Alabama
Affordable Housing Built From Trash
Dan Phillips' company Phoenix Commotion builds homes from discarded materials for low-income individuals in Huntsville, Alabama.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Another Mayor Arrested; City Faces Bankruptcy
The mayor of Birmingham, Alabama, faces a slew of federal charges related to bribery and abuses of power.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research