Blog
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May 19, 2025
When It Comes to Large-Scale Solar, One Size Does Not Fit All
When APA and ICMA launched Solar@Scale in late 2020, relatively few communities referenced large-scale solar energy systems in their zoning codes. Nearly five years later, zoning regulations for community- and utility-scale solar energy systems are much more common, we are seeing the emergence of more nuanced regulatory approaches. -
May 15, 2025
A Fresh Look at Incentive Zoning
Spotlight on Zoning Practice: It isn't 1959 anymore. What are the keys to an effective modern incentive zoning scheme? -
April 15, 2025
Have You Cracked the Code on Effective Zoning Engagement?
Spotlight on Zoning Practice: Why is public engagement around zoning changes so difficult, and what are the keys to effective engagement? -
March 12, 2025
Let’s Make This ‘Shouse’ a Home
Spotlight on Zoning Practice: Is there is an emerging typology of unconventional homes in rural and exurban areas, and are local development regulations frustrating efforts to build these homes? -
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. -
February 12, 2025
Turn Down the Lights
Spotlight on Zoning Practice: Is it possible to balance human health and public safety in outdoor lighting regulation? -
January 13, 2025
How Risky Is Your Freight Corridor Zoning?
Spotlight on Zoning Practice: Could a risk-based approach to managing development along freight rail corridors help communities balance safety and growth? -
December 12, 2024
Aiding the Small Farm Evolution
Spotlight on Zoning Practice: Small farmers must adapt to survive. How can zoning help? -
November 12, 2024
Bringing ‘Hidden’ Suburban and Exurban Housing into the Light
Spotlight on Zoning Practice: Developers are already building subtly mixed residential communities in suburban and exurban areas. Could zoning do more to support build-to-rent and multigenerational housing? -
October 9, 2024
What to Do When the Map Doesn’t Match the Text
Spotlight on Zoning Practice: Zoning map-to-text mismatches may be more common than you think. But planners can help prevent and fix these discrepancies. -
September 11, 2024
When More Participation Isn’t Better
Spotlight on Zoning Practice: What can planners do to "right-size" public participation in land use approval processes? -
July 15, 2024
Should Zoning Play a Bigger Role in Promoting Biosafety?
Spotlight on Zoning Practice: Should zoning be part of our defense against deadly pathogens and biological toxins? -
June 14, 2024
Is Your Zoning Ready for Greener Death Care?
Spotlight on Zoning Practice: How does your zoning code treat water-based cremation, human composting, and conservation cemeteries? -
May 13, 2024
Take Notice of Zoning Notifications
Spotlight on Zoning Practice: Are your zoning notification practices reaching anyone other than the "usual suspects"? -
April 22, 2024
Manufacturing Affordability
Spotlight on Zoning Practice: The important role of manufactured housing in supporting housing choice, availability, and affordability. -
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 9, 2024
Can Floating Homes Help Us Dodge Climate Hazards?
Spotlight on Zoning Practice: Are floating homes part of the solution to rising sea levels and more frequent and severe storms? -
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 12, 2024
Harnessing the Power of Patterns for Zoning Reform
Spotlight on Zoning Practice: Can pre-reviewed plans, pattern books, and pattern zones pave the way to broader missing middle housing reforms? -
December 13, 2023
Disaster Resilience Strategy and Leadership Vary Widely Among States
New research finds some have taken steps to plan and adapt, but others are lagging -
December 11, 2023
Can Zoning Save Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing (NOAH)?
Spotlight on Zoning Practice: What role can zoning play in shielding naturally occurring affordable housing from redevelopment? -
December 6, 2023
The Continuing Evolution of Complete Streets
December 2023 marks the 20th anniversary of the first official use of the term "Complete Streets," learn about key trends and influencing factors that will continue to shape the Complete Streets of the future. -
November 13, 2023
Tribal Zoning? Well, It’s Complicated
Spotlight on Zoning Practice: How can planners help tribal authorities apply zoning to "checkboard" reservations? -
October 11, 2023
Are We Close to Automating Zoning?
Spotlight on Zoning Practice: Can generative AI take the drudgery out of drafting zoning regulations? -
September 12, 2023
Who’s That Knocking at Your Door?
Spotlight on Zoning Practice: How equitable are your zoning regulations for home occupations? -
August 14, 2023
Whose Status Quo Should Zoning Protect?
Spotlight on Zoning Practice: How can zoning protect historically disadvantaged and vulnerable neighborhoods and business districts? -
July 18, 2023
Futureproofing the Planning Profession
Learn about the skills and approaches planners will need to future-proof the profession. -
July 10, 2023
Small Churches Equal Big Opportunity
Spotlight on Zoning Practice: Does your zoning allow new housing on faith-based land? -
June 9, 2023
Is Creativity the Key to Better Staff Reports?
Spotlight on Zoning Practice: Could "right-brain" thinking unlock the potential of your staff reports? -
June 7, 2023
The Importance of Intergenerational Communities
Multigenerational and age-friendly communities create a vehicle to bring generations together; reduce age segregation and ageism; decrease social isolation, depression, and loneliness; and improve community infrastructure and facilities. -
May 10, 2023
Should States Shrink Zoning?
Spotlight on Zoning Practice: Is state preemption of local zoning the answer to the housing crisis? -
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? -
March 10, 2023
What's in a (Street) Name?
Spotlight on Zoning Practice: How do street naming and addressing regulations affect planning goals? -
March 6, 2023
Plan Now to Overcome Reflexive Opposition to Large-Scale Solar
Reflexive opposition to large-scale solar projects is on the rise in many parts of the country. Start planning now to avoid the reactive trap. -
February 16, 2023
It's Perilous to Ignore “Gentle” Zoning Reforms
Spotlight on Zoning Practice: Could subtle zoning changes make a big difference in your community? -
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. -
January 13, 2023
Demystifying the Zoning Reform Process
Spotlight on Zoning Practice: Is your community overdue for a new development code? -
December 12, 2022
Queuing Up Drive-Thru Zoning Reforms
Spotlight on Zoning Practice: What does a sensible approach to zoning for drive-through services look like? -
November 11, 2022
Don’t Sleep on Coliving
Spotlight on Zoning Practice: Your zoning code probably isn't ready for modern coliving communities. -
October 26, 2022
Planning With Nature at the Center
The vision of life in a biophilic city is one where we are not separate from nature, but intimately embedded within it. -
August 9, 2022
Visual Guide to Agrivoltaics and Wildlife-Friendly Solar
Agrivoltaics — or the placement of a solar energy system on the same parcel of land as agricultural production — and wildlife-friendly solar practices can help communities capture multiple benefits from large-scale solar development. -
June 3, 2022
It’s Not Necessarily Solar vs. Agriculture
The topic of large-scale solar development in rural communities doesn't have to be controversial. Learn how local officials and developers can work together to clear up the misconception that these two land uses cannot co-exist. -
January 21, 2022
Grappling with the Racist Legacy of Zoning
Spotlight on Zoning Practice: Jenny Raitt challenges planners to reckon with zoning's racist legacy, and work to build integrated and equitable communities. -
December 15, 2021
Three Bold Proposals for Zoning Reform
Spotlight on Zoning Practice: Three recent issues of Zoning Practice have offered bold new visions for alternatives to the status quo in zoning. These visions range from a radical rebuild to an attempt to harness self-interest to advance elusive collective goals. -
December 8, 2021
Smart Cities – Integrating Technology, Community, and Nature
For many planners, “smart city” is just a buzzword that does not connect with their community goals and is not part of their vision or toolkit. This is something that needs to change. The question is not whether planners should plan for smart cities, but rather how they can do so in equitable and sustainable ways. -
December 7, 2021
The Silver Linings of Asset-Based Community Development
Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) is a framework to discover and mobilize assets or resources available in a community and use them to benefit residents. -
November 12, 2021
Is Campus Zoning Due for a Shake-Up?
Spotlight on Zoning Practice: Cities, towns, and counties often take a light touch when it comes to zoning for major educational and health-care campuses. But do demographic and technological changes mean it's time to rethink the status quo? -
November 10, 2021
The Multiple Benefits of Dementia-Friendly Communities
The number of Americans living with dementia, which includes Alzheimer’s disease, is growing. Planners can play a key role in making sure that communities allow for the best possible quality of life for this growing population. -
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.
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