Colorado

Denver's Form-Based Code Closer to Approval

Five years in the works, Denver's new zoning code has been introduced. The form-based code now faces a period of public input before its expected approval.

May 27, 2010 - The Denver Daily News

Denver Area Considers Sales Tax Boost for Light Rail

Denver's transit agency is considering a plan to ask voters to make a further increase to the county's sales tax in order to fund the region's FasTracks light rail system.

April 13, 2010 - The Denver Post

Urban Wind Power

A small manufacturer of wind turbines in Colorado Springs, Colorado is ramping up to become the city's first renewable-energy company, specializing in small wind systems for urban homes.

March 1, 2010 - The Gazette (Colorado Springs)

Green Dream Put to the Test

Boulder Colorado has tried peer pressure, free weatherization services, and intense publicity, but so far, voluntary efforts to increase energy efficiency have yielded mediocre results.

February 16, 2010 - Wall Street Journal

Drastic Service Cuts in Colorado Springs Redefines "Basic Services"

Voters in Colorado Springs, Colorado voted against an increase in property taxes in November. Now they're getting a lesson in what taxes pay for, as city services cut back on water, electricity and maintenance.

February 5, 2010 - Denver Post

FasTracks Funding Gap Grows to $2.5 Billion in Denver

The Denver Regional Transportation District is forecasting an increasing gap between what it will cost to complete the region's FasTracks light rail system and how much taxpayer money will be available to fund its construction.

January 8, 2010 - The Denver Post

Denver Nudging Locals Towards Electric Cars

This piece from Grist looks at electric-vehicle infrastructure in Denver, which may be a model for other cities looking to encourage the purchase and use of electric vehicles.

December 29, 2009 - Grist

Farms Growing in Colorado

Dipping into Colorado's census information reveals 7,000 new farms in the state, in addition to other surprising statistics.

December 23, 2009 - The Denver Post

Easements Gone Wrong

When a nonprofit conservancy dissolves, their land trusts go into limbo, calling the restrictions on development into question.

December 21, 2009 - High Country News

'Zero-Energy' Neighborhood Emerges in Boulder

Developers in Boulder are planning to unveil a 12-home subdivision that claims to be one of the nation's first "zero-energy" neighborhoods.

December 1, 2009 - Boulder Daily Camera

Friday Funny: Chicken Supports Chicken Ordinance

An unidentified person dressed in a chicken costume came out to a recent city council meeting in Durango, Colorado to support the city's recently-passed backyard hen ordinance.

November 20, 2009 - Durango Herald

FasTracks Hitting Fiscal Bumps in Denver

Denver's FasTracks light rail system was set to be the nation's most aggressively constructed transit system when it was approved in 2004. But five years into the 12 year plan, budget issues and delays are calling the system's future into question.

November 10, 2009 - The New York Times

German Solar Coming to Denver

SMA Solar Technology AG, the German company responsible for about 40 percent of the world's solar market will be opening a plant in Denver.

October 30, 2009 - The Denver Post

Suburbs Sprouting Corn and Lettuce

Platte River Village, now building in Denver, is a new concept in fusing agriculture and suburbia.

October 28, 2009 - Denver Post

To Save Water, Developers Ditch Lawns

Developers of Sterling Ranch, a proposed master-planned community in Colorado, want its future residents to curb their water use. One way they're ensuring this is by nixing traditional, lush lawns from their plans.

October 15, 2009 - The Wall Street Journal

Denver Ridership Doubles, Even Without New Rail

Since Denver Metro voters passed FasTracks in 2004, transit ridership has almost doubled. Warren Karlenzig looks at how they did it.

October 15, 2009 - Common Current

Intermountain West: Off the Map for HSR Plans

Planners from Phoenix, Denver, Salt Lake City, and Reno met this week to discuss plans for high-speed rail between their cities, since they've been left off the map of potential corridors to be funded by the stimulus package.

October 9, 2009 - The Arizona Republic

The World's 'First Smart Grid City'

Boulder, Colorado, has become the world's "first fully functioning smart grid enabled city".

September 14, 2009 - Earth and Industry

The Solar Co-op

In Brighton, Colorado, solar panels on one person's farm could be built by an investment from another local, creating the first solar co-operative in the U.S.

September 10, 2009 - The Wall St. Journal

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.