Blog
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March 3, 2025
Wait, Who Approves Large-Scale Solar Siting?
Determining which agency ultimately has the authority to approve the siting of a new large-scale solar facility can be complicated. About half of all states have have established explicit limits on local siting authority, offer certain developers a way to bypass that authority, or maintain a parallel siting process. -
December 19, 2024
Choosing the Road Less Valued
Uncovering JAPA: Discover how reducing urban roadways by 10 percent, which currently occupy 20-25 percent of urban land, could generate $27.8 billion in annual net benefits and unlock land for alternative uses. -
November 14, 2024
Informal Transportation Testing
Uncovering JAPA: A pilot project in Kampala, Uganda, reveals how targeted subsidies can create profitable and equitable informal transport routes, enhancing mobility for underserved communities. -
May 2, 2024
Will We Zone For Transit?
Uncovering JAPA: Explore how transit-oriented development (TOD) emerged as a crucial strategy in curbing urban sprawl with the 2023 Montreal light rail project. -
April 23, 2024
Hardening the American Landscape
Uncovering JAPA: Explore the diverse policy options for local leaders to curb hardscape expansion during rapid infill, emphasizing the importance of modeling local factors and utilizing machine learning techniques to mitigate environmental risks. -
March 13, 2024
Big Batteries Are Changing the Energy Landscape
Spotlight on Zoning Practice: Is your community ready for battery energy storage systems to help store the sun? -
February 2, 2024
Now Is the Time to Plan for Our Solar-Powered Future
Solar energy is on its way to being the dominant source of power, but a smooth transition isn't guaranteed. Check out the new third edition of the Solar@Scale guidebook for fresh guidance on planning for utility- and community-scale solar development. -
January 25, 2024
Refocus Heat Action Plans To Mitigate Indoor Heat Risks
Uncovering JAPA: Study finds the importance of prioritizing building improvements over tree planting strategies for mitigating the risk of indoor extreme heat. -
August 10, 2023
Using Reparative Planning to Address Infrastructural Systems
Uncovering JAPA: ACT-LA aims to apply a divest-invest approach to stopping systems and practices that have caused harm. -
April 25, 2023
When It Comes to Large-Scale Solar, Show, Don't (Just) Tell
There's no substitute for a good visualization when it comes to demystifying large-scale solar development. -
April 12, 2023
Can You Zone Drone Use?
Spotlight on Zoning Practice: How might communities apply zoning concepts to regulations for drone operations? -
January 24, 2023
Updated Large-Scale Solar Guidance from Solar@Scale
Is your community ready to have a conversation about large-scale solar development? Check out the new second edition of the Solar@Scale guidebook for a comprehensive discussion of local policies and actions that can affect the siting and design of community- and utility-scale solar facilities. -
December 22, 2022
Removing Freeways and Healing Communities
Equity in Practice: The economic and community outcomes of removing Milwaukee's Park East Freeway. -
October 20, 2022
The Transgressive Urban Forest
Uncovering JAPA: Exploring a more radical conception of urban forestry. -
October 13, 2022
Is Your Zoning Ready for the EV Surge?
Spotlight on Zoning Practice: Your zoning code could probably be doing more to facilitate the transition to electric vehicles. -
August 1, 2022
Assessing Wisconsin's Digital Divide With GIS
Wisconsin uses GIS to survey residents on internet access and affordability to better direct needed resources to help eliminate the digital divide. -
July 7, 2022
Using Forecasting Models to Predict Foot Traffic
Uncovering JAPA: A new forecast model and methodology help planners to estimate foot traffic along streets. -
June 9, 2022
Pros and Cons of Rightsizing Flint's Water Infrastructure
Uncovering JAPA: Should Flint, Michigan, replace its water infrastructure one-to-one, or resize the system? Read the commentaries on the pros and cons of each approach. -
April 28, 2022
The Built Environment, Bicycling, and Mental Wellbeing
Uncovering JAPA: Exploring the impact of the built environment and mental wellbeing of bicycling as a form of transportation. -
March 15, 2022
From Mobility Hubs to Mobility-Oriented Development
Spotlight on Zoning Practice: What are mobility hubs? And how can planners use zoning and other land-use and development regulations to support mobility-oriented development? -
March 14, 2022
Planners’ Input on Broadband Sought by Biden Administration
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is preparing rules for implementing new federal broadband programs authorized and funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). Planners are actively working with administration officials to ensure that any new regulations proposed to support implementation position communities to better plan for broadband. -
March 10, 2022
Connecting Destinations through Pedestrian-Oriented Design
This blog post provides an overview of pedestrian-oriented design as a planning approach to increase physical activity in small and rural communities through everyday destinations. It is part of the Everyday Destinations series. -
November 18, 2021
Assessing Who, Where, and Why Individuals Walk
Uncovering JAPA: The 'Planners' Circles' or walksheds need to be customized to take into account trip purpose and who is walking. -
November 1, 2021
Solar@Scale: Opportunities for Planners to Act
A new guidebook from APA and ICMA highlights key opportunities for planners to help speed the decarbonization of the U.S. electricity grid by promoting context-sensitive large-scale solar development in the communities they serve. -
May 13, 2021
Prioritizing the Public in Public Utilities
Uncovering JAPA: Performance benchmarking in public water and sanitation services may only feign efficiency and efficacy in many low- and middle-income countries. -
April 28, 2021
Transforming Boston's Moakley Park to Equitably Address Climate Change
Moakley Park Resiliency Plan creates a modern 21st century community park to address climate change needs and prioritizes social, cultural, economic, and environmental equity. -
April 2, 2021
Administration’s Bold Infrastructure Plan Holds Promise For Planners, But Questions Remain
Planners and communities are eager to see transformational infrastructure policy move forward in Washington. While President Biden's infrastructure plan offers much promise, there are also important questions that remain unanswered about support for planning-led solutions in any infrastructure package. -
January 14, 2021
Greenspace Resilience in the Wake of Disasters
Uncovering JAPA: Get recommendations for integrating proactive and resilient greenspace improvements into disaster recovery planning. -
December 21, 2020
Exploring Gaps in Guidance for Large-Scale Solar Development
The Solar@Scale team recently analyzed the existing literature on planning and zoning for large-scale solar development and identified some significant gaps. -
November 16, 2020
Incorporating Drones Into Planning Practice
City and regional planners are uniquely trained to consider the broader impacts to society of uncrewed aircraft systems like drones. -
October 15, 2020
Changing Spaces Won’t Change Your Weight
Uncovering JAPA: Can making spaces more compact reduce obesity among young adults? It's not that simple. -
October 14, 2020
Solar@Scale: Improving the Local Rules for Large-Scale Solar
APA has partnered with the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) on Solar@Scale, a new U.S. Department of Energy-funded project to help realize the potential benefits of large-scale solar development for cities, counties, and special districts. -
October 8, 2020
When It’s Right to Rightsize
Uncovering JAPA: The Flint water crisis shows when it's right to rightsize. -
April 2, 2020
Changing Climate Calls for Changing the Built Environment
Uncovering JAPA: Building water-efficient cities might let us stick to the rivers and lakes that we’re used to. -
March 26, 2020
Painting a Richer Picture of Older Adults' Mobility Needs
Uncovering JAPA: Interviews, focus groups, and walking audits can be added to statistics to help create a full picture of the mobility needs of older adults. -
May 13, 2019
Washington Talks Infrastructure: Will This Time Be Different?
APA Policy Director Jason Jordan reviews the current state of legislative debates on infrastructure in Washington and explores the ways in which APA and its planning advocates are influencing policy ideas in the making. -
October 26, 2018
Planners at the Polls: Housing, Infrastructure on 2018 Ballots
State and local ballot measures are driving voters to the polls this fall. We are watching some key planning-related measures that could have an impact on your community. -
July 19, 2018
Planning Resilient Urban Forests with i-Tree Landscape
i-Tree Landscape is a free geographic tool that uses tree information to aid local and regional planning for more resilient communities. -
April 6, 2018
Green Schoolyards for Healthy Communities
What if every schoolyard was a green schoolyard? Multifunctional schoolyards can ensure kids' healthy mental, physical, cognitive, and social development. -
April 4, 2018
Blue Bikes in the Big Easy
With 700 bicycles and 70 stations installed or coming soon, Blue Bikes service area includes all of downtown and a broad swath of neighborhoods from the Lower Garden District to Bywater, from the Mississippi River to City Park. -
March 15, 2018
Infrastructure Remains a Priority, But Funding Still a Question Mark
APA's Policy Director Jason Jordan recaps the latest congressional overtures on an infrastructure package. -
February 14, 2018
Infrastructure Plan Moves Debate Ahead, Fails to Address Funding
President Trump released his long-awaited infrastructure plan in conjunction with his FY 2019 budget proposal. While the plan pushes debate on infrastructure legislation forward, it fails to address serious funding concerns held by APA and others. -
February 13, 2018
Trump Administration's 2019 Budget Would Devastate Core Planning Programs
Once again, the Trump administration has proposed eliminating federal funding for programs central to good planning. APA believes such attempts only hurt communities, and urges planning advocates to voice their support for these vital programs. -
January 31, 2018
Trump's State of the Union's Infrastructure Aspirations Lofty but Details Scant
APA's Director of Policy Jason Jordan recaps President Trump's first State of the Union Address, the planning issues discussed, and policy issues Congress must address in the days ahead. -
September 14, 2017
Touting TIGER's Benefits
APA reached out to TIGER awardees who were granted funding and asked them to share the importance of TIGER to their communities. -
August 29, 2017
Tackle the Data Tsunami with APA Water Planning Network Tools
American Planning Association's Interest Group — the Water and Planning Network — provides periodic updates on current research, leading practices, and tools related to planning for water. -
March 22, 2017
Digital Coast Act: Protecting Our Coastal Communities
U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin makes the case for why planners must tell their representatives to support the Digital Coast Act. -
September 29, 2016
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. -
July 22, 2016
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 15, 2016
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.
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