Blogs

January 19, 2017

Michigan Joins Small Number of States With Self-Driving Car Laws

New state laws allowing for the testing of autonomous vehicles look ahead to the possibilities of the technology and the role of planning.

Congress Advances Key Water Infrastructure Legislation

The Senate has passed the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), which includes provisions to strengthen America's water infrastructure and resilience efforts. The House is now poised to debate its version of this bill.

How DO Planners Deal with Local Fracking?

A Summer 2016 JAPA article looks at how planners are dealing with the dangers and problems created by local fracking.

September 12, 2016

Smart City Challenge Winner Readies for Implementation

APA member Kathleen McMahon, AICP, goes behind the scenes with the City of Columbus, Ohio, to find out what's next for the Smart City Challenge winner.

Can You Sue the Government for Climate Change Impacts?

Well, a lot depends on circumstances, and environmental law is seldom a simple thing. But the answer, according to Jon Kusler, a veteran in this field, may increasingly be yes.

September 2, 2016

The Quaint Columbus Neighborhood That Is Ready to Get Smart

German Village may be known more for preservation than innovation, but Columbus’s Smart Cities grant has its leaders excited for the future.

The Environment Is Now Front and Center in Planning

The environment is now front and center in planning, writes Tom Daniels, author of "The Environmental Planning Handbook."

August 4, 2016

What’s the Future of Farmland for Food Production?

With our country's population and food insecurity on the rise, it's more important than ever before for planners to carefully consider the impact land use decisions could have on a community's ability to access healthy food.

July 26, 2016

Beacon Hill’s Enchanted Food Forest

Sandy Pernitz, the Seattle city staff person who works directly with the Beacon Food Forest, tells the tale of how the community rallied around an innovative project in food systems planning.

Using Green Coastal Infrastructure to Address Resilience

Nicole Faghin, LEED AP, a coastal management specialist at Washington Sea Grant, writes about the Green Shores for Homes project.

July 19, 2016

Announcing Planning Oregon, an Initiative for Statewide Future Planning

Faculty members at Portland State University explain Planning Oregon, an initiative to establish the school as a focal point of research and innovative practices for the statewide land-use planning program.

Chicago's Pullman Neighborhood Ventures into a Greener Industrial Age

Chicago's Pullman neighborhood is turning a new leaf with green rooftops from New York's Gotham Greens.

July 14, 2016

Play 'Solar Powering Sunnyside' to Sharpen Your Solar Skills

A new land-use planning exercise can help communities start a conversation about local solar energy use.

July 6, 2016

Partnering with Realtors for Smart Growth

The National Association of Realtors partners with community leaders and planners for Smart Growth.

June 28, 2016

Washington Planners Are Rising to Meet Global Challenges

Big Ideas for Washington’s Future has produced a website and a variety of models for practicing planners, education programs for the public and elected officials, and partnerships with other organizations covering diverse topics

June 15, 2016

Automated Vehicles and the Next Great Transformation of the Built Environment

Researchers at Florida State University and the Florida Department of Transportation document how automated vehicles may transform the built environment in coming decades.

Environmental Justice Through Planning

Many planners have heard of environmental justice, but there have been challenges implementing it during the planning process. For a variety of reasons, the barriers are coming down.

House and Senate Move Toward Conference on Energy, Debate LWCF

The House and Senate are moving closer to a conference on sweeping energy legislation, which includes a debate around the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF).