High land prices in the Orlando area have helped encourage higher density development. Urban planners applaud the new trend, but some residents worry about the change in the region's character.
"Five years ago, Morrison Homes constructed no town-house communities in the Orlando area. Now, such multifamily developments account for 40 percent of the company's dwellings in Orange, Seminole and Volusia counties. Morrison officials expect that will jump to 70 percent next year."
"Economics may be driving the trend, but there's also the urgent need to accommodate a population that is expected to double to more than 7 million by 2050 in Central Florida. Planners must squeeze in these newcomers while still preserving environmentally sensitive lands that provide the region's drinking-water supply, lakes, springs and wetland wildlife habitats."
FULL STORY: How to cram 'em in

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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 Edmonds
City of Albany
Harvard GSD Executive Education
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research