Zoning

Could Good Design Have Prevented the Housing Crisis?

Architect Jeanne Gang and scholar Greg Lindsay have penned an opinion piece in which they investigate the ways in which designers and planners can fix the housing crisis by responding to economic, demographic, and cultural changes.

February 12, 2012 - NY Times

Sidestepping Zoning to Build Green in NYC

Even in New York City, it's a pain to try to "green" a building with insulation, overhangs, and other methods that violate zoning. Katharine Jose reports on the Zone Green Text Amendment, which addresses such impediments, and the team behind it.

January 31, 2012 - Capital New York

An Ever Evolving Zoning Code

However one's feelings on zoning, New York City's Resolution has changed over the years to positively reinforce good social initiatives over the outright banishment of negative uses, Julie V. Iovine reports.

January 20, 2012 - The Wall Street Journal

Advice on Responding To Tea Party Members Critical of Smart Growth

The year 2011 may be remembered by some as the year planners began fielding objections about smart growth from Tea Party supporters. Nathan Norris offers his four-step process for responding.

January 9, 2012 - PlaceShakers

How NYC was Zoned...and Rezoned

Why rezone? John Farley summarizes the factors leading up to some of the city's biggest and more recent rezonings, as well as their impacts on on their surroundings.

January 5, 2012 - Thirteen.org

New Philadelphia Zoning Code Passes Unanimously

By a vote of 17-0, Philadelphia City Council passed into law the final report of the Zoning Code Commission Thursday morning during its final session of the year. The new code was four years in the making.

December 16, 2011 - PlanPhilly.com

Lawyers Call for Zoning Changes in NYC

The NYC Bar Association Committee advocates making amendments to the city's the current Zoning Resolution to make the city more sustainable.

December 16, 2011 - This Big City

NYC Gets to Work on "Green Zoning" Rules

New York has created new zoning rules, now officially under review for approval, that combat the current zoning's sometimes impeding effect on green building.

December 14, 2011 - Crain's New York Business

Do We Still Need Zoning?

Edward T. McMahon of ULI looks back at the 85 years since the Euclid vs. Ambler decision created zoning as we know it. Ed says zoning is still an essential tool.

November 28, 2011 - Urban Land

Planning's Limits and Strengths Identified at NYC Zoning Conference

Though held in recognition of zoning's 50th anniversary, the conference details future social, economic, and environmental challenges. Raymond Li reports on both the positive and negative points of discussion brought up on Tuesday.

November 17, 2011 - International Business Times

Adult Uses and Zoning: How Do You Define "Naked"?

A neighborhood association is protesting that Stadium Club, a "steak-and-strippers" place in Washington, DC, is an adult use and against local zoning ordinances. But the Board of Zoning Adjustment decided recently that it isn't "sexually-oriented."

November 10, 2011 - Washington Citypaper

How Would You Change the Zoning Code?

At last week's Municipal Art Society Summmit in New York City, one panel of experts attempted to answer just that. Neither overbearing zoning rules, contextual zoning, or the current environmental review process was left untouched.

October 19, 2011 - Streetsblog

A foray by HUD into telling small towns how best to use their land

In April 2009, HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan spoke to the ULI Spring Council Forum in Atlanta; he stated that his administration’s goal was “to put the UD back in HUD,” and explained that HUD’s over-reliance on housing solutions wasn’t helping cities address their complex revitalization needs. Just over two years later, this small new funding program caught my eye on a list of new HUD announcements: *** HUD HOPE VI – $0.5 million Application Due: August 22, 2011 Eligible Entities: Local governments

October 1, 2011 - Jess Zimbabwe

Playing the 'Hide the Cell Tower' Game

An 84 foot tall cell tower, disguised as a giant pine tree, sparks controversy in Bozeman, Montana.

September 4, 2011 - Bozeman Daily Chronicle

"Egregious Spot Zoning" May Get Veto

Anne Arundel County, Maryland is embroiled in a debate over controversial zoning changes to rural areas that Executive John R. Leopold is calling "egregious spot zoning".

August 15, 2011 - The Baltimore Sun

L.A.'s Planning Director Trying to Do More with Less

Despite a budget significantly smaller than his predecessors had, Los Angeles Planning Director Michael LoGrande is hoping to bring about major changes in the way the city gets things done.

July 13, 2011 - LA Downtown News

Easy Zoning and Emergent Urbanism

The emergent urbanism of informal settlements has posed problems to governments in the Third World, and some are looking to address equality issues by issuing land titles. But one approach skips the titles and focuses on simple zoning.

July 10, 2011 - Old Urbanist

Zoning Around Transit Stations in NYC Getting Downzoned, Study Shows

New York City's Dept. of City Planning says that it is committed to fostering transit-oriented development. But in neighborhood after neighborhood, the city is downzoning around the corner from the subway, argues Noah Kazis.

July 6, 2011 - Streetsblog

Discrimination Dressed Up As Discriminating Taste

In this post from Reason, Tim Cavanaugh joins the debate over preservation holding back the city, and argues that land use regulations have a wholesale negative impact on the city.

June 20, 2011 - Reason

Form-Based Zoning "Fad"

The radio program Marketplace looks at the "fad" of form-based codes, and how this new tool encourages old-fashioned town building.

April 8, 2011 - Market Place (NPR)

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.