Land Use
![Zoning map of New Hampshire](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/Screen%20Shot%202023-07-17%20at%2010.00.53%20AM.png.webp?itok=WjpmFE1A)
National Zoning Atlas Makes Headway
The project aims to bring zoning data from around the country into one database, making it easier for planners and researchers to compare policies and their impacts.
![Blackfoot memorial statue in Glacier National Park of Native American sitting on horse](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/AdobeStock_293031221.jpeg.webp?itok=ShdrE5n_)
Public Lands in the United States, Part Two: The Conservation Turn and ‘America’s Best Idea’
As Western expansion reached its geographic terminus, the U.S. government began tightening rules around land use and designating protected areas such as national parks and wilderness areas, often displacing local Native Americans in favor of a Wester
![A pergola with a grill is located in a grassy park, across the street from single-family housing in a suburban style.](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/Reston-Virginia.jpeg.webp?itok=abmYwu4Q)
New Public Hearing Requirements Delay Completion of Reston’s New Comprehensive Plan
One of the country’s most prominent master-planned communities has spent several years working on an a comprehensive plan update. The plan will have to wait a little longer as the Fairfax County, Virginia community adjusts to new state laws.
![Small gray backyard cottage with glass door and bike sitting in front of it](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/AdobeStock_558273730.jpeg.webp?itok=Xdi_EHpR)
ADU Demand Grows Across the West Coast
In communities from California to Washington, permit applications for accessory dwelling units outpace the ability of permitting and construction to keep pace.
‘Divided by Design’ Underscores Inequities in Transportation Policy
The report calls for a wholesale overhaul of U.S. transportation policy to redress the damages caused by decades of auto-centric development.
![View of San Francisco skyline from Tunnel Tops park in the Presidio.](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/AdobeStock_583282671.jpeg.webp?itok=saIOgLCC)
San Francisco’s Tunnel Tops Gets Family-Oriented Expansion
Unlike its flashier, selfie-friendly neighbor, the new Outpost Meadow is designed to provide comfortable space for locals.
![Aerial view of midtown Missoula, Montana with mountains in background](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/Screenshot%202023-07-12%20at%2014-42-44%20Home%20Missoula%20Midtown%20Mas.png.webp?itok=3qgdLVrJ)
Midtown Master Plan Envisions More Walkable Missoula
The plan envisions safer, more walkable streets, more affordable housing, and improved opportunities for small businesses.
![Aerial view from behind Texas State Capitol dome in Austin, Texas](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/AdobeStock_186474352.jpeg.webp?itok=qWHCLL5U)
Zoning Reform Proposed in Austin
Proposed changes would create more room for mid-density housing and shift away from single-family homes on large lots.
![Pedestrians walk down car-free Mont-Royal Avenue next to green outdoor dining kiosks in Montreal, Canada](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/Screenshot%202023-07-12%20at%2011-40-25%20Avenue%20du%20Mont-Royal.png.webp?itok=X3IfV2jR)
Car-Free Montreal Street Hailed as Success
A summer pedestrianization project is widely popular with residents and local businesses.
![Aerial view of large houses in large yards surrounded by trees in Palo Alto, California](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/AdobeStock_268057102.jpeg.webp?itok=PCg9Yd89)
New Research Blames Affluent Suburbs for Housing Crisis
Small, often wealthy enclaves build far less multifamily housing than their larger counterparts, exacerbating the dearth of affordable housing near big cities and job centers.
![Abandoned, decaying building behind locked chain link fence in Atlanta, Georgia](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/AdobeStock_350207549.jpeg.webp?itok=Ly38fzUl)
Map Identifies DeKalb County Brownfield Sites
The GIS tool is designed to help developers find vacant and blighted lots that could be restored for new housing or other uses.
![Pedewstrianized street paved with red bricks flanked by historic four-story buildings in Dublin, Ireland](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/AdobeStock_27318936.jpeg.webp?itok=V8g92U4e)
How Walkable ‘Activity Centers’ Can Reduce Driving
Encouraging mixed-use neighborhoods that help reduce vehicle miles driven and put urban amenities within easy walking distance is possible with surprisingly modest policy tweaks.
![Corner Store](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/shutterstock_158990396.jpg.webp?itok=SR8GO_2q)
‘City of Yes’ Zoning Changes Take Shape in New York
The signature zoning and planning effort of the Adams administration took a step forward recently, with changes meant to clear red tape for businesses in New York City.
![St. Paul skyline as seen from across river](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/AdobeStock_458769190.jpeg.webp?itok=tnTBpY2y)
St. Paul Moves Toward Zoning Reform
The city is considering legalizing missing middle housing types and loosening other zoning regulations to encourage more housing production and density.
![Close-up of silos with Imperial Sugar logo in Sugar Land, Texas](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/AdobeStock_557601154_Editorial_Use_Only.jpeg.webp?itok=Lw9juCNd)
Sugar Land Mobility Master Plan Targets Microtransit, Connectivity
The southeast Texas city is responding to community demands for safer, more accessible, and more diverse transportation choices.
![University of Wisconsin Madison students walking down LIbrary Mall pedestrian area in Madison, WI](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/Library%20Mall%20Madison%20WI.jpg.webp?itok=hCmTpIai)
How Food Trucks Promote Walkable Cities
Food trucks, outdoor dining spaces, and parklets are moving the needle toward more people-friendly cities and less car-oriented streets.
![Google street view of vacant lot in Phoenix, Arizona with palm trees in foreground](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/Screenshot%202023-07-10%20at%2010-42-03%20Google%20Maps.png.webp?itok=PO0M2ptT)
Phoenix Moves to Build Affordable Housing on City-Owned Land
The city has so far issued two requests for proposals from developers to build mixed-income housing on city-owned lots.
![Aerial view of strip mall with diagonal parking spots in Coquille, Oregon](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/AdobeStock_365126337.jpeg.webp?itok=R3vOiQWC)
Oregon’s Under-the-Radar Parking Revolution
Thanks to parking reforms at the state level, Oregon cities are rapidly eliminating parking requirements, paving the way for more affordable housing construction and higher density.
![View of Westpark/Lower Uptown transit center in Houston with bus exiting three-story garage vuilding and purple sunset sky in background](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/Screen%20Shot%202023-07-06%20at%209.56.56%20AM.png.webp?itok=Xc1DsmjX)
Making Space for Buses
In Houston, transit officials are working to balance plans for a new bus rapid transit line with existing street trees and traffic lanes.
![Woven willow casket with white flowers on top sits on table with pleated tablecloth on green lawn](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/AdobeStock_268245099.jpeg.webp?itok=RWLf4MOM)
Minnesota Halt on Natural Burials Runs Afoul of Religious Freedom
The practice, which is gaining popularity as an environmentally friendly alternative to embalming and cremation, is in line with traditional Jewish and Muslim funeral practices.
Pagination
Placer County
City of Morganton
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Dongguan Binhaiwan Bay Area Management Committee
City of Waukesha, WI
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Indiana Borough
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