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The Planning Commissioner Training series from Planetizen Courses offers ten courses on the essentials of citizen planning—everything from planning ethics, comprehensive plans, site plans, approval processes, planning law, zoning, and the essential role of the public in planning.

Planning is the professional practice and academic study of the future of built and natural environments—from the smallest towns to the largest cities and everything in between.. Plan-et-iz-en combines Plan, as in planning, and Netizen, as in a citizen of the Internet, to produce “Planetizen.” The Planetizen team pronounces the name like plan-NET-a-zen.

Dec 19, 2024 · The challenges facing cities in 2024 are often not new. But they are, in many cases, more urgent. Traffic fatalities continue to increase in many cities despite pledges by civic leaders to support Vision Zero goals, while transportation agencies keep expanding highways and prioritizing traffic flow over safety and sustainability. Climate change continues to impact homes and infrastructure in ...

3 days ago · In an article for Smart Cities Dive, Kalena Thomhave outlines emerging trends in how cities approach reducing homelessness and alleviating the housing crisis, which continues to impact most American cities. “Just 34 affordable rentals are available for every 100 renters with extremely low income ...

1 day ago · According to Julian Frost, writing in Greater Greater Washington, “The movement for single-stair reform may be reaching a critical mass of momentum and support in the US.” Frost assesses the bills proposed in the D.C. region and how they might advance in 2025. In Frost’s view, “Single-stair ...

Parks as Community Lifelines: Supporting Residents During Times of Crisis. The Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation demonstrates how parks serve as vital community infrastructure by adapting to crises, offering public health services, disaster relief, and essential support for residents in need.

Jan 12, 2025 · The past year saw a continued, slow adjustment to the post-pandemic world and new challenges for planners and policymakers as pandemic-era assistance programs and protections came to an end, revealing the dire economic situation facing a large number of American households.

Dec 24, 2024 · It’s the time of year for reflection and looking back, including us here at Planetizen. This year, our readers were most interested in stories that offered analyses and solutions to the housing crisis, commentaries on the election and its possible impacts on planning issues including transportation and housing, and the growing threat of climate-induced disasters.

Oct 11, 2024 · The planning world is becoming younger, more diverse, and more media-savvy — and the ways we consume information are changing. While many of us turn to podcasts and TikTok for recipes, true crime, and cat videos, new media platforms like these also offer a wealth of important information on planning issues and discourse about how …