Minnesota
A Short-Term Approach to Climate Change Planning
The climate change discussion is usually defined by timelines that reach the end of the century, but some cities are preparing for the future of an altered climate by taking a short-term approach.
First Look: Zoning Changes Proposed to Implement Minneapolis' Landmark Comp Plan
A plan is only as good as its implementation, and so the Minneapolis 2040 Comprehensive Plan needs the right zoning code to achieve its lofty goals.
'20 Is Plenty' in the Twin Cities
The first 20 mile per hour speed limit signs have been installed this week in the Twin Cities.
3 Freeway Cap Projects Designed to Undo the Racism of the Past
A trio of freeway cap proposals around the country—in St. Paul, Atlanta, and Austin—embody the potential of infrastructure change to undo the mistakes of the past.
Twin Cities Climate Vulnerability: Extreme Heat
State climatologists are highly confident that heat waves are likely to trend upwards in future summers in Minnesota. To address extreme heat, researchers are identifying the factors that exacerbate extreme heat.
Missing Middle Density Will Take More Than Zoning Changes
Looking for change in the housing supply? "Don't stop at the zoning code and think you're done. There's so much work left to do."
Zoning Reforms Underwhelm in Minneapolis as Development Market Holds Course
As one of the first city's to comprehensively allow for residential density, Minneapolis was probably hoping for more than what it's achieved so far.
The Changing Geography of the Pandemic
During the pandemic's first phase in March and April, the Northeast was devastated by COVID-19. After Memorial Day, the surge was in the South and West. As cases decrease nationwide, they are now spiking in the Midwest, particularly North Dakota.
Developers Want to Skip Ground-Floor Retail Requirements
Minneapolis developers are agitating against the requirements of mixed-use zoning, saying that it's impossible to find a good tenant for ground floor retail these days.
Structural Racism in the Zoning Code
A pair of articles from the Twin Cities, revealing the racist motivations of exclusionary zoning.
Minnesota Slowly Turns Away from Coal-Fired Energy
Minnesota utility company Xcel Energy plans to close four coal plants by 2030 and fully switch to renewable energy sources by 2050.
COVID-19: What About Those Protests?
While not conclusive, evidence suggests that relatively few transmissions of the coronavirus occurred during the widespread protests that followed the death of George Floyd due to the outdoor settings, being in motion and wearing of masks.
Interstate 94's Legacy of Racial Injustice in the Twin Cities
The symbolism behind highway protests brings demonstrators to occupy Interstate 94 between St. Paul and Minneapolis.
Advocates Push for Policy Reform to Overcome History of Discriminatory Deed Covenants
The debate about police reform in Minneapolis is only one arena for the city's reckoning with systemic racism.
Commandeered Buses, System Shutdowns—Transit on the Frontlines of Protests
The optics of public transit suffered over the weekend, as a few transit agencies have been commandeered by police and even shut down entirely with little or no notice, stranding protesters and essential workers alike.
Renter Coalition Takes Ownership From Landlord, With City Help
A few months ago, it seemed that a large group of renters in Minneapolis would be forced from their homes as the economic effects of the pandemic hit. Now these residents will own their forms in a city-supported cooperative.
2020 ParkScore Ranks Minneapolis at the Top
The need for access to parks and open space has never been as obvious, or as pressing.
How Artists Helped a Housing Organization Adapt to Demographic Change
An in-depth look at the lessons one housing organization learned after receiving a multimillion grant to integrate arts and culture strategies in its work. Has the organization changed the way it operates?
Urbanism Pays the Price for High COVID Death Toll in New York and New Jersey
Opponents of dense housing and public transit have seized on the disproportionate death toll originating from the epicenter of the nation's coronavirus outbreak. Is it time for the leaders of New York and New Jersey to admit they acted late?
Report Faults the EPA for Lack of Environmental Enforcement in Great Lakes States
A report by the Environmental Law and Policy Center (ELPC) shows a decrease in environmental enforcement in six Midwest states. The ELPC calls for increased funding. The EPA states the claims errors in data reporting are responsible for the drop.
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
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.
