Imagine sitting at your computer looking at a map and, with a single click, being able to instantly retrieve a satellite image from a remote location via the Internet.
This is not a dream, says Jim Flowers, vice-president of North American sales for Orbimage; it's "coming soon" to a planning agency near you. While commercially available for nearly two decades, satellite images have not been eagerly embraced by planning agencies in this country. Based on interviews with more than two dozen agencies - most of them local planning agencies - it seems safe to say that aerial photography remains the image of choice for most departments. But, with Space Imaging's launch last September of the first commercial satellite capable of taking one-meter high-resolution images, planners may find it worthwhile to take another look at this technology.Karen Finucan is a freelance writer in Bethesda, Maryland.This article summary is provided as a service to the urban planning community. However, this article is not available online. For subscription or ordering information, visit Planning Magazine at: http://www.planning.org/pubs/planning.html
Thanks to Laura Krafft

Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing
Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?

Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?
Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?

Research Shows More Roads = More Driving
A national study shows, once again, that increasing road supply induces additional vehicle travel, particularly over the long run.

How Protecting Kauaʻi’s Forests Safeguards Fresh Water
A University of Hawaiʻi study shows that protecting Kauaʻi’s native forests from invasive species significantly boosts groundwater recharge, making it a cost-effective strategy to secure fresh water and enhance climate resilience.

Gary, Indiana to Expand Transit Service, Bike Share
The city plans to launch a bike share system in April and expand service on its bus routes.

Pittsburgh Rolls Out Electric School Buses
Pittsburgh Public Schools has launched its first electric school buses, with plans to fully electrify its fleet over the next 14 months, aiming to create a cleaner, more sustainable transportation system supported by new charging infrastructure.
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.
City of Moreno Valley
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland
Newport County Development Council: Connect Greater Newport