Urban Development

Map Identifies DeKalb County Brownfield Sites
The GIS tool is designed to help developers find vacant and blighted lots that could be restored for new housing or other uses.

How Walkable ‘Activity Centers’ Can Reduce Driving
Encouraging mixed-use neighborhoods that help reduce vehicle miles driven and put urban amenities within easy walking distance is possible with surprisingly modest policy tweaks.

‘City of Yes’ Zoning Changes Take Shape in New York
The signature zoning and planning effort of the Adams administration took a step forward recently, with changes meant to clear red tape for businesses in New York City.

The 100 Most Influential Urbanists, Past and Present
Planetizen readers have decided the who's who of urbanism (and its discontents) in 2023.

St. Paul Moves Toward Zoning Reform
The city is considering legalizing missing middle housing types and loosening other zoning regulations to encourage more housing production and density.

Sugar Land Mobility Master Plan Targets Microtransit, Connectivity
The southeast Texas city is responding to community demands for safer, more accessible, and more diverse transportation choices.

An Urban Planner Dedicated to Winning the Funding Necessary to Do the Work
An interview with Katy Shackelford, AICP, PTP, an urban planner and a funding specialist, to discuss the unique paths a planning career can take, and how unexpected career choices can deliver big benefits.

Oregon’s Under-the-Radar Parking Revolution
Thanks to parking reforms at the state level, Oregon cities are rapidly eliminating parking requirements, paving the way for more affordable housing construction and higher density.

Friday Eye Candy: AI Envisions Solutions to the Challenges Facing Cities
Phoenix reimagined for shade. Los Angeles as a place where everybody walks. San Francisco with affordable housing. AI makes a vision of the future possible.

How Does an Economic Downturn Impact City Infrastructure?
From budget cuts to delayed maintenance projects, cities adapt, prioritize, and innovate amidst financial challenges to ensure sustainable and resilient urban environments.

A Primer on Suburban Urbanism
How one master-planned development used lower-density urbanism principles to build a community focused on affordability, sustainability, and conservation.

A Small Town Makes its First Zoning Update Since 1997
Mixed-use development and a floodplain overlay are the big-ticket items when the small community of Akron Borough in Pennsylvania recently updated its zoning code.

A New Tallest Skyscraper for Japan
The Toranomon-Azabudai reaches 330 meters into the sky, far lower than international standards but taller by 30 meters than the previous tallest building in Japan.

Residential Zoning Changes Make Room for Chickens
Yes in my backyard—for chickens.

An Interview with the APA President: Angela D. Brooks, FAICP
APA President Angela D. Brooks discusses a career focused on affordable housing, supportive housing, and joint-use facilities. The interview suggest ways for planners to help solve some of the biggest challenges facing the country today.

Retrofitting D.C.’s Suburbs for a New Era
How to equip suburban sprawl for a different future.

Vote for the Most Influential Urbanists, Past and Present
Readers sent hundreds of nominees for an updated version of Planetizen's Most Influential Urbanists list. Now's your chance to vote among 200 nominees.

Planning Through the Eyes of a Big City Mayor
Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall joins the Planning Commission Podcast to talk about housing, street reconfiguration, and saving the largest saltwater lake in the Western Hemisphere.

Edmonton to Revise Zoning Code
Proposed changes could help spur more housing development in the Canadian city and encourage density increases in residential neighborhoods.

Cincinnati First City in Ohio to Legalize Accessory Dwelling Units
The Queen City achieved an historic day for planning in the state of Ohio.
Pagination
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