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Urban Sustainability Appraisal Tools for Planned Neighborhoods and Landscapes
This course is the third in a four-part series on urban sustainability appraisal tools as collaboration platforms and sustainability accelerators for communities.
Parking Reform Made Easy
Reforming minimum parking requirements is one of the most effective ways to support Smart Growth. This course explains the many problems created by the parking regulation status quo before presenting a process for reform, providing examples of parking management tools, and discussing strategies for dealing with political and stakeholder issues.
Economic Thinking for Planners: Economics of the Environment
This course provides an introduction to environmental economics by exploring the economic effects of national and local environmental policies. By the end of the course, you'll understand market failure, externalities, and private and social costs, applying these concepts to issues like recycling, species preservation, and climate change.
Regulating Sex Businesses, Part 1: Principles and Foundations
This course shows how to lay the foundation for ordinances that mitigate the negative effects of sex businesses while conforming with constitutional requirements under the First Amendment.
Defensible Sign Regulations
Communities regulate the characteristics of signs to achieve multiple goals, such as limiting driver distraction, maintaining the aesthetic character of the community, and implementing aspects of related plans. This course will show participants how to draft—and adopt—sign ordinances that accomplish those purposes while conforming with the First Amendment.
CartoDB for Planners
In this course, we'll cover the web interface of CartoDB, an innovative online mapping platform. Learn how to setup a basic map, add data from ArcGIS and other sources, and publish your map on the web.
Form-Based Codes 101: Introduction
This course defines form-based codes, explains why they were invented, and distinguishes form-based codes from conventional "use-based" zoning ordinances—all with an emphasis on placemaking and walkability. We will provide an overview of the development of form-based codes, their mandatory and optional component parts, and the importance of making form-based codes context or place-specific.
Form-Based Codes 101: Learning How To Look
This course will teach you the skills to appreciate and analyze the measures and functions of good urbanism.
Form-Based Codes 101: Neighborhoods
This course introduces the essential elements of neighborhoods.
Form-Based Codes 101: Corridors
Corridors have historically been a key element of the urban fabric of every American town and city, yet they are also commonly problematic. This course looks at the roots of the problem for examples of how corridors can be designed and coded.
Form-Based Codes 101: Downtowns
Downtowns are the historic center of most American cities. In this course, we will review their role in establishing the past and future character of the city, walking through a series of form-based code case studies across a range of scales and contexts.
Form-Based Codes 101: Preparing a Form-Based Code
This course explores basic questions and decisions to consider when preparing a form-based code. It also covers the different approaches to regulating urban form and provides guidance for selecting an organizing principle for your form-based code. Finally, the course explains the visioning and creating of a plan, followed by drafting, testing, and assembling your code.
Form-Based Codes 101: Citywide and Countywide Code Updates
The final course in the "Form-Based Codes 101" series explores citywide form-based coding—the assessment of an entire city to determine where form-based code application should occur.
Time Value of Money for Planners
This course will introduce planners to the concept of time value of money that will provide the foundation for real estate pro forma analysis.
Real Estate Debt for Planners
This course introduces planners to basic concepts of real estate debt, including metrics used in obtaining a mortgage and other concepts like borrowing capacity, and amortization analysis.
Office Property Valuation Case Study for Planners
This course offers a case study of office property valuation, building upon topics from previous courses, including time discounting, internal rate of return, net operating income, lease structures, debt payments, and risk assessment.
Multi-Family Property Valuation Case Study for Planners
This course will take planners through a case study multi-family property valuation. The course will build upon previous course topics of time discounting, internal rate of return, net operating income, lease structures, debt payments, and risk assessment.
Tactical Urbanism: How It's Done
From unsanctioned crosswalks to city-led "Pavement-to-Plaza" programs, instructor Mike Lydon describes the success of short-term, temporary projects in influencing long-term physical and policy changes in cities across the United States and Canada.
Visual Simulation: Advanced Rendering in SketchUp
In this course, you'll learn to create an advanced rendering of a SketchUp site model, using a free third-party renderer called Kerkythea to design realistic lighting and shading. Then add components to your rendering in Adobe Photoshop.
Visual Simulation: Rendering Styles and Presentation with SketchUp
Learn to create finalized drawings in SketchUp that look more hand drawn than photorealistic. Using SketchUp and Adobe Photoshop, this course will help you take more control over final images than possible when only exporting from SketchUp.
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