Orange County, Florida, uses the largest “sprol repair” code in the United States
Orange County, Florida, employs what could be the nation’s largest form-based code (FBC). The “Orange Code” was adopted simultaneously with the county’s Vision 2050 comprehensive plan, as it is called. “The code covers land with around 900,000 residents in the unintegrated area of Orange County, and is designed to accommodate and directly improve growth towards […]
The discussion of vacation rentals in Maui is ugly
The proposal to x Maui’s thousands of vacation rental units has encouraged intense debate in tourism-dependent cities. As Erin Nolan explains in Honolulu’s Civic Beat, “In other parts of the islands, in the mainland and other countries, the tug of war over short-term rentals reflects strong sentiment as civil servants struggle to provide more affordable […]
San Francisco pauses calm traffic amid record death
San Francisco is closing its residential congestion calm program citing cost concerns, reports Matthew Green of KQED. “Since the launch of the traffic congestion program in 2013, residents have been able to request new speed reduction devices in their neighborhoods, such as concrete islands, speed bumps (and bumps), road markings and rubber road cushions.” Currently, […]
California homeless arrest, ruling citations surge
A year after the Supreme Court’s decision that made cities easier to punish criminal penalties for homelessness, arrests and sleeping outside, it’s on the rise in many of California’s biggest cities. According to a report by Marisa Kendall’s Calmatters, the analysis found that arrests and citations for homelessness-related crimes rose by up to 500% (in […]
Albuquerque Route 66 Motel will become an affordable home
The Albuquerque developers are turning some of the city’s vacant motels and homes into affordable housing. As Jack Herrera explains in High Country News, the city needs up to 30,000 new units to meet demand. “Plywood, on the other hand, covers windows in unused buildings, many of which are single-storey fake adve pueblo revival structures. […]
DC Area County eliminates bus fares
Montgomery County, Maryland, reports Dana Munroe and Rachel Weiner of the Washington Post that they have just eliminated bus fares as part of an effort to increase transportation access for low-income residents. Nearly half of Montgomery County bus riders make less than $30,000 a year. “Montgomery’s new policy will officially begin on Sunday and will […]
In urban planning, AI prompts may be new design thinking
This is the second article in a new monthly column on AI and urban planning by AICP planner and AI specialist Tom Sanchez. Here, read his first column, “Four Reasons for Planners Can’t Ignore AI.” Urban planning is always a creative field. From Hausmann’s grand redesign in Paris in the 1860s to Jane Jacobs’ battle […]
Do you swim in your city? | Planetizen Features
This work was originally published in Mark Tillpac’s Subsack. Do your town or town swim? Many urban areas are located on the coast, lakes and rivers, and swimming in clean, safe open water can be (potentially) a fun and useful public practice. City swimming can provide shelter from the city heat. It can also promote […]
Elderly child ratios grew in all states
This story by Tim Henderson was originally published in Washington Standard. The ratio of people over 65 to children under 18 measured age changes compared to previous years, according to statorin analysis of estimates measured age changes in mid-2024. Other states already with older adults exceeding children in 2023: Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Maine, New Hampshire, […]
Mobility Productivity Paradox | Planetizen Blog
Most transportation policies, including urban highway spending, off-road parking obligations, and lower fuel taxes, are based on the assumption that faster, cheaper, and more vehicle travel will increase economic productivity and community prosperity. It’s time to critically examine that assumption. My latest research, explained in the Mobility Productivity Paradox, shows that on the contrary, there […]