With a flurry of residential and mixed-use development planned for the city's downtown, local officials hope to create a comprehensive vision that all stakeholders in the area can support.
" 'So many cities come up with downtown plans almost defensively; they are in such bad shape or can't figure out how to get the private sector to come in and build high-rise residential,' Mayor Will Wynn said. 'We're doing it because so many good things are happening in downtown and about to happen, but seemingly they are happening independent of one another.'
Lack of coordination and coherent public policies on downtown development have made it difficult for city leaders to balance the conflicting desires of developers, property owners, nearby residents and small businesses."
"Planners will look at locations for high-rises and high-density projects; ideas for how to pay for upgrades to downtown streets, sidewalks and waterlines; and the development potential of publicly owned land."
FULL STORY: Austin resolves to develop plan for downtown

San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.

Has President Trump Met His Match?
Doug Ford, the no-nonsense premier of Canada's most populous province, Ontario, is taking on Trump where it hurts — making American energy more expensive.

Study: London ULEZ Rapidly Cleaning up Air Pollution
Expanding the city’s ultra low-emission zone has resulted in dramatic drops in particle emissions in inner and outer London.

What the Proposed Federal Budget Means for Transit, Rail
The proposed FY 2025 budget keeps spending for public transit and passenger rail essentially the same as in 2024.

Disconnecting Communities: Measuring the Social Impacts of Freeways
Research from 50 major U.S. cities shows social connections are weakest in neighborhoods where highways are present.

San Jose Mayor Takes Dual Approach to Unsheltered Homeless Population
In a commentary published in The Mercury News, Mayor Matt Mahan describes a shelter and law enforcement approach to ending targeted homeless encampments within Northern California's largest city.
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.
Resource Assistance for Rural Environments
City of Edmonds
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research