Development Approvals

Los Angeles Grand Park

A New Player in Planning Los Angeles: Marqueece Harris-Dawson

The new chair of the Planning and Land Use Management committee of the Los Angeles City Council will influence how the city grapples with homelessness, an expanding rail system, and the 2028 Olympics.

February 27, 2019 - The Planning Report

Arlington County, Virginia

More Planning Staff Needed to Keep Up With the Amazon Boom in Northern Virginia

The arrival of Amazon's HQ2 facility in Northern Virginia is expected to multiply development investment in the area, requiring more planners to review project proposals.

February 26, 2019 - Washington Business Journal

San Francisco, California

By-Right Approval for Affordable Housing Projects Proposed in San Francisco

San Francisco Mayor London Breed is fighting hard to make it easier to develop affordable housing in the cost-impacted city. A fight will likely be required.

February 7, 2019 - The Bay City Beacon

10-Story Apartment Project Tests the Limits of Minneapolis' New Comprehensive Plan

A proposed development in Minneapolis would add affordable units in exchange for extra height. A neighborhood group worries about the precedent the project would set.

January 30, 2019 - Star Tribune

Wilshire Grand

Corruption Investigations Sullies L.A.'s Downtown Development Success Story

Bombshell revelations about an FBI investigation into corruption and conspiracy in Los Angeles City Hall made the news recently. At the center of the story is development financing from Chinese companies.

January 16, 2019 - Los Angeles Times

Bricks

Neighbors Demanded a Wall Around a Habitat for Humanity Development in Florida

Habitat for Humanity agreed to build a wall around 166 new affordable homes as a necessary compromise for approval.

November 7, 2018 - NBC 2

Union Square Tech Training Center

New York Approves a New 'Union Square Tech Training Center'

The Union Square Tech Training Center overcame concerns about overdevelopment in the neighborhood.

August 11, 2018 - AM New York

Google Headquarters Expansion Trips Near the Finish Line

Negotiations between the city of Mountain View and tech giant Google over the latter's plans to expand its headquarters recently took a strange turn.

October 4, 2017 - The Mercury News

Housing Construction

A Quick Look at State-By-State Building Permit Data

Building permit data provides a barometer of the development market, which is a reflection of development processes and planning regimes. The arc of the country's housing construction trends bends toward Texas.

June 7, 2017 - U.S. Census Bureau

Georgia City Decides One Approval is Enough for Some Variances

Grayson, Atlanta exemplifies the kind of administrative considerations that can make or break development approval processes.

February 24, 2017 - Atlanta Journal-Constitution

No Luxury Condos

San Francisco Rejects Environmental Review for Lack of Gentrification Analysis

In what could be a first, but potential not a last, the power of the California Environmental Quality Act was invoked in San Francisco with regard to concerns about gentrification.

December 7, 2016 - San Francisco Chronicle

facebook

Facebook Campus Expansion Moving Forward in Menlo Park

A proposal to expand Facebook's footprint in the city of Menlo park gained key approval from the city's planning commission recently. The full City Council still needs to approve the plan.

October 4, 2016 - San Jose Mercury News

Denver Union STation TOD

Denver Planning Department Hiring to Keep Up With Permit Backlog

As Denver's development industry achieves post-recession levels of activity, the city's Department of Community Planning and Development needs staff for pre-recession levels of capacity.

June 24, 2016 - The Denver Post

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.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

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.