North Carolina
Brick By Brick: Protecting A Community’s Sustainable Future
Pineville, North Carolina was expanding rapidly and at risk of losing its identity. To preserve the town's character, planners put their faith in the common brick. City planning officials Kevin Icard and Travis Morgan bring us the story.
Friday Funny: Developers Bad at Naming Streets
Developers often see naming streets as their way of making a mark, naming streets after daughters, alma maters, or the family dog. But they often find themselves tangled up in regulations and the limits of their own creativity.
Appalachia Creates a 'Suitability Map' to Entice Responsible Development
A key idea of western North Carolina's Mountain Landscapes Initiative is to create a map of land already in conservation, layered with land that should be preserved, so that developers, builders, and residents together can plan responsibly.
Pawnshops 'Inundated', But Facing Hard Times
With gas and food prices climbing to unprecedented levels, many families are turning to pawnshops to cover their bills. Unfortunately, pickups are down and people aren't buying, putting smaller operations at risk of closure.
Parks Seen as Key to Downtown's Raleigh's Future
Planners and community leaders in Raleigh, North Carolina are looking to find ways to bring more residents to the city's struggling downtown. Many say building more parks and playgrounds will be crucial to attracting new residents.
Racers Battle Civil War Buffs in N.C.
Banker Dave Ridson wants to build a racetrack on a site preservationists say is an historic Civil War site. But where the battle actually fought is a matter of debate.
Light Rail a Boon for Charlotte and Beyond
Charlotte's light rail system has proven to be a major success in the city, spurring development and igniting the local economy. But as it expands, will the other communities it benefits join in the funding party?
Best Buy Refuses to Conform to Design Standards
Waynesville, North Carolina Mayor Gavin Brown is forced to give up on pedestrian-friendly design to save potential jobs from Best Buy.
'America's Most Endangered River'
American Rivers has named the Catawba River--which spans both Carolinas--as America's Most Endangered River for 2008, citing rapid development and outdated water supply management as factors in its ranking.
San Francisco Teaches Charleston About Preserving Lesser-Known Areas
Though more than a hundred years newer, the city of San Francisco has a lot to teach cities like Charleston about preserving their less-than-iconic historic areas.
Carolina's Triangle Region Pursues 2020 Transit Expansion
A regional rail and bus expansion is now being planned for several cities in North Carolina's Triangle Region. However, if the plan is to come to fruition, voters must agree to carrying half of the costs.
The New Suburban Ghetto
High foreclosure rates are turning Charlotte's new starter home suburbs into bastions of crime and decay.
Light Rail Debuts To Over-Capacity Crowd
Charlotte, North Carolina, overwhelmed by turnout for free rides on new light rail line, which exceeded capacity nearly three-fold. Officials now wonder if their ridership estimates have been placed too low.
Raleigh Weighs Proposal To Limit Home Size
With residents pushing for new rules to prevent tear-downs, a measure to temporarily restrict construction of new homes goes before the city council.
Private Well Drilled To Keep Grass Green
Facing water restrictions, a North Carolina homeowner has paid to have a water well drilled on his property so that he can water his lawn -- a trend that is increasing and posing a potential problem to the common supply from the area's water table.
Charlotte Residents Vote In Favor of Transit ... Again
The effort to repeal Mecklenburg County's half-cent transit tax was defeated by a wide margin at the polls on Tuesday.
Art Meets TOD
An art park is being planned as an anchor for future transit oriented development near one of Charlotte, North Carolina's new light rail stations.
Pay As You Drive (PAYD) System Test Gets Go Ahead
In six states, test runs will assess public attitudes and acceptance of road taxation systems that ditch gas taxes and charge drivers based on how many miles they drive.
Planned Car Elevator Preserves Historic Facade In Condo Conversion
A high-tech elevator for cars is being considered as a way to save space in a condo conversion planned in Charlotte, North Carolina. The elevator will also help preserve the historic building's facade.
Short-Changing America's Youth
Columnist William Blackburn laments school trailers and their effect on the psyche of America's youth.
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
