The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

D.C. Streetcar

D.C. Business Owners Say Streetcar's No Silver Bullet, but Could Spur Growth

With D.C.'s first streetcar since 1962 about to begin service (any day now), how are business owners along the corridor holding up?

April 3 - Elevation DC

Moving the Hollywood Fault to Suit Developers

Morris Newman sees the lighter side of complaints over a new state geology map that puts an earthquake fault under some big real estate plans.

April 3 - California Planning & Development Report

Cars Are Key to Reducing Poverty

Many advocates for new ways of thinking about places and streets argue for reduced use of cars as the dominant mode of transportation. A new study finds, however that poverty is improved when the poor have access to a car for transportation.

April 3 - The Washington Post - Wonkblog

A Proposal for New York's Park Inequity Problem

The inequities of New York City’s park system have been on the policy radar since state legislation was introduced last year that would require large, wealthy park conservancies to contribute to smaller, cash-strapped parks around the city.

April 3 - The New Yorker

Google Bus Opponents Lose CEQA Appeal

Yes—that's right: fervent opponents of Google (et.al) buses tried to use California's environmental law to get them off the streets of San Francisco—which would lead to tech employees driving their own vehicles to Silicon Valley.

April 3 - San Francisco Chronicle


Brooklyn Bridge Beach

BLOG POST

Architecture + Urbanism: Both/And, Not Either/Or

Looking at the trend toward interdisciplinary design practice through the work of WXY Architecture + Urban Design.

April 3 - Anna Bergren Miller

HUD expected to further ease restrictions on mixed-use financing

The administrative change to follow recent successful FHA standards, according to CNU president John Norquist.

April 2 - Better! Cities & Towns


London's Airports - The Ultimate Transit Orientated Development?

London's mayor, Boris Johnson, has long favoured the creation of a new airport in the Thames Estuary over expanding Heathrow. New claims of boosting house building in west London have generated further criticism.

April 2 - BBC News online

Florida Sprawl

Study: Sprawl is Bad for Public Health

Smart Growth America has released the "Measuring Sprawl 2014" report, which updates the 2002 report "Measuring Sprawl and Its Impact."

April 2 - Smart Growth America

''D.C.'s High Line" Could Transform the Banks of the Anacostia

The proposed elevated park across the Anacostia would be a first for D.C. The group backing it has launched a national design competition to design a bridge that fosters economic development, promotes community health, and cleans the river.

April 2 - Elevation DC

Climate Change Harms People, not just Polar Bears, Warns IPCC in Exhaustive Report

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) issued a follow-up report to another in September that focused on the cause of climate change. The report released Monday focuses on the disruption that climate change will cause human society.

April 2 - Slate

Port Authority Funds Diverted to New Jersey Roads and Bridges

As an alternative to raising the nation's second lowest gas tax (but lacking Alaska's oil wells), The Record found that Gov. Christie diverted toll revenue from the Port Authority and used them for state-owned facilities such as the Pulaskie Skyway.

April 2 - The Record

'People Habitat': Kaid Benfield Takes Smart Growth to a Higher Level

Kaid Benfield has a new book out, which Scott Doyon found positively uplifting. In ways beyond what you might be thinking.

April 2 - PlaceShakers

Two Brothers Walk to School

Walkability and the Risk of Mortgage Default

A recent study strengthens the economic case for walkable communities, finding a strong inverse relationship between walkscore and risk of mortgage default.

April 2 - Community Builders Blog

Charting the 'Urban Shift' Among Technology Start-Ups

Once upon a time, tech start-ups located almost exclusively in the suburbs. New data reveals the extent to which this pattern has been reversed.

April 2 - Atlantic Cities

What's Wrong With Walk Score's Food Desert Map

Walk Score’s new food desert map is a potentially powerful tool in the ongoing policy debate about access to healthy foods. But it’s still a work in progress.

April 2 - Next City

Nightmare

Top Ten Fake Futures Most Likely to Destroy Planning As We Know It

The following is a list things that are never going to happen, because if they did, urban planning as we know it would cease to exist.

April 1 - Planetizen April 1st Edition

Nome, Alaska to Lower 48: What Polar Vortex?

The residents and government of the city of Nome, Alaska are unimpressed with the whining they heard this winter.

April 1 - Planetizen April 1st Edition

Brawl

Bar Brawl Breaks Out Over Kelo v. City of New London

A brawl began after a disagreement over the nuances of the Supreme Court case that protected the power of the government to use eminent domain to transfer ownership of private property for the purposes of economic development.

April 1 - Planetizen April 1st Edition

Pets.com Employee Shuttle Has Been Circling San Francisco Since 2000

Residents say an old Pets.com employee shuttle still drives the streets of San Francisco, seemingly at random. The driver, a mystery to all, emerges from the shuttle occasionally to buy a burrito and a Chronicle. But no one ever sees his face.

April 1 - Planetizen April 1st Edition

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Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

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The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

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A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.

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.