Check Out Our Passport Courses
Passport is your ticket to the training, experiences, and connections that will take you where you want to go in your planning career. Subscribe for unlimited access for one year to APA's extensive learning library of solution-oriented content facilitated by planners, for planners.
-
Planning for Equity in Parks with Green Infrastructure
Great Urban Parks Campaign Briefing Paper 2by: David Morley, AICPThis briefing paper from the Great Urban Parks Campaign offers four key points for using green infrastructure in parks to advance social equity. -
Fort Collins, CO, Code of Ordinances
Updated May 2022This regulation belongs to the Active Transportation, Biophilic Planning, Marijuana-Related Uses, Outdoor Lighting, Shared Mobility, Solar Energy, and Urban Agriculture collections. -
Age-Friendly Communities
Age-friendly communities are places where the built and social environment is accessible to and inclusive of all residents — young and old. This collection catalogs resources that provide background and policy guidance or demonstrate how cities and counties are using plans, programs, and regulations to foster accessible and inclusive communities. -
Built Environment and Health
Planning evolved as a response to issues in the built environment, like overcrowding, that contributed to public health crises. This collection catalogs resources that provide background, research, and policy guidance or demonstrate how local and regional agencies are using plans, regulations, and programs to guide change in the built environment to improve health outcomes. -
Creative Placemaking
Creative placemaking is a process where community stakeholders use arts and cultural strategies to implement community-led change. This collection catalogs resources that provide background and policy guidance or demonstrate how community stakeholders are using plans, regulations, and programs that support the arts and cultural activities. -
Transfer of Development Rights
This collection catalogs resources that provide background on or policy guidance for transfer of development rights (TDR) programs as well as examples of local plans and development regulations that demonstrate specific approaches to TDR. -
Transit-Oriented Development
This collection catalogs numerous resources that provide background and policy guidance on, or examples of, how communities are using plans and regulations to facilitate higher-density mixed use development within walking distance of mass transit stations. -
Pittsburgh, PA, Code of Ordinances
Updated October 2021This regulation belongs to the Active Transportation, Environmentally Sensitive Areas, Green Building, Green Stormwater Infrastructure, Rethinking Off-Street Parking Requirements, Scenic View Protection, Urban Agriculture, and Urban Livestock collections. -
Baltimore, MD, City Code
Updated October 2021These regulations belong to the Complete Streets, Home Occupations, Housing Supply Planning, Inclusionary Housing, Rethinking Off-Street Parking Requirements, Social Equity, Transit-Oriented Development, Urban Agriculture, and Zoning Reform and Code Writing collections. -
Santa Monica, CA, Municipal Code
Updated August 2021This regulation belongs to the Active Transportation, Affordable Housing Programs, Housing Supply Planning, Shared Mobility, Short-Term Residential Rentals, and Solar Energy collections. -
Madison, WI, Code of Ordinances
Updated March 2023This regulation belongs to the Accessory Dwelling Units, Creative Placemaking, Electric Vehicle Infrastructure, Housing Supply Planning, Outdoor Lighting, Rethinking Off-Street Parking Requirements, Solar Energy, Urban Agriculture, and Zoning Reform and Code Writing collections. -
Atlanta, GA, Code of Ordinances
Updated August 2021This regulation belongs to the Affordable Housing Programs, Active Transportation, Content-Neutral Sign Regulation, Food Trucks, Green Building, Shared Mobility, Social Equity, and Transfer of Development Rights collections. -
Accessory Dwelling Units
An accessory dwelling unit (ADU) is a smaller, independent residential dwelling unit on the same lot as a single-family home. This collection catalogs resources that provide background, policy guidance, and examples of local plan recommendations and zoning standards for accessory dwelling units from across the country. -
Portland, OR, Comprehensive Plan
Updated March 2020This city's comprehensive plan belongs to the Accessory Dwelling Units, Affordable Housing Programs, Comprehensive Planning, Environmentally Sensitive Areas, Housing Supply Planning, Inclusionary Housing, Social Equity, Solar Energy, and Tree Preservation and the Urban Forest collections. -
Chapel Hill, NC, Code of Ordinances
Updated October 2019This regulation belongs to the Accessory Dwelling Units, Green Building, Housing Supply Planning, Inclusionary Housing, Residential Infill Development, Solar Energy, and Tree Preservation and Urban Forest collections. -
The Case for Play
Parks are increasingly giving kids play spaces that let them explore, take risks, problem-solve, and daydream.With that migration to more urban places comes a lack of open space to roam. That makes parks all the more important. -
Eat Better, Move More, Work Together
Cities and towns of all sizes are creating healthier communities through planning and systems-level change.February 01, 2017Planners and public health officials are working throughout the U.S. to increase access to healthy foods and opportunities for regular physical activity. -
Too Big, Boring, or Ugly: Tools to Combat Monotony, the Too-big House, and Teardowns
PAS Report 528by: Lane Kendig March 30, 2005There are ways to both preserve character and meet market demand for housing.This PAS Report offers tools to tame the too-big house, shake free of monotonous development, and negotiate the political minefield of teardowns.List Price$25.00APA member & PAS subscriber$0.00 -
Austin, TX, City Code
Updated April 2022These regulations belong to 19 different Research KnowledgeBase collections, ranging from Active Transportation to Urban Agriculture. -
A Planner’s Guide to Meeting Facilitation
PAS Report 595by: Milton Herd, FAICP June 01, 2019Leading a public meeting can be challenging, and this responsibility often falls to planners — but meeting facilitation skills are not usually taught in schools. This PAS Report offers step-by-step guidance in planning, preparing for, and leading a group meeting to a productive outcome.List price$25.00APA member & PAS subscriber$0.00 -
Out of Harm's Way
Hurricane Matthew reminds us that widespread evacuations require careful planning.December 01, 2016Hurricane Matthew reminds us that widespread evacuations require careful planning. -
Regulating the Architectural Character of a Community
Zoning Practice — July 2009by: James Brindell July 01, 2009This issue of Zoning Practice evaluates the problems with typical standards used in architectural review and offers suggestions to improve those standards.List Price$10.00ZP subscriber$0.00 -
Accommodating Density
Zoning Practice — May 2009by: Thomas Smith, Mary Fishman May 01, 2009This issue of Zoning Practice uses Chicago as an exemplar to explore where increased residential density will be most welcome and where zoning battles will be least significant.List Price$10.00ZP subscriber$0.00 -
Nature-Based Solutions
Parks — from green urban oases to sandy waterfront beaches — play a big role in making communities more resilient to climate change.August 01, 2018Park agencies and the parks they operate play a vital role in building climate-resilient communities. -
Community Resilience Scenario Planning Model
Technical User GuideOctober 01, 2018The Community Resilience Scenario Planning Model (CRSPM) described in this guide can be used in the context of an overall plan update, as part of special purpose plans, or in developing a standalone community resilience plan and implementation strategy. -
Coordinating Commercial Development to Advance Physical Activity
by: Johamary Pena, AICP, Sagar Shah, PhD, AICPThis blog post provides an overview of commercial development coordination as a planning approach to increase physical activity in small and rural communities through everyday destinations. It is part of the Everyday Destinations series. -
Infill Development Supports Community Connectivity
by: Johamary Pena, AICP, Sagar Shah, PhD, AICPThis blog post provides an overview of infill development as a planning approach to increase physical activity in small and rural communities through everyday destinations. It is part of the Everyday Destinations series. -
E-Scooter Growth Hits a Massive Roadblock
Can the micromobility mode find a place in the postpandemic transportation network?July 01, 2020E-scooter growth stalled out this spring as COVID-19 cut into commuting and recreation. -
Behind the Scenes: Smart City Challenge Finalists
by: Emily PasiA behind-the-scenes look at the Smart City Challenge finalists. -
An Rx for Resiliency
Faced with increasing hazards associated with climate change, health care systems are finding that an ounce of planning prevention is worth a pound of cure.March 01, 2018Resiliency — the ability to withstand and quickly recover from a disruptive event like a hurricane — is now essential for health care facilities. -
Coping With Loss
Louisiana’s Strategic Adaptations for Future Environments adapts to the reality of a vanishing coast.August 01, 2018Louisianans are coming to terms with a hard truth: The landscape, their property, and places that sometimes many generations have called home are increasingly at risk from rising water. -
Minneapolis, MN, Code of Ordinances
Updated November 2021This regulation belongs to the Accessory Dwelling Units, Active Transportation, Affordable Housing Programs, Built Environment and Health, Food Trucks, Green Building, Group Housing, Housing Supply Planning, Residential Infill Development, Rethinking Off-Street Parking Requirements, Shared Mobility, Social Equity, Solar Energy, Urban Agriculture, and Urban Livestock collections. -
Equitable Zoning for Manufactured Housing
Zoning Practice — April 2024This issue of Zoning Practice examines the persistent inequitable treatment of manufactured housing in many local zoning codes and offers considerations for code updates. It begins with brief summaries of the important role manufactured housing plays in supporting housing choice and affordability and includes findings from a five-state analysis of zoning regulations for manufactured housing. -
Modernizing Outdoor Lighting Regulations
Zoning Practice — February 2025This issue of Zoning Practice explores how lighting zoning and other regulatory strategies can help planners and local officials modernize their outdoor lighting regulations. It begins by summarizing common problems with existing exterior lighting regulations before examining the concept of lighting zoning, and highlighting alternative approaches to meeting outdoor lighting objectives. -
Community Co-Creation in the Digital Era
PAS QuickNotes 108New technologies — including AI-powered apps, the metaverse, and digital twins — have provided planners with more tools to co-create with communities and reduce barriers to participation. -
Plan Now to Overcome Reflexive Opposition to Large-Scale Solar
by: Joshua Hohn, AICPReflexive opposition to large-scale solar projects is on the rise in many parts of the country. Start planning now to avoid the reactive trap. -
It’s Not Necessarily Solar vs. Agriculture
by: Alexsandra GomezThe 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. -
Preventing the Extinction of Small Farms
Zoning Practice — December 2024This issue of Zoning Practice explores zoning techniques that can help prevent the extinction of small farms. By examining successful case studies and innovative policies, it highlights how strategic zoning can foster communities where small farms in rural and peri-urban contexts thrive and contribute to local food security and agricultural heritage. -
City As Habitat: Planning the Nature Connected City
October 01, 2016The City of Edmonton, Alberta, is making an international name for itself as an important model of a nature-friendly city. -
Global Changes, Local Impacts
California's adaptation tools are helping its cities address climate change.October 01, 2015Local governments learn with how to prepare for climate change. -
The Built Environment, Bicycling, and Mental Wellbeing
by: Jiwon ParkUncovering JAPA: Exploring the impact of the built environment and mental wellbeing of bicycling as a form of transportation. -
Syracuse, NY, Comprehensive Plan 2040
Adopted March 2014This comprehensive plan belongs to the Brownfields Redevelopment, Form-Based Zoning, Green Building, Green Stormwater Infrastructure, and Solar Energy collections. -
Boulder County, CO, Land Use Code
Updated March 2022This city's land use code belongs to the Biophilic Planning, Scenic View Protection, Solar Energy, and Transfer of Development Rights collections. -
Comprehensive Planning
A comprehensive plan is an official statement that sets forth goals, policies, and guidelines intended to direct a jurisdiction's present and future development. This collection catalogs resources that provide background information, comprehensive plan development guidance, and examples of potentially noteworthy plans from various types of communities across the country. -
Solar Energy
This collection catalogs resources that provide background and policy guidance on solar energy use, as well as examples of local plans and regulations that support solar development. -
Urban Livestock
This collection catalogs numerous resources that provide general background, policy guidance, and examples of local regulatory provisions governing the keeping of farm animals and poultry in urban areas. -
Cleveland, OH, Code of Ordinances
Updated September 2021These regulations belong to the Creative Placemaking, Food Systems, Food Trucks, Urban Agriculture, Urban Livestock, and Wind Energy collections. -
Wauwatosa, WI, Municipal Code
Updated September 2021This regulation belongs to the Grayfields Reuse and Redevelopment, Solar Energy, Urban Agriculture, and Urban Livestock collections. -
Butte County, CA, Zoning Ordinance
Updated July 2021This regulation belongs to the Agritourism, Farmland Protection, and Solar Energy collections. -
Rock Island, IL, Comprehensive Plan
Adopted April 2014This city's comprehensive plan belongs to the Built Environment and Health, Community Visioning, Comprehensive Planning, Food Systems, and Solar Energy collections.