Other NC Resources
State Government
Department of Environment and Natural Resources -- information on various programs, including coastal management, water supply watershed protection, nonpoint source and stormwater management, water supply, geographic information and more
N.C. Department of Commerce -- information on the N.C.'s consolidated housing plan, CDBG, the Main Street program, and the regional offices' technical assistance program for local governments
State Historic Preservation Office -- Various resources, including a information on surveys, tax credits, publications, local historic programs, grants, historic preservation links, and a useful Handbook for Historic Preservation Commissions in North Carolina
NC Department of Transportation -- information on state financial aid for city streets (Powell Bill funds), transportation planning (traffic forecasts, state plan, MPOs, traffic studies), manual for subdivision roads, traffic count maps (by counties and urban areas, with annual updates), pedestrian and bicycle planning
University Based
Center for Urban and Regional Studies, UNC-CH -- Research from UNC-CH on research on urban, regional and rural planning and policy issues. Includes on-line newsletters, publications list, and information on various CURS programs, such as Smart Growth and the New Economy and the flood buyout program.
UNC-C Urban Institute -- The Institute is a catalyst for projects designed to meet the applied research needs of urban and developing areas of the Charlotte metropolitan region. Projects focus on a broad spectrum of urban topics, e.g., local government, the environment, land use, business assistance and economic development.
Institute for Transportation Research and Education, NCSU -- Information on pedestrian and bicycle programs, GIS, local assistance, and more
Center for Applied Geographic Information Science, UNC-C -- Variety of applications, including urban growth modeling
Local Government Training Program, WCU
Planning degree programs at ECU, ASU, and UNC-CH
N.C. Coastal Hazards Decision Portal (NCCOHAZ) -- A site at ECU with coastal hazards information for the general public and managers. It is designed to be not only a site for a variety of coastal hazards information and data but also a source of tools to allow people to better understand the hazards. Includes a Hazard Maps page with tools to visualize hazards in your area of interest. Also has links for information on immediate conditions and hazards.
Extension Forestry, Cooperative Extension Service, NCSU -- Information on forestry and tree protection, including local ordinances, best management practices, training programs, and links to state and federal programs
Nonprofits
Conservation Trust for North Carolina -- links to most of the state's local land trusts
EcoGateway Link Center - The EcoGateway Link Center contains links to numerous helpful sites. Their categories of links include sustainable communities, land use, air, water, energy, transportation, solid wastes, toxic material, pollution prevention, green design, urban greening, conservation of the built environment, and more.
Preservation North Carolina -- News, historic properties available for acquisition, and resource materials
Asheville -- Department of Planning & Urban Design
Beaufort -- Planning and Zoning Department, including 2013 Land Development Ordinance
Belmont -- contains an interesting review of the efforts of a small town to plan for and implement provisions for new urbanism/traditional neighborhood design; includes both plan and ordinance provisions in their City Planning Department section
Boone Planning & Inspections -- site includes smart growth audit, steep slope brochure, information on plan updates, ordinances, and more
Burlington Planning and Community Development Department
Cabarrus County GIS Public Access -- example of on-line data fully accessible to the public; includes data on Owner, Address, ZipCode, Sales Data, Real ID, Tax Map, Municipality, Parcel Number , Deeded Acreage, Legal Description, Deed Book and Page, Values, Year Built, Zoning, Soil Type, Township, Flood Zone, Fire District, Census Tract, Voting Precinct, High School District, and Elementary School District
Catawba County Planning and Parks - site includes zoning and subdivision ordinances, growth plan, Highway 321 corridor plan, and information on watershed, abandoned vehicle, and other regulations
Carrboro Planning Department
Cary -- site includes information on the city's growth management plan, area plans, rezonings, board of adjustment cases, planning board agendas; includes links for development review (including annexation, subdivision review, and development approvals/inspections)
Chapel Hill -- Link to the Planning and Sustainability Department, with information on neighborhood conservation districts and more
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Planning -- services include land-use and neighborhood planning, processing rezoning applications, subdivision approvals, site plan reviews, and the Charlotte Historic District Commission
Cornelius -- development code, incorporating several neo-traditional development standards and options
Davidson Planning and Urban Design Department -- site includes information on plans, ordinances, plan reports, traffic calming, planning principles, and other issues
Durham City-County Planning Department -- includes Durham development ordinance, draft of a small area (township) plan undergoing public review, calendar of pending cases, and information on the planning department
City-County Planning Board of Forsyth County and Winston-Salem -- includes information on the CCPB's "Legacy" project, a 2015 visioning effort, as well as other information on planning in the Triad area
Greensboro Planning Department -- includes information on city planning staff and boards, application and development fees, city's landscaping policies, and data on population, housing, and economic indicators
Guilford County Planning and Development -- includes link to on-line version of the county's development ordinance
Hendersonville -- link to the planning department, includes on-line copy of city zoning ordinance
High Point -- includes information on the development ordinance, greenway information, the city's landscape manual, and the work of several citizens boards (including the board of adjustment, planning and zoning commission, and the historic preservation commission)
Huntersville Planning Department -- includes information on the town's planning philosophy, as well as links to plans, studies, maps, forms, ordinances, and meeting aggendas
Jacksonville Planning, Permitting & Zoning -- includes zoning ordinances, maps, useful development review information
Johnston County Planning and Zoning -- includes news and reports on county planning and zoning activity, links to forms and ordinances, citizen and board training, and a planning discussion board.
Kernersville Community Development -- link to the planning deparment; site includes link to the town's Unified Development Ordinance
Morganton -- link to Development and Design Services Department.
Raleigh City Planning -- contains information about department programs and organization, employees, plan reviews and zoning cases, annexations, the comprehensive plan and commission activities
Salisbury Community Planning Services -- information on planning services, historic preservation, zoning and subdivisions, neighborhood planning, Salisbury 2000 Strategic Growth Plan, and much more
Triangle J COG regional planning
Wake County Planning Department -- includes information on land use, economic development, and historic preservation, and transportation planning, as well as copies of the zoning and subdivision ordinances
Links to various development ordinances at Municipal Code Corporation -- includes a number of North Carolina ordinances (Cary, Charlotte, High Point, Marion, Raleigh, Rocky Mount, Salisbury, and Winston-Salem)
Links to North Carolina city web pages
Links to North Carolina county web pages
APA National and State Chapters
American Planning Association
APA's Planning and Law Division
APA's Transportation Planning Division
Alabama Chapter
Arizona Chapter
California -- California Chapter
Colorado Chapter
CCAPA Online - Connecticut Chapter
Deleware Chapter
Florida Chapter
Georgia Chapter
Hawaii Chapter
Indiana Chapter
Iowa Chapter
Kansas Chapter
Kentucky Chapter
Maryland Chapter
Massachusetts Chapter
Michigan Chapter
Minnesota Online -- includes newsletter, job listings, and other planning information
New Jersey Chapter
New Jersey Planning Officials -- includes a link to their newsletter, as well as planning resources
New York Metro Chapter
New York Upstate Chapter
Northern New England Chapter
Oregon Chapter
Pennsylvania Chapter
Rhode Island Chapter
South Carolina Chapter[OldLink] -- includes a list of job openings in South Carolina
Tennessee Chapter
Texas Chapter
Utah Chapter
Vermont Planners Association
Virginia Chapter
Washington Chapter
West Virginia Chapter
Wisconsin Chapter
Journals and Abstracts
Carolina Planning -- the oldest student-run planning publication in the country, is produced once a year in UNC's Department of City and Regional Planning. Articles selected for the journal are written by academics and practitioners, covering a wide range of topics relevant to today’s planning challenges.
The Planning Commissioners Journal -- a quarterly publication for citizen board members engaged in planning and zoning
Journal of Land Use and Environmental Law -- published by Florida State University Law School; frequently contains articles on land-use law, growth management, wetlands, and related planning topics
Other Resources
The links below are roughly grouped by subject matter. The initial links are to general sites with news and many links to other resources, followed by links to sites with information on smart growth, sustainability, neighborhood revitalization, resource protection, sprawl, and miscellaneous others. The site descriptions are, where possible, taken directly from the linked web site.
Cyburbia -- Cyburbia was founded in 1994, and is the Internet's oldest continuously operating planning-related Web site; it functions today as a portal and busy social networking site for planners and others interested in the built environment.
Planetizen -- a leading web site of wide-ranging planning articles, blogs, news, and features.
UC-Berkeley Environmental Design Library -- with a number of links to good planning resources
Urban & Regional Planning Guide - an excellent site from University at Buffalo University Libraries, with many links to planning, architecture, housing, building, and environmental sites
ICMA Planning materials -- resources from ICMA, including innovations, reports, sample ordinances, and more
Smart Growth Network -- The Smart Growth Network's (SGN) partners work with each other and with the US EPA's Urban and Economic Development Division (UEDD) on outreach programs, technical assistance, research, publications, and other collaborative projects.
Congress for the New Urbanism -- "We stand for the reconfiguration of sprawling suburbs into communities of real neighborhoods and diverse districts, the conservation of national environments, and the preservation of our built legacy. CNU is one of only a few organizations addressing the confluence of community, economics, environment, and design in our cities, and the only one asserting that these issues must be addressed simultaneously through urban design and planning." Site includes news, resources, and forums.
Sustainable Communities Network -- "The Sustainable Communities Network is for those who want to help make their communities more livable. Here a broad range of issues are addressed and resources are provided to help make this happen. This web site is being developed to increase the visibility of what has worked for other communities, and to promote a lively exchange of information to help create community sustainability in both urban and rural areas.." Site includes lists of resources, many links to Smart Growth case studies, and more.
President's Council on Sustainable Development -- includes background information and a copy of the Council's report
The American Institute of Architects' Communities by Design -- "[D]esigned to provide information sharing, policy development, member advocacy, and resource guidance to architects seeking to become more involved in the development of communities. The center is seeking to catalogue and disseminate innovative and successful solutions to local problems."
Urban Land Institute -- Link to ULI's Smart Growth site. Includes sections on news, transportation, revitalization, infill and affordable housing, and environmental protection.
Brookings Institution Metropolitan Policy Program -- "Our mission at the Metropolitan Policy Program is to deliver research and solutions that help metropolitan leaders build an advanced economy that works for all."
National Association of Home Builders - Smart Growth -- News and reports on growth management from the home builders' perspective. Includes link to downloadable version of NAHB publication: Smart Growth: Building Better Places to Live, Work and Play.
Partners for Livable Communities -- A non-profit organization committed to improving community well-being through economic development, social equity, amenity assets and quality of life.
Center for Neighborhood Technology
National Neighborhood Coalition -- "The demands on nonprofit and community-based organizations to be the problem-solvers for the nation's urban neighborhoods and rural communities have increased tremendously since the NNC was formed in 1979. For organizations that are concerned about neighborhood issues and want to stay ahead in these challenging times, the NNC provides relevant and timely information about programs and trends, a policy voice in Washington, and a support network of organizations and individuals with similar goals. The NNC is a convener of people and organizations concerned about neighborhoods, a conduit of information about programs and policies, and an advocate for neighborhoods and community and neighborhood-based organizations." Site includes legislative updates, a monthly forum, and a link to their project on Neighborhoods, Regions, & Smart Growth.
The Conservation Fund -- "The Conservation Fund seeks sustainable conservation solutions for the 21st century, emphasizing the integration of economic and environmental goals. Through real estate transactions, demonstration projects, education, and community-based activities, the Fund seeks innovative long-term measures to conserve land and water." Site includes news, publications, and information on greenways, land preservation, sustainable communities, and more.
Trust for Public Land -- "Founded in 1972, the Trust for Public Land is the only national nonprofit working exclusively to protect land for human enjoyment and well-being. TPL helps conserve land for recreation and spiritual nourishment and to improve the health and quality of life of American communities." Site includes took kit, news, links to local offices, and more.
Low Impact Development -- This site provides watershed managers with a new set of tools and techniques that can be used to meet regulatory and receiving water protection program goals for urban retrofits, re-development projects, and new development sites.
Historic Preservation -- a link to Preserve/NET, a collection of legal and planning information on historic preservation
Street tree and sidewalk design options -- a link to information provided by Univ. of Florida Extension
Interplan on the Web -- International Planning Section of APA
Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development -- includes Oregon's statewide planning goals and information on their experience with mandated planning, urban growth boundaries, etc.
Portland, Oregon Planning and Sustainability -- includes planning information, a copy of the city's zoning ordinance, and zoning maps
PlanNet -- New Hampshire Office of Energy and Planning
Scenic America -- National nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and enhancing the scenic character of America's communities and countryside. Website includes information on sign and billboard regulation, telecommunication towers, tree conservation, scenic easements, and other topics.
Sprawl Watch Clearinghouse -- This web site has lists of resources available, summaries of "best practices" for reduction of sprawl, information on activities around the country, and a newsletter (with directions for electronic subscriptions).
Urban and Regional Planning Graduate Schools -- a listing of U.S. and international graduate schools offering planning degrees and programs
Discussion Groups/Listservs
California Planning Roundtable - a discussion of key issues as seen by Californians
If you have a resource address that you would like to see posted here, e-mail David Owens at owens@sog.unc.edu.