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Effects of the Built Environment on Transportation: Energy Use, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, and Other Factors
Transportation Energy Futures Series, March 2013This literature review from the Department of Energy found that urban form can reduce vehicle-miles traveled and energy use. -
Measuring Sprawl and Its Impact
2002by: Reid Ewing, Rolf Pendall, AICP, Don ChenThis report from Smart Growth America looks at four factors of urban form to determine sprawl’s impact on quality of life in 2000 and 1990. -
Urban Density and the Rate of Invention
Working Paper NO. 06-14, August 2006by: Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, Federal Reserve Bank of PhiladelphiaThis report aimed to determine what effect urban density has on innovation. -
Smart Growth and Economic Success: Benefits for Real Estate Developers, Investors, Businesses, and Local Governments
December 2012This report from the EPA looks at the economic benefits that accompany compact neighborhoods over sprawl. -
Fat City: The Relationship Between Urban Sprawl and Obesity
November 2006by: Centre for Economic Performance, Centre for Economic Performance, Centre for Economic Performance, Centre for Economic PerformanceThis report explores the relationship between urban form and obesity. -
Endangered by Sprawl: How Runaway Development Threatens America’s Wildlife
January 2005by: Reid Ewing, , Don Chen, ,This report from Smart Growth America looks at how sprawl threatens endangered species around metropolitan areas. -
The Costs of Sprawl—Revisited
TCRP Report 39, 1998by: Robert Burchell, Naveed Shad, David Listokin, Rutgers University, Anthony Downs, Parsons Brinckerhoff Quade and Douglas, Inc., Judy Davis, Terry Moore, FAICP, ECONorthwest, ECONorthwestThis literature review attempts to understand the general takeaways of existing research on the costs of sprawl. -
The Relationship of Urban Design to Human Health and Condition
Landscape and Urban Planning, 64: 191-200, 2003by: Laura JacksonThis article uses academic literature to argue that certain urban design elements have positive impacts on general, undefined concepts like physical and mental well-being, environmental quality, and quality of life. -
Household Travel, Household Characteristics, and Land Use: An Empirical Study From the 1994 Portland Travel Survey
Transportation Research Record, 1617: 718–728, 1998by: University of Southwestern Louisiana, University of Southwestern Louisiana, University of South Florida, Louisiana State UniversityThis Portland area study found that population density and land use mix do not affect the number of vehicle trips taken per household, but do reduce vehicle miles travelled (VMT). -
Impacts of Urban Form on Future US Passenger-Vehicle Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Energy Policy, 38: 4880-4887, 2010by: Steve Hankey,This article looked at the impact of 6 different growth scenarios on 142 urban areas. -
Urban Sprawl and Air Quality in Large US Cities
Journal of Environmental Management, 86: 688–398, 2008by: Brian StoneThis study found a statistically significant relationship between land use patterns and air quality. -
Residential Land Values and Walkability
Journal of Sustainable Real Estate, 3(1): 23-43, 2011by: University of Alabama at Birmingham, University of San DiegoThis study examined thousands of real estate transactions in Jefferson County, Alabama, to determine the effect of walkability on property values. -
Understanding the Basics of Land Use Planning: Guide to Local Planning
2010by: Steve SandersThis guide presents a general-audience overview of the land-use planning system in California. -
Choosing Our Community’s Future: A Guide to Getting the Most Out of New Development
2005by: David GoldbergThis guide presents a general-audience overview of local planning, smart growth, and new urbanism. -
Planning ABC’s
PlannersWeb, October, 2007by: Lawrence GerckensThis series of short articles uses the alphabet to highlight 26 fundamental planning-related tools and concepts. -
The Comprehensive Plan and Land Development Regulations: Putting Words into Action
Planning Commissioners Journal, Spring 2011by: Wendy Grey, AICPThis article discusses the relationship between the local comprehensive plan and the land-use and development regulations cities and counties use to help implement their plans. -
Planning 101
2016by: Angel VazquezThis online training provides a general-audience introduction to the practice of land-use planning and discusses basic planning processes. -
Planning Principles and Practices
Updated April 2020by: Todd LitmanThis report provides a general-audience introduction to the profession and practice of planning. -
Zoning Basics
Planning Commissioners Journal, Spring 2001by: Michael Chandler, C. Gregory Dale, FAICPThis article presents a broad introduction to the concept of zoning. -
Why Do We Plan?
Technical Assistance Series, 2013This guide provides a general-audience overview of the context and justifications for comprehensive planning. -
The Nature of Planning
Planning Commissioners Journal, January/February 1993by: Michael ChandlerThis short article defines planning and offers 10 basic justifications for planning. -
Comprehensive Planning Fundamentals
2001by: Michael KolesThis fact sheet provides a broad overview of local planning, with a special emphasis on the development of a local comprehensive plan. -
Building a Sense of Community
Planning Commissioners Journal, Summer 2004by: C. Gregory Dale, FAICPThis short article highlights six planning and development concepts that contribute to creating a sense of place. -
Regional Approaches to Planning
Planning Commissioners Journal, Winter 2004by: C. Gregory Dale, FAICPThis short article explains four categories of regional planning efforts, highlights barriers to planning regionally, and summarizes an effective regional planning effort in Nevada. -
The Master Plan
Citizen Planning Series, 2010This fact sheet provides an overview of the local comprehensive plan (referred to here as the master plan). -
Who’s Who in Planning
Citizen Planning Series, 2010This fact sheet provides an overview of the key participants in the local planning system. -
An Introduction to Urban Design
Planning Commissioners Journal, Summer 2001by: Ilene WatsonThis article discusses eight basic urban design concepts. -
Smart Growth
Planning Commissioners Journal, Spring 2003by: C. Gregory Dale, FAICPThis short article summarizes the nine principles of smart growth. -
Guide to Community Planning in Wisconsin
1999by: Brian OhmThis guide provides extensive general-audience information about local planning in Wisconsin. -
A Citizen’s Guide to Better Streets: How to Engage Your Transportation Agency
2008by: Gary Toth, Herman VolkThis guide presents a general-audience overview of the transportation planning process and a context-sensitive approach to street design. -
Isn’t This My Land? An Introduction to Planning and Zoning in Vermont
n.d.This fact sheet provides a general-audience explanation of the relationship between planning and zoning. -
A Short Course on Local Planning
2017This webpage contains links to materials for Washington State's basic training program for planning board members and citizen planners. -
Citizen’s Guide to Urban Design
2012by: Philip DenningThis guide provides a general-audience introduction to urban design concepts. -
Citizen’s Guide to Land Use
2012by: Philip DenningThis guide provides a general-audience introduction to basic land-use and planning concepts. -
A Walkable City
2013This video presents a general-audience TEDx talk about suburban sprawl and the value of walkability. -
Y-Plan DIY
2017This webpage contains links to materials to help educators, planners, or civic leaders plan and execute a half-day workshop to help students and citizens learn about the planning process. -
Citizens Academies Component Guide
n.d.This website contains links to guidance materials to help community leaders design and implement citizen academies. -
Heart & Soul Resources
2016This webpage contains links to guidance materials to help planners and community leaders engage community members in local planning activities. -
What Is Urban Planning?
2015This short video presents a general-audience introduction to the practice and profession of planning. -
What Is a Comprehensive Plan?
2016This short video presents a general-audience introduction to the local comprehensive plan. -
Planning 101
2013This series of short videos present a general-audience introduction to basic planning concepts. -
A Citizen’s Guide to Planning & Zoning in Northwest Michigan
n.d.This guide is intended to provide basic information to citizens that would like to shape future changes in their community through the planning process. -
State and Local Governments’ Use of Performance Measures to Improve Service Delivery
AGA CPAG Research Series Report No. 23, 2009by: Harold SteinbergThis briefing paper explores state and local governments’ use of performance measures. -
Models of Performance-Measurement Use in Local Governments: Understanding Budgeting, Communication, and Lasting Effects
Public Administration Review 65(2), 2005by: Julia Melkers, Katherine WilloughbyThis article looks at how performance measurement has been used in local communities and how the budget process affects or is affected by these measures. -
Austin, TX, Performance Measures: Planning and Zoning
2017This webpage for the Planning and Zoning department lists key indicators, mission and goals, and budget for the department. -
Bellevue, WA, Performance Portal
2021The city, an ICMA Certificate of Excellence award winner, collects and shares performance data by department. -
Lessons from Performance Measurement Leaders: A Sample of Larger Local Governments in North America
2013by: Shayne KavanaughThis report explores performance mangement in 10 selected case-study local governments in the U.S. and Canada. -
Transforming Performance Measurement for the 21st Century
2014by: Harry HatryThis report describes the components and history of performance measurement systems and offers recommendations for governments at all levels. -
Performance-Based Budgeting: Concepts and Examples
2001by: Greg Hager, Alice Hobson, Ginny WilsonThis report offers a primer on performance-based budgeting.