The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
The Birth of the Map of the Cool
Certain parts of the city generate "buzz" -- through events, parties, or other attractions. Just how much buzz they create is hard to nail down. But a new study focusing on L.A. and New York seeks to quantify the cool factor that makes places pop.
Corn Ethanol Industry In The Tank
Low fuel prices, high corn prices, and a new CA regulation that penalizes the energy intensity necessary to convert corn to fuel are hurting the industry.
A Blueprint for the Arts in Salt Lake
Part of a new master plan for Salt Lake County includes prescriptions for new cultural and arts sites distributed throughout the county, providing a blueprint for creating a network of cultural hubs within and around Salt Lake City.
Documenting the History of L.A.
A citywide documentation project is underway in Los Angeles, where planners and preservationists (and the public) are documenting the city's important historic and cultural sites.
China's Eco-Cities Stumble and Fall
The ambitious green Chinese city of Dongtan was hyped up to be one of the most environmentally friendly cities in the world. But now, like other eco-city plans, work on the project has slowed to a halt.
Tent Cities As 'Informal Urbanism'
High Country News reports on Fresno's infamous Taco Flat in this 4-pager. Seattle's Nickelsville and Portland's Dignity Village are held up as better examples of squatter settlements. Architecture and 'informal urbanism' of tent cities is examined.
BLOG POST
A Twitter in the City
<p> Will the red-hot microblogging platform <a href="http://www.twitter.com" target="_blank">Twitter</a> change the way we live in our cities, how we call for help in an emergency, or even help rally a group to topple the city's government? Or is it a frivolous technology that simply atomizes our thoughts and relationships into 140-character bits? </p>
A Vehicle For The Times
While auto sales are in the toilet, bicycle shops are having a banner year. The Infrastructurist reports on the pedaling revolution.
Linking Health to the Built Environment
This video lecture calls on builders, architects and planners to work with the medical and scientific communities to better explore how the built environment affects public health.
Making Sense of Street Vendor Regulations
The Center for Urban Pedagogy wants to make city codes understandable to the people that are impacted. With that in mind, CUP tackled New York's regulations for street vendors.
A Whole New World
Sara Robinson of the Campaign for America's Future outlines in the first of a series of articles why we simply won't be able to "return to normal."
San Antonio Saves The Trees
Officials in San Antonio say they've closed a legal loophole that allowed developers to clear trees for ranching or farming.
Jobs Sprawling in Metro Areas
Recent research from the Brookings Institution looks at 98 metropolitan areas and finds that fewer people are working close to downtowns, and there are fewer jobs located in those areas.
The New Oregon Wilderness
Oregon has just received a wilderness designation on more than 200,000 acres of land. Environmentalists are welcoming the move, which they hope will protect sensitive lands from development and misuse.
How to Make Pedestrian-Friendly Streets
GOOD Magazine illustrates what makes a street pedestrian-friendly, from bollards to bulb-outs.
Beijing Extends Car Restrictions
A slightly watered-down version of the traffic reduction methods the Chinese city of Beijing instituted in Summer 2008 to reduce congestion and pollution during the Olympics has been extended for another year.
Fighting Climate Change with White Paint
Painting roofs white could have a major impact on global carbon emissions, according to three scientists. But what may seem like a wacky idea has years of data to back it up.
GM and Segway Team Up For Small Street Vehicle
The P.U.M.A. is an experimental prototype that takes Segway technology and fits it to a two-person commuter car frame.
The Auto Bailout's "Policy Paradox"
The American and Canadian governments are caught in a "policy paradox:" they want to promote green vehicles but they need to save their domestic auto industries. Both may not be possible, says Konrad Yakabuski.
A Case for LEED-ND: The LEED Platinum Suburban Office Park
A new LEED Platinum building in suburban Minneapolis may be the greenest single building in the state, but what about all those who must drive there? The City of Lakes blog looks at the fallacy of LEED rankings when location is not factored in.
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.
