Magazine article comparing MBTA transit service to the new Bridj private bus service.
Pagination
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Ada County Highway District
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
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.