Density

Single-Family Neighborhood

Seattle Planning Commission Calls for New Residential Density

A recently published white paper written by the Seattle Planning Commission calls on the city to follow in the footsteps of the city of Minneapolis and the state of Oregon.

January 22, 2020 - The Urbanist

Granny Flat

Thorough, Impactful ADU Reform Proposed in Washington State

A model of accessory dwelling unit reform will be under consideration this year in the Washington State Legislature.

January 16, 2020 - Sightline Institute

Nebraska City

'Missing Middle Housing Act' Would Allow More Housing Options in Nebraska Residential Areas

The ranks of states considering or taking steps to override local control to allow new density in the residential neighborhoods of cities has swelled once again, this time with a state senator in Nebraska pitching statewide legislation.

January 13, 2020 - 1011 Now

Eden Utah

'TED Meets Burning Man' at Summit Powder Mountain

Developers of a ski town in Utah are expanding the weekend tech conference into a village with permanent residents.

January 12, 2020 - The Architect's Newspaper

Maryland State Capital

Maryland Could Join the Statewide Density Club

The ambitious "Homes for All" plan would include upzoning as only one tool for addressing the acute housing affordability crisis in the state of Maryland.

January 8, 2020 - CityLab

California State Capital

Statewide Upzoning Bill Back on the Table in California

News broke yesterday that the dormant SB 50, a bill proposed last year by California State Senator Scott Weiner, has new life in the new year.

January 7, 2020 - CALmatters

Roanoke, Virginia

Statewide Density Increases Proposed in Virginia

The Commonwealth of Virginia will consider a bill that would legalize duplexes in single-family zones throughout the state.

December 23, 2019 - CityLab

Maryland Suburbs

Missing Middle Housing Studied in Suburban Virginia

Almost 90% of Arlington County land zones for residential use is reserved for single-family homes. Would adding missing middle housing in the form of duplexes and triplexes keep the price of housing in a more manageable range?

December 22, 2019 - WAMU

Los Angeles Architects

L.A. Architects Demonstrate Livable, Affordable, Scalable Density

Architects Angela Brooks and Lawrence Scarpa discuss their new exhibit and the challenges to planning and building affordable, livable density in Southern California today.

December 12, 2019 - The Planning Report

Highway 101 California

Planning for Infill Growth Doesn't Guarantee Development: a Case Study

The city of Santa Rosa has made a concerted effort to plan for new development, but projects have yet to materialize.

December 11, 2019 - San Francisco Chronicle

Washington D.C. Row Houses

'Gentle Density' to Save Neighborhoods

Cities looking to follow Minneapolis's lead in overturning the status quo of exclusionary zoning should consider "gentle density," according to this article.

December 8, 2019 - Brookings

Highway 65 Construction

Watch: The Effort to End Single-Family Zoning in Minneapolis, Explained

PBS NewsHour devoted a ten-minute news segment to the subject of the avant-garde of urban planning: the Minneapolis 2040 comprehensive plan.

December 2, 2019 - PBS NewsHour

Washington

Luxury Condos, Not Luxury Single-Family Homes, Take the Blame in the Affordability Debate

An article in The Urbanist suggests the ire over new developments is misplaced.

October 31, 2019 - The Urbanist

Zoning Map

Seattle Suburbs Prepare for Light Rail With Zoning for Transit-Oriented Development

Mountlake Terrace is the latest Seattle suburb to make substantial space for new development in anticipation of a forthcoming Link light rail line extending north of Seattle.

October 25, 2019 - The Urbanist

Indiana University Bloomington

Single-Family Zoning on the Cutting Block in Bloomington, Indiana

Move over Minneapolis. An Indiana college town joins the avant-garde of planning innovation by nearing the finish line with a new Unified Development Ordinance that would allow duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes in single-family neighborhoods.

October 25, 2019 - Hoosier Times

Boise, Idaho

Study: Sprawl Costs Local Governments More

Even when fewer people live in sprawling suburban communities than dense urban communities, one of these settlement types has the benefit of being much cheaper to serve.

October 23, 2019 - LSE US Centre

Condos Smart Growth

Smart Growth and Vehicle Travel Reductions

Many jurisdictions have vehicle travel reduction targets. Integrated Smart Growth policies can help achieve these and other planning goals.

October 8, 2019 - Todd Litman

aerial view of identical suburban homes

Opinion: The Old Visions of Suburbia Are an Anachronism

Low-density suburbs are on their way out, and the suburbs of the future will better address the present-day needs of the people living in them.

October 7, 2019 - Common Edge

New York City

Three Studies That Show Density Doesn't Determine Car Travel

Thirty years after a seminal study attempted to connect increased density with decreased automobile use, several new studies are raising doubts about that central assumption of contemporary planning.

September 30, 2019 - Fanis Grammenos

Vancouver Street Scene

Pedestrian Planning Changing the Public Realm in Vancouver

A renewed commitment to pedestrian friendly infrastructure is changing the face of Vancouver and making space for more density.

September 16, 2019 - The Globe and Mail

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.

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An annual review of books related to planning.

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The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.