Donald Shoup is Distinguished Research Professor from the University of California, Los Angeles, whose 2005 book, The High Cost of Free Parking, is one the most influential pieces of planning scholarship from the 21st century.
Explore Urban Planning Courses
Discover hundreds of courses, with new courses added weekly.
Our most popular courses
Learn from urban planning courses taught by trusted professionals
Choose from affordable subscription options to access hundreds of online courses
Maintain professional certifications like AICP CM and CNU-A
Take course quizzes and earn certificates of completion
Featured Courses
-
Donald Shoup63 minutes -
The film "City Dreamers," directed by Joseph Hillel and released in 2018, tells the story of four women designers who worked to shape North American cities throughout the 20th century and into the 21st century.
81 minutes -
Lynn Richards, Susan HendersonZoning and codes represent the very DNA of communities. They dictate how tall buildings can be, where parking goes, and how much landscaping is required.
59 minutes -
Daniel ParolekThe "Missing Middle" is a range of multi-unit or clustered housing types compatible in scale with single-family homes. Missing Middle housing has the benefit of meeting the growing demand for walkable urban living.
72 minutes
Thousands have used Planetizen Courses
Very dynamic class! Loved the videos and graphs. ("Transportation Planning")
Rachel B.
Loved the content, the presentation, the dynamic speaker! Ending with a call to action, with specific action steps or recommendations, was a fantastic way to make this content applicable. ("Planning for the Autonomous Future")
Megan O.
I can't believe how much I've learned just from these online courses. It's a really great introduction to concepts, with exercises that help you contextualize the learnings.
Lissie R.
As a mother of two young kids, many of the training classes that can receive CM credit from other providers is more than I can afford. Thank you for offering high quality planning classes at a reasonable cost.
Renee L.
Planetizen Courses provides an accessible overview of practical skills that will make each of us more effective and creative planners. Thank you!
Jenni E.
Browse All Courses
UN Sustainable Development Goals: The Role of Cities in Implementation
Instructor: Chris Holtkamp
This course will introduce the 17 Sustainable Development Goals as a framework for planning at the local level.
Urban Agriculture
Urban farming is becoming more popular around the state of California, taking many forms along the way, as documented in this film produced by experts from the University of California and the Cal State University system in cooperation with local organizations.
The YIMBY Movement: Opportunities and Challenges for Planners
Instructor: Mark Vallianatos
Yes In My Back Yard, most commonly referred to as YIMBY, is a grassroots social movement advocating for an increase in housing development at the regional, city, and neighborhood levels. This course examines YIMBY organizational structures and the roots, goals, setbacks, successes, and tactics of the movement.
Complying With Federal Law in Regulating Telecommunications
Instructor: Alan Weinstein
Telecommunication technologies and facilities are subject to federal law and intersect with land use regulation and development. This course examines the requirements for such technologies as radio antennas, satellite receiving dishes, cellular towers, and 5G DAS wireless networks to comply with federal laws and regulations.
Federal and State Religious Land Use Statutes
Instructor: Alan Weinstein
This course will explain what local governments need to do—and to avoid—when enacting and applying land use regulations that affect religious land uses to comply with the federal Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA).
Local Regulation of Marijuana Businesses
Instructor: Alan Weinstein
This course examines the role of local regulation in states that have legalized marijuana. Learn about marijuana components and products, federal and state laws, zoning, and social equity issues.
Legal Issues in Sign Codes
Instructor: James Carpentier
This course provides basic knowledge of the legal issues involved in sign codes, focusing on constitutionally-compliant sign codes in the aftermath of U.S. Supreme Court's recent decision in Reed v Town of Gilbert
Regulating Electronic Message Centers
Instructor: James Carpentier
This course provides practical, solution-focused guidance for regulations that leverage digital sign technology while protecting community aesthetic values and safety concerns. This course is available for free.
Form-Based Codes 101: Legal Aspects
Instructor: Daniel Parolek
This course explores the legal issues of creating and using a form-based code.
Defensible Sign Regulations
Instructor: Eric Damian Kelly
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.
Regulating Sex Businesses, Part 2: Practical Tips
Instructor: Eric Damian Kelly
This course will provide practical tips for developing local zoning and licensing regulations for sexually oriented businesses. This course builds on material from Part 1 of this two-part series.
Regulating Sex Businesses, Part 1: Principles and Foundations
Instructor: Eric Damian Kelly
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.
Planning and the Law: Procedural Due Process
Instructor: Thomas Hawkins
The United States Constitution protects rights to "due process." In a land use law context, due process is why local governments must treat legislative and quasi-judicial decision making differently. At the end of this course, students will be able to differentiate between legislative and quasi-judicial decisions and to understand the due process implications of the distinction.
Planning and the Law: The Takings Clause
Instructor: Thomas Hawkins
This course will help students understand and explore three legal concepts borne of the United States Constitution's Takings Clause: eminent domain, regulatory takings, and exactions. By the end of the course, students will be able to identify whether a particular government action is at risk of violating the Takings Clause.
Healthy Urban Food Systems: Planning Production Facilities
Instructor: Lauren Dunning
This course examines the role for planning in addressing various forms of urban agriculture as well as many examples from around the country of the statutes, policy, and practices implementing interventions in food production at urban scales.
Healthy Urban Food Systems: Planning Retail Facilities
Instructor: Lauren Dunning
This course introduces information from legal and public health perspectives on the retail side of food systems entities, such as farmers markets, grocery stores, and mobile vending.
Working with Census.gov 1: Background and Geography
Instructor: Chris Williamson
This first of four courses on the Census -- Background and Geography -- will prime you to understand how the Census works, where the data comes from, as well as vital terminology and data sets you should be familiar with in the built environment.
Ethics: Balancing a Business Friendly Planning Environment
Instructor: Carol D. Barrett
Over the past few decades and increasingly over the past several years, the private sector, led by developers, has increasingly courted, conflicted and collaborated with planning departments amid shrinking budgets. As business interests engage and influence public agencies and planning strategy, the role of ethics is of increasing importance for the practicing planner. This is the first of a two-part series that evaluates and analyses the role of planners, from public window staff to department heads, in an increasingly business-friendly environment.
Code Drafting and the Law
Instructor: Mark White
In our complex legal society, understanding the basis of planning law and governing legislation is a must. The course begins with the building blocks of understanding codes, and goes on to explore how statutory authority and constitutional issues impact your everyday decisions. It concludes with a discussion of contemporary legal, quasi-legal and administrative practices.
Start Learning with Planetizen Courses
Choose from affordable subscription options to access hundreds of online courses today.
Subscribe