Planning
San Diego Folds Planning Department into Development Department
To save $1 million a year, the mayor is folding the Planning Department into the department in charge of processing building permits.
Jane Jacobs and the Downfall of Planning
Is urban planning losing its relevance as a profession? Some say yes. In this essay from Places, Thomas Campanella suggests that the roots of this fall from grace lie in the era of Jane Jacobs.
Promised Reform of L.A.'s Project Approval Process Taking Shape
The name has changed, butt he reform game stays the same. Chief Deputy Mayor Austin Beutner has promised a more transparent project approval process. A team of consultants is just beginning to pitch their ideas.
The Future of Australian Cities
Anton Roux and John Stanley of ON LINE opinion outline the future for Australian cities.
Fractured Planning Tales
The fractured state of planning at various levels of government in the U.S. is limiting the potential of good ideas, according to this critique from Next American City.
Parks Better For Cities Than Stadiums, Arts Centers
Because of their broad appeal, diverse uses, and heavy programming, parks may do more for cities than the performing arts centers of the 1980s and the sports venues of the 1990s have accomplished, says JoAnn Greco.
Could Classic Hill Towns Be a Model for Town Planning?
In classic hill towns, people showed innovation and dynamic placemaking--lessons learned for urbanism in the new century, says Chuck Wolfe.
Note to New Orleans: Get Involved.
The proposed design for a New Orleans medical complex is being directed from state offices, and is out of place from local planning principles, according to findings.
Does Transportation Funding Violate the Civil Rights Act?
The Great City blog argues that Washington State's 18th Amendment "violates the United States Civil Rights Act of 1964, perpetuating discrimination in the state's transportation system."
Redefining a Planning Department
The L.A. Department of City Planning is experiencing radical changes in leadership, planning process, and organizational structure. The leaders--past, present, and, future--of planning in L.A. gathered in August to discuss a vision for the future.
Cairo's New Megacities
Overcrowding and pollution in Cairo have inspired planners to push out into the desert, raising two brand-new cities out of the sand.
The Top 20 Urban Planning Successes of All Time
An interesting post appeared on the Public Servant Blog a few days ago. The list includes Amsterdam, Eugene, Oregon; Ponce Center City, Puerto Rico; and the city of Philadelphia among others.
The Role of a Big City Planning Director: Visionary or Expeditor?
Michael LoGrande, recently approved as the next Planning Director for the city of L.A., is a city hall insider with a reputation as an expeditor. Former interim Planning Director Mark Winogrond questions the process by which LoGrande was selected.
Michael LoGrande Appointed As Los Angeles' New Planning Director
Chief Zoning Administrator Michael LoGrande has been promoted to director just a few short weeks after his predecessor, Gail Goldberg announced her resignation.
Whither City Planning In Los Angeles?
With the retirement of City Planning Director Gail Goldberg and ongoing budget problems gutting the department, a group of planners, developers, politicians, and advocates add their voices to the discussion on the future of planning in L.A.
'The Valley' Gets Place-Making Power
A new joint powers authority comprised of cities and county supervisorial districts will help planning efforts in the San Fernando Valley--a sub-region often lost in the shuffle of the sprawling Los Angeles metropolis.
Shanghai's Faux World Cities Fail to Catch On
A decade after its inception, Shanghai's One City, Nine Towns project, an ambitious attempt to manage the city's massive population growth via the creation of international-themed satellite communities, has failed to deliver hoped-for results.
Vision California Calls for Compact Development in Established Cities
Vision California, the state's first planning document in over thirty years, was released Wednesday and concludes that planners "should focus on creating compact development in already established cities," over continued suburban sprawl.
Will Social Media Revolutionize the Planning System?
Joe Peach understands "that online technologies and the city are becoming increasingly integrated," and argues that social media should have a democratizing effect on the planning process.
Ten Actions For Cities In Response To Gulf Spill
Grist's Jonathan Hiskes spoke with smart growth leaders to devise strategies that municipalities, as opposed to U.S. government, can take to lessen oil dependency - that are financially sustainable, not overly dependent on technology, and ready to go
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
City of Moreno Valley
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland
