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.
5 November 2009 - 2:00pm
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.
5 November 2009 - 1:00pm
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.
5 November 2009 - 12:00pm
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.
5 November 2009 - 11:00am
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.
5 November 2009 - 10:00am
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.
5 November 2009 - 9:00am
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.
5 November 2009 - 8:00am
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.
5 November 2009 - 7:00am
Washington Post

Bus Becomes Bus Stop

Sculptor and designer Christopher Fennell takes scrapped school buses and repurposes them into bus shelters.
5 November 2009 - 6:00am
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.
5 November 2009 - 5:00am
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.
4 November 2009 - 2:00pm
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.
4 November 2009 - 1:00pm
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.
4 November 2009 - 12:00pm
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.
4 November 2009 - 11:00am
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.
4 November 2009 - 10:00am
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.
4 November 2009 - 9:00am
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.
4 November 2009 - 8:00am
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.
4 November 2009 - 7:00am
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.
4 November 2009 - 6:00am
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.
4 November 2009 - 5:00am
Daily Commercial News and Construction Record