Alabama

Affordable Housing Built From Trash

Dan Phillips' company Phoenix Commotion builds homes from discarded materials for low-income individuals in Huntsville, Alabama.

September 5, 2009 - The New York Times

Expensive Sewer Drives County to Bankruptcy

In 1993, Jefferson County, Alabama issued $3 billion in bonds to pay for a sewer system that would serve 150,000 people. Today, their financial situation is so bad they've stopped paying creditors and are close to declaring bankruptcy.

August 13, 2009 - Governing Magazine

Big Box Retail to Destroy Ancient Indian Mound

Officials in the city of Oxford, Alabama have approved the construction of a Sam's Club retail store that will use the dirt of a 1,500 year old Native American ceremonial mound as fill, arguing against reports of its historical significance.

August 5, 2009 - Grist

Three Year Deadline to Find New Water for Georgia

The drama over water between Florida, Alabama and Georgia is heating up, as a U.S. District Court ruled recently that Georgia's withdrawals from Lake Lanier are illegal. It's going to have to find a new source of water -- and inter-state cooperation.

July 24, 2009 - Associated Press

Rusting Robot Sleeps in Alabama

A public art piece at the University of Alabama represents the end of the iron industry in the surrounding region, portrayed a as a sleeping, rusted robot.

June 24, 2009 - University of Alabama

Community Design With A Side of Pie

At PieLab in Greensboro, Alabama, locals mingle with designers attempting to do use design to do good, with a slice of pie on the side.

June 20, 2009 - Fast Company

New Urbanism Needs To Age To Become True Urbanism

In this episode of the KunstlerCast, James Howard Kunstler looks at New Urbanism, compares it to regular urbanism, and argues that criticized New Urbanist developments will get better with age.

February 13, 2009 - KunstlerCast

First 'Biofuels Corridor' in the U.S.

If you want to drive your biofuel car between Gary, Indiana to Mobile, Alabama, now you can. A collaboration of states with the Dept. of Energy has created a 886-mile corridor of biofueling stations stretching from Lake Michigan to the Mobile Bay.

January 10, 2009 - Clean Cities Now

Another Mayor Arrested; City Faces Bankruptcy

The mayor of Birmingham, Alabama, faces a slew of federal charges related to bribery and abuses of power.

December 3, 2008 - Birmingham News

FEMA Redraws Flood Maps

FEMA has redone official maps of flood-prone areas across the country, designating some as flood zones for the first time.

November 13, 2008 - USA Today

Feds Step in as Southern States Fail to Meet Water Agreement

The long-running tri-state battle over water rights between Florida, Alabama and Georgia have yet to be resolved, so the federal government has announced its intentions to impose its own solution.

March 4, 2008 - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Dry Southeast States Nearer To Water Deal

The governors of Florida, Alabama and Georgia have come to a tentative agreement on how to divvy up the water supplied by shared rivers, giving hope that the 17-year water rights battle between the states may soon come to an end.

December 18, 2007 - The St. Petersburg Times

Florida Ditches Three-State Water Deal

The state of Florida has backed out of a water agreement with Georgia and Alabama that would have cut the state's water supply in an effort to aid drought-stricken Georgia.

November 12, 2007 - The Ledger

Corps Plan Will Reduce Water Flow Out Of Georgia

The states of Georgia, Alabama, and Florida have come to an agreement that will reduce the flow of river water out of Georgia as droughts have turned the three states against each other in a battle over limited water resources.

November 4, 2007 - Reuters via Environmental News Network

Neighbor Of Thirsty Georgia Faces No Water Restrictions

Droughts are causing many Georgia municipalities to tightly restrict water use, but just across the border in Alabama is a city that has plenty of water to spare.

November 1, 2007 - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Tax Breaks Fueling Luxury Condo Development In Gulf

Investors are taking advantage of tax breaks offered for developing and buying property in hurricane-affected areas of the Gulf region, such as the hot condo market that has sprung up next to a college football stadium in Alabama.

August 15, 2007 - Associated Press via The St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Surviving A Military Base Closure

One Alabama city's efforts at redevelopment serves as an example for communities struggling with the economic impact of a base closure.

June 16, 2007 - The Wall Street Journal

Anti-Sprawl Development Guidelines Approved In Alabama

Sweeping guidelines have been approved in Shelby County, Alabama, that will strictly govern the development of housing subdivisions. The new regulations require a mixture of uses and an increase in walkability and green space.

February 15, 2007 - The Birmingham News

Alabama Planners Say The Sidewalk Leads To Suburban Livability

A number of suburban developments in Alabama are taking cues from regional planners and making efforts to improve their livability by building sidewalks.

December 24, 2006 - The Birmingham News via Columbus (AL) Ledger-Enquirer

Voters Won't Create Appointed Zoning Board

Alabama residents voted down a proposition to create a zoning and planning district in the community of Fowl River over fears that the appointed 7-member board would have too much power to shape the town.

September 14, 2006 - Mobile Press-Register

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.