The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Los Angeles Light Rail

Light Rail Could Finally Get Priority Over Cars at Intersections in Los Angeles

The city of Los Angeles controls the streets and the intersections crossed by the Expo Line as its connects Downtown Los Angeles to Santa Monic and the beach. The city has made its first progress toward prioritizing trains. at those intersections

October 16 - Urbanize Los Angeles

Image of transit oriented development around Union Station in Denver.

The Benefits of Transit to Real Estate Values

A new study, jointly produced by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) and the National Association of Realtors (NAR), finds evidence of dramatic increases in the value of real estate located proximate to public transit.

October 16 - Smart Cities Dive

Chicken Run

Ordinance Would Limit Chickens, Livestock in Chicago Residential Neighborhoods

Noise and smeall are the common complaints as more residents of urban areas bring animals to their home to live more sustainably.

October 16 - Chicago Tribune

Electric Scooters

Self-Scooting Scooter Startup Wants to Solve Clutter Problem

Autonomous micromobility could solve some of dockless bike and scooter share companies' largest remaining challenges, like the local availability of scooters and conformity to local and federal regulations.

October 16 - Smart Cities Dive

Redlining Map

Study: Historical Redlining Maps No Longer a Proxy for Black America

Black Americans have moved on from formerly redlined neighborhoods, and other minorities and whites have moved in. The wave of presidential campaigns that have based housing policy proposals on redlining maps might be misguided as a result.

October 15 - Brookings


San Francisco, California

So You Want to Be a Planning Commissioner?

San Francisco provides a case study of the immense challenges and scant rewards that await you in a job as a planning commissioner—planning outcomes suffer as a result.

October 15 - San Francisco Examiner.

Wisconsin Public Transit

Transit Dreams Follow 'Wheel Tax' Proposal in Madison

After Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway proposed a $40 "wheel tax," otherwise known as a vehicle registration fee, the debate heated up about what the revenue could fund, or whether it's necessary at all.

October 15 - Channel 3000


Interstate 285 Interchange

Georgia's $11 Billion Road-Building Program Evolves

Recently announced changes to a massive road-building program in Georgia will shift moves projects aimed at improvements for the trucking industry earlier onto the calendar, while pushing back projects located closer to Atlanta.

October 15 - The Atlanta Journal Constitution

Portland Condo High-Rise

Effect of Portland's 'Better Housing by Design' Package Depends on Parking Reforms

The difference between a proposed RM2 zoning designation with off-street parking requirements, versus with the parking requirements is massive, according to this article.

October 15 - Sightline Institute

National Memorial Day Parade

Where to Find the 'Opportunity Bargains' of Economic and Social Mobility

A few blue-collar cities proximate to Boston offer case studies of the "opportunity bargains" identified in the 2018 Opportunity Atlas published by Harvard and Brown universities an the U.S. Census.

October 15 - The Boston Globe

Lombard Street San Francisco

Crooked Lombard Street Won't Be Tolled After All

Another of the surprising roster of vetoes by California Governor Gavin Newsom over the weekend includes a bill that would have set limitations for traffic on San Francisco's Lombard Street.

October 15 - Associated Press via The Mercury News

Tysons Corner Parking Lot

Reducing Parking Requirements for Huge, Regional Malls

Fairfax County, Virginia is considering a change to its parking requirements that would lower the number of parking spots at large malls like Tysons Corner Center and Tysons Galleria.

October 15 - Tysons Reporter

Saint Louis gateway arch and Kiener Park

A Call for Youth Involvement in Planning the Future

Planning for the future should involve people who are going to live the future.

October 15 - St. Louis Riverfront Times

Electric Scooters

Scooter Pilot Comes to a Close in Chicago

Chicago's heavily debated electric scooter rental pilot comes to a close today. The debate about how to treat electric scooter rentals in the future also begins today.

October 15 - Chicago Tribune

Tenants' Rights

BLOG POST

Why the Poor Cannot Move: It's Not Just the (Official) Rent

A discussion of the book Evicted, and in particular its suggestion that rent in poor neighborhoods is not much lower than the rent in middle-class areas.

October 14 - Michael Lewyn

New York City Skyscapers

New Supertall Skyscraper Coming to Manhattan

The latest supertall addition to the New York skyline departs from the recent glut of skinny residential buildings popping up in Manhattan. The new building at 270 Park Avenue will have significantly more girth and be filled with offices.

October 14 - New York YIMBY

Delmar Loop

Loop Trolley on the Ropes in St. Louis

Extremely poor ridership might be dooming the St. Louis Loop Trolley less than a year after it opened to the public.

October 14 - St. Louis Riverfront Times

Suburbia

When Large Corporations Buy Homes and Become Landlords

Since the Great Recession, homeownership is down and corporations are taking advantage of the profit opportunities.

October 14 - CityLab

San Francisco, California

Governor's Veto Kills Complete Streets Requirements for Caltrans

California Governor Gavin Newsom over the weekend vetoed a bill that would have required the state's department of transportation to consider public transit as well as bike and pedestrian infrastructure when planning projects on state-owned roads.

October 14 - San Francisco Chronicle

Granny Flat

New Laws Amount to Single-Family Zoning Ban in California

For years, the California legislators have been passing bills to allow accessory dwelling units on single-family residential lots. These laws haven't attracted the same attention as other failed laws, but their effect is significant.

October 14 - Los Angeles Times

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Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

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

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

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.