Creating the Missing Hub: How Today’s Suburbs Build Town Centers
A growing number of suburban cities and towns are seeking to create a hub for their community. Journalist Philip Langdon takes a look at some of the challenges.
Suburbs
Many suburbs face challenging issues relating to housing, transportation, and changing demographics. There is also a huge diversity in suburbs within metropolitan areas across the country.
These articles and postings deal with some of the many varied planning issues suburbs are facing.
Making the Connection
The benefits of “street connectivity” have received growing attention from planners. Hannah Twaddell looks at what’s behind this interest in interconnected streets.
Back to School for Planners
Decisions about school construction and renovation have profound implications for towns, cities, and counties nationwide. A look at trends & opportunities, impacts schools have, and the positive role planners and planning commissioners can play.
Controlling Strip Development
One of the most common problems facing planners is how to deal with commercial strip development along major road corridors. Some approaches communities can consider to better deal with strip development.
Improving the Subdivision Review Process
Too often planning commission and neighborhood involvement comes only after costly subdivision drawings have already been prepared. Randall Arendt on three key steps in shifting to a more proactive review process.
How Dimensional Standards Shape Residential Streets
Dimensional standards, which regulate building setbacks and height, lot coverage, and similar matters, have a significant effect on shaping the “streetscape” — something that’s not always considered.
School Sprawl
One of the most important, but often overlooked, contributors to sprawl is the construction of large educational facilities in outlying, undeveloped areas. Edward McMahon takes a look at some of the causes of “school sprawl” — and at some efforts to combat it.
New Development, Traditional Patterns
A dramatic shift in the design and layout of new developments has begun to take hold in cities across North America. Called new urbanism, this movement draws on older patterns of development. Planning reporter Philip Langdon provides an introduction to new urbanism.
Making a “Visible” Difference
What does it take to transform a community from Anyplace, USA into someplace special? Ed McMahon looks at five ways of making a visible difference.
Growing Greener: Conservation Subdivision Design
Noted conservation planner Randall Arendt offers a framework for subdivision review that encourages the preservation of open space and natural areas, while enhancing the market value of development.
Coping With Superstores
How planning commissioners can come to grips with superstore development, and reach an outcome that the community wants. By Constance Beaumont, the author of Better Models for Superstores: Alternatives to Big-Box Sprawl.
