North Carolina
A Voluntary Property Tax?
More cities are exploring the use of PILOT programs (Payments In Lieu Of Taxes) as a way to supplement ailing city coffers. The gist is that large non-profits, which are used to paying no property taxes, are being asked to chip in for city services.
Transit Plans in Charlotte Face Budget Troubles
Expansion of transit has helped fuel a boost in ridership over the last decade in Charlotte. But with falling tax revenues, the city looks unlikely to be able to continue its planned transit growth.
After Urban Renewal, Learning From New York City
Mary Newsom reviews a new book on New York City by Roberta Brandez Gratz, and finds lessons that cross borders even into her very different city of Charlotte.
The Light Rail Diet
A new study from The Journal of Preventative Medicine says that drivers in Charlotte, North Carolina who switched to riding the Lynx Light Rail lost an average of 6 1/2 pounds.
Growth in Footprint Far Exceeded Growth in People
A new study shows that while development in the North Carolina mountains increased 568 percent between 1976 and 2006, the population only increased 48 percent. What happened?
Anti-Bike Rage Boiling Over in Charlotte
After publishing two articles calling for Charlotte-area drivers to be more considerate of bicyclists, the comments on the online version were so numerous and hateful that the paper closed them down.
Why Streetcar Spending Is Good For Charlotte
Charlotte just won $25 million in grants from the federal government to combine with $12 million of local funds to build a streetcar system. Some say it's a waste of money. This editorial from The Charlotte Observer argues its case.
Charlotte Bags Federal Streetcar Funds
Charlotte recently won a $25 million federal grant to begin construction on a streetcar system. The Charlotte Observer goes over some of the system's basics.
The Keys To Charlotte's Successful Light Rail
Many things came together for light rail to come to Charlotte, starting in 1996. Key was perseverance by a conservative mayor, a volunteer group that started a historic trolley, voters who supported a sales tax, and experienced transit professionals
Charlotte's Light Rail Extension Faces Decade of Delay
Plans to expand Charlotte's CATS light rail system to a nearby university could be delayed by a decade or more.
Raleigh Untangles Three Rail Lines
The City of Raleigh, NC is proposing to fix a messy knot of three rail lines with a new transit center that will connect the rail with local bus transit and other modes.
Making Planning More Accessible
Planners in Cary, North Carolina were tasked by the mayor to make their complex planning process more accessible.
The Challenges of Sustaining Smart Growth Over Time
In the late '90s a trio of North Carolina suburbs tried to ditch their suburban past with a new, much lauded Smart Growth planning effort that revised the way they used their land. The success of the celebrated developments didn't last long.
Charlotte's Development Animated
This paper animation clip by Rob Carter shows the urban growth and development of Charlotte, North Carolina over time.
The Holodeck is Real
Duke's Pratt School of Engineering has created a theater with projections on all four walls plus the ceiling and floor to create an immersive experience not unlike Star Trek's "holodeck" for architects to show clients their work before it is built.
County Land Management System Ditches Paper for Web
In one North Carolina county, the land development process -- from permitting to building plan submission to inspection -- is now organized under one electronic, online system.
North Carolina Requests $5 Billion for High Speed Rail
North Carolina is throwing its hat into the high-speed rail funding ring, requesting $5 billion of the $8 billion in stimulus funds the federal government has pledged to high-speed rail projects. Environmental reviews are almost complete.
Gated Communities Not Safer, Say Police
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg police chief stated in a public meeting that their evidence shows that the gated communities in the area are not statistically any freer of crime than non-gated ones.
Four-Month Sentence for Shooting Cyclist in Head
In an aggravated road rage incident that has been boiled down to simply being a "bad day", a North Carolina man has been sentenced to four months in jail for shooting a cyclist in the head.
Reinventing Raleigh
Raleigh planner Dan Douglas has some bold proposals for the city, including nine new public squares, green roofs, and a new Grand Central Station-style transit hub.
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
