North Carolina
FEMA to States: Want Disaster Mitigation Funds? Then Plan for Climate Change
A policy adopted earlier this year and due to go into effect next March would require states to plan for climate change before they are eligible to receive grant funding to plan for disasters.
Charlotte Confronts Big Asphalt
For the Charlotte Observer, Ely Portillo reports on a forum calling for urbanist reforms and doubts whether auto-loving residents will be receptive.
Income Tax Cut Fuels South Carolina Gas Tax Debate
The nation's third lowest gas tax will likely see a 10-cent gas tax hike—with or without Gov. Nikki Haley's signature, who insists on a larger income tax reduction than in the bill that overwhelmingly passed the House and is now in the Senate.
North Carolina Struggles to Prevent Deep Gas Tax Cut
The News & Observer's "road worrier" (not a typo!), Bruce Siceloff, provides ongoing coverage of the sad saga of North Carolina's gas tax, set to be adjusted downwards by statute.
Residents Dig Into North Carolina Triangle Light Rail Planning
Ahead of a February 2016 deadline for an environmental impact statement, residents are making their opinions known about the potential routes for a proposed light rail line connecting Durham and Chapel Hill.
If Rail Crossings Can't Be Grade Separated, Can They At Least Be Safer?
That's the question asked by legislation introduced after a Metro-North commuter train slammed into an SUV at a crossing in Valhalla, N.Y., killing six people. More than 200 people die annually in over 2,000 grade crossing crashes.
Durham, NC Moving ahead with High-Profile Projects
Durham City Council members may be ready to take on new debt to fund a list of big-ticket parks and transportation projects which would help keep pace with growth and enhance the community.
North Carolina Considering a Ban on Design Standards
A bill filed in early February would prohibit local governments in North Carolina from regulating the appearance of single family homes and duplexes.
Obama to Open Controversial Atlantic Region to Offshore Drilling
A mere day after the Interior Department announced it would permanently block drilling in much of the Arctic Refuge by designating it as wilderness, it proposed allowing drilling in the Gulf, along Atlantic coast, and surprisingly, offshore Alaska.
Plunging Fuel Prices Could Bring Plunging Fuel Taxes
It was considered a given by many analysts that global oil prices would only increase as world oil demand outstripped supply, so switching to percentage-based fuel taxes from per-gallon taxes made sense, until OPEC chose not to restrict their output.
Coal Ash Finally Regulated—But Not as Hazardous Waste
Six years after one of the worst environmental disasters in U.S. history, the EPA adopted a rule to regulate a byproduct of coal power plants. The new regulation puts coal ash in the same category as household garbage, disappointing many activists.
North Carolina Planners: Where to Build Light Rail (and Should it Be Built)?
This week residents in the North Carolina Triangle (Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill) will provide input on key segments of a future regional light rail system. The project has been analyzed for 15 years, yet the question of whether to build it remains.
North Carolina DOT to Consider Fees for Developers, Billboard Companies
One of the arguments against sprawl and its variety of manifestations is the large amount of public subsidies, for private benefit, required to make it work. North Carolina will consider a small step in ending the free ride.
Charlotte Suburbs Plan for Balanced Growth
Although growth in Union County outside of Charlotte has subsided, county officials aim to balance a legacy of unplanned growth with new opportunities for commercial development and countywide transportation.
6 Tips for Good Design in Your Town
Good design impacts tourism, jobs, property values and quality of life. What can we do to bring good design to small towns and rural communities? Here are a few good tips and inspiring examples.
Plans for a 550-Mile 'Atlantic Coast Pipeline' Announced
A trio of natural gas providers is planning to build a 550-mile pipeline from West Virginia to North Carolina. The companies are hoping to secure approval for the project from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission by 2016.
Sprawl and the 'Death of the American South'
A post by Sustainatlanta reacts to the recent study that predicted massive, sprawling growth in the South in the next 50 years. The post's concern is that sprawl will "eviscerate' the Southern lifestyle.
Good Design Sparks Rural Community Development
Now more than ever, creative professionals are turning their attention to community development. While this trend toward good design is exciting, it’s harder to find in rural areas. Here are a few ideas from the forefront of rural design.
Modeling the Explosive Growth of the Southern Megalopolis
A new study, "The Southern Megalopolis: Using the Past to Predict the Future of Urban Sprawl in the Southeast U.S." predicts urban sprawl and warns of its possible consequences over the next 50 years.
Modernism-Hating Neighbor Sues to Halt Home Construction
Allison Arieff tells the sordid tale of a "modestly modernist" house in Oakwood, a historic district in Raleigh, North Carolina. Despite the fully permitted house being 85 percent complete, a lawsuit by a neighbor could force its demolition.
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
