News
Tribal Battle Results in No Development for 40 Years
In 1968, the Bureau of Indian Affairs put a freeze on development in an area of Arizona that the Navajo and Hopi both claimed until the tribes could settle. It wasn't until 2006 that an agreement was reached.
Los Angeles Times
The True Cost of Commuting from the Exurbs
A new study from ULI details the transportation costs for households around the San Francisco Bay Area, and finds that SFers spend on average $500 less each month than suburban dwellers in the area.
The San Francisco Chronicle
Boom in Utah Town
Growth is at a standstill in most western boomtowns, but not in well-planned, thriving South Jordan, UT. An expedited permitting process and good planning are given credit as catalysts for growth.
Desert News
National Trust for Historic Preservation Head to Retire
Richard Moe, longtime president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, has announced his retirement. His tenure brought about a major change in the way the group interacts with the federal government to preserve the nation's historic sites.
The Washington Post
California Election Results Reverse Trend on Growth
It's no surprise when voters in the college town of Davis, California, say no to a housing development. But it is a surprise when Modesto says "whoa" to growth, and when development-averse Santa Barbara and Ventura reject new controls.
California Planning & Development Report
An American Piazza
Developer Bart Blatstein reimagined an old brewery in the outskirts of Philadelphia into an adapted Italian piazza. Locals worried it would be be too theme park-y, but community leaders are pleased with the results.
The New York Times
Car-Free Sundays Coming to L.A.?
A group of cyclists in Los Angeles is hoping to move forward in talks with the city to establish car-free days, based on the ciclovia street closures originated in Colombia.
Los Angeles Times
Maryland's Smart Growth Law A Dud According To University Study
Maryland's 1997 landmark smart growth, hailed as one of the most innovative policies in the nation, has turned out to have failed in what it hoped to accomplish - preserve open space and cluster urban growth, according to a just-released report.
Washington Post
Bus Becomes Bus Stop
Sculptor and designer Christopher Fennell takes scrapped school buses and repurposes them into bus shelters.
The Design Blog
Changes Ahead for Rails and Air
Changes to a 75-year old rule, which says nonvotes must count as 'no' votes in labor elections, could make it easier for workers to organize in the railroad and airline industries.
The Wall Street Journal
Kunstler: Rebuild the Passenger Rail System
In his forward to James McCommons' new book, Waiting on a Train: The Embattled Future of Passenger Rail Service, James Howard Kunstler lays out the case for investing in a revival of passenger rail.
AlterNet
A Greener Shade of Golf?
Golf courses use dangerous pesticides and hundreds of thousands of gallons of water to maintain their manicured look. Many people would like to change that. But some golf courses says you can have your cake and tee off, too.
Good
Buffett Buys BNSF
Billionaire Warren Buffett took full ownership of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) railroad yesterday, calling his move "a bet on the country." Some say it's a bet on coal and against clean energy.
Streetsblog
One Transportation Agency to Rule Them All in Mass.
It is now official: the new Massachusetts Department of Transportation will be the singular transportation and transit agency for the entire state. With the swearing in of its five-member board, the agency can begin its work.
The Boston Herald
Stimulus Success and Challenges in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico seems to be at the head of the pack in terms of jobs created by the federal stimulus bill. But the news isn't all sunny from the island territory, as the governor moves to slash thousands of public sector jobs.
Christian Science Monitor
Lost Your Wallet? Hope You're in Utah.
A new Gallup poll asks respondents whether they'd expect a lost wallet to be returned. The results indicate that trust in neighbors and well-being go hand-in-hand.
Gallup
Vancouver Seeks to Avoid Tragedy, Make Shelters More Practical
Homeless people may avoid seeking help or services because there is a lack of space secure their belongings in shelters. The death of a homeless woman in Vancouver last winter highlights the severity of the problem.
The Globe and Mail
Seattle Approves Backyard Cottages
The Seattle City Council has unanimously approved an ordinance that will allow owners of single family homes to construct additional cottage-like housing units on their property.
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer
EPA's Porous Pavement Project
The Environmental Protection Agency is conducting a test on three different types of porous pavement to devise ways to control runoff from parking lots and streets.
Scientific American
Great Brownfield Redevelopments
The Canadian Urban Institute presented its yearly 'Brownie' awards last week, honoring the best brownfield redevelopment projects in the nation.
Daily Commercial News and Construction Record




















