Without designated industrial zones, New York manufacturing companies risk losing their facilities to the residential development market. The de Blasio administration has promised some zoning protections for industrial enclaves.

After a 22-month wait, New York City manufacturing companies have the mayor's assurances that the zoning code will protect them. This editorial argues that manufacturing jobs can offer high compensation to workers. "But one thing they do need help with is space. These businesses are perfectly happy to compete with each other, but in a fight for real estate with apartment and hotel developers, they are toast."
The proposed rules severely limit or restrict residential and hospitality uses in designated areas. From the editorial: "That it came a year and a half after the mayor's housing plan says a lot about his priorities, but the policymaking, while tedious, was solid." See here for more on New York's ongoing debate over where to zone for much-needed housing.
Emphasis will be placed on retaining high-tech, high-skill manufacturers. "The city will develop zoning to accommodate the so-called innovation economy—smaller, modern, tech-oriented businesses with different needs from the heavy industry of yesteryear."
FULL STORY: Industrial businesses should find city's zoning plan worth the wait

What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.

‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.

The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.

Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.

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.

Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
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 Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research