What's New COMMENTARY: Collaboration, not competition, is critical The Buffalo News (6/30) Environmental pollution, land use and transportation planning, sprawl without growth — all these problems and more cut across jurisdictional lines and require multijurisdictional solutions.
Chicago's second waterfront: riverwalk improved, but hurdles remain The Chicago Tribune (6/27) Stretching from east of the Michigan Avenue Bridge to Wabash Avenue, the handsome, people-friendly public space marks the latest step in an ambitious drive to make the riverfront a prime public space downtown and in the city's outlying neighborhoods.
Chicago, city without limits Wall Street Journal (6/20) Today’s Chicago is a living monument to the plan—which called for replacing the chaos, filth and congestion of industrial turn-of-the-20th-century Chicago with a formal downtown.
Hobart studies alternative water treatment system Merrillville Post-Tribune (6/19) The Hobart Sanitary District is exploring a new sewage treatment system that won't need to discharge treated water into Deep River. What would be pollution in Lake Michigan would instead be fertilizer for a farm.
Water problems becoming more widespread The San Diego Union-Tribune (6/17) Climate change and population growth are straining water supplies even in places where people historically haven't worried much about the resource. Cities from the Great Lakes to the Gulf Coast are pushing conservation plans much like the ones being introduced across California to deal with a prolonged drought.
The last four miles: Friends of the Parks unveils a plan for an entirely-open Chicago lakefront Chicago Tribune (6/9) Chicagoans love to brag about their open, people-friendly lakefront. In reality, 4 of the city’s 30 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline are unavailable to the public—cordoned off by an intimidating combination of high-rises, “Private Property” signs and fences topped by razor wire.
American Planning Association The APA and its professional institute, the American Institute of Certified Planners, are organized to advance the art and science of planning and to foster the activity of planning at the local, regional, state and national levels.
Canadian Institute of Planners The Canadian Institute of Planners has been dedicated to the advancement of responsible planning throughout Canada since 1919.
Geographic Information Systems Advisory Services Program University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute Provides assistance on the application of computer-based GIS. Stimulated by recent state legislation, all 72 Wisconsin counties, plus many cities, villages and townships, are actively pursuing the modernization of their land records.
Minnesota Chapter of the American Planning Association This site provides Minnesota professional and citizen planners information to help with day-to-day issues encountered, as well as information for professional development.
Planning Assistance to States (Section 22 of WRDA 1974) In 1974, Congress provided the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers a general authority to provide assistance to states in the planning for the development, utilization, and conservation of water and related land resources. Recent amendments have expanded this assistance to ecosystem planning.
Planning Commissioners Journal This quarterly publication designed for citizen planners covers a wide range of planning issues, media relations, creating a comprehensive plan, conflicts of interest & ex-parte communications, running an effective meeting and developing good staff-commissioner relations.