Howard County, Maryland's Agricultural Land Preservation Program has taken advantage of the down market to purchase more than 1,000 acres of farmland.
The program is funded through real estate transfer taxes, and is intended for farm owners willing to "extinguish" the development rights on their land. Program administrator Joy Levy says in the Baltimore Sun that development pressure has been high in the area:
"After this latest round of easements, the county's agricultural land preservation program has prohibited development on 21,637 acres in rural western Howard, where the majority of the land does not have public water and sewer system, Levy said."
FULL STORY: Development prohibited on more than 1,000 acres of Howard farms
New Jersey Agrivoltaic Project Combines Solar Energy With Farming
A Rutgers University-New Brunswick demonstration farm will evaluate solar array designs to understand how they can best support grazing and agriculture on the same site.
Solar Production Threatens Fertile Farmlands
Solar installations are causing soil erosion and raising concerns among farmers in some of the nation’s most productive agricultural regions.
Maine Law Promotes Smart Growth
New state legislation encourages cities to plan around ‘smart growth’ principles to preserve farmland and open space, and use infill development to build more housing.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees
More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?
Indy Neighborhood Group Builds Temporary Multi-Use Path
Community members, aided in part by funding from the city, repurposed a vehicle lane to create a protected bike and pedestrian path for the summer season.
Congestion Pricing Drops Holland Tunnel Delays by 65 Percent
New York City’s contentious tolling program has yielded improved traffic and roughly $100 million in revenue for the MTA.
In Both Crashes and Crime, Public Transportation is Far Safer than Driving
Contrary to popular assumptions, public transportation has far lower crash and crime rates than automobile travel. For safer communities, improve and encourage transit travel.
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.
Clanton & Associates, Inc.
Jessamine County Fiscal Court
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