Density

Planning for Walkability? Concentrate on Commercial Density
Urban Kchoze presents a detailed, step-by-step analysis of the relationship between commercial density and residential density to find a better understanding of which matters more for promoting walkability.
Op-Ed Calls Density the 'Mortal Enemy of Trees'—Debate Ensues
A surprising argument from an article in Seattle publication Crosscut this week: density is the mortal enemy of trees.

The Death and Life of Evanston, Illinois
A comprehensive review of the inner-ring suburb of Evanston, Illinois, outside Chicago, and a transformation Jane Jacobs would surely love. The proof is in the pudding: Evanston car ownership are far below regional averages.

Pushing Back Against the Idea that Cities Can Become Full
The perception that a city has reached its maximum population and nobody else should be allowed in, or nothing should be allowed to change, is limiting the potential of our cities and increasing housing inequality.

New San Diego Regional Plan Focuses on Public Transit
The San Diego Association of Government on October 9 will consider a 35-year regional plan that prioritizes public transit in its management of an expected 1 million new residents.

Visualizing the Housing Stock of American Cities
A simple chart allows an easy comparison between the varieties of housing that comprise the housing stock of U.S. cities.
Poll: Utah Residents Strongly Support Mixed-Use, Transit, and Walkability
Density isn't always a dirty word, apparently—as residents of Utah have voiced their support of more urban typologies to support its expected population growth over the next several decades.

Land Sparing Protects Urban Ecosystems Better Than Land Sharing
A study of two cities at opposite ends of the urban spectrum demonstrate how density matters for a number of ecological services.
Tacoma Residents Reject Up-Zoning Proposals
A suite of zoning changes under consideration by the Tacoma Planning Commission provoked its "most well-attended" hearing in decades.
Density Bonuses Proposed in High-Demand San Francisco Neighborhoods
The San Francisco Planning Department is proposing new densities in certain neighborhoods in exchange for building new units for low- and middle-income residents.

Lesson from Seattle: Zoning Is a Political Debate, Not a Policy Debate
The swift rejection of a proposal to upzone residential neighborhoods in Seattle inspired The Urbanist to evaluate the lessons of the episode. One takeaway: don't demonize single-family homeowners.
Seattle's 'Oh So Human' Hesitations About Change
Seattle's recent Housing and Livability Agenda (HALA) recommendations have created a sensational dialogue about zoning, affordability and neighborhood change. Chuck Wolfe explains how this may create an unprecedented basis for consensus in the city.

Strategies for Maximizing Transit Ridership
Jarrett Walker outlines the conditions under which transit serves the greatest number of travelers. Maximizing ridership, he argues, requires thinking like a business and catering to demand.

NIMBY Obstruction and the Density Paradox
An op-ed describes a paradox produced by the ongoing debates over density while also presenting potential solutions for overcoming the resulting impasse.
Proposed Chicago TOD Ordinance: Increase Density, Eliminate Parking Requirements
Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced an update of the city's 2013 transit oriented development ordinance. The new version of the ordinance would have a sweeping effect on the land uses around transit stations in Chicago.

Op-Ed: Newer Model Density Falls Short of its Promise
The general principle is simple: more density equals lower prices and less environmental impact. But suburbia's imprint is deep, both on cities themselves and on how we expect to inhabit them.
Study: Columbus Neighborhoods Still Surprisingly Suburban
Columbus is surprisingly suburban, given that the city is the largest in population in the state of Ohio. Maybe that perception comes from the fact that it’s also the largest in size in the state?
Hot Buttons and Live Wires: Inside Raleigh's Zoning Code Debate
Public hearings are underway in Raleigh to discuss the zoning changes necessary to implement the city's Unified Development ordinance. Heated rhetoric was inevitable.
Op-Ed Critiques the Pro-Density Arguments of Denver Planners
A Denver Post op-ed critiques the arguments employed to make the case for density in Denver.
Can Seattle Solve the Affordable Housing Crisis With Zoning?
Seattle returns to zoning as a tool to promote the construction of affordable housing.
Pagination
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