A small Delta town near Sacramento is pushing a state commission to loosen barriers on development in an area set aside in the '90s to protect agricultural land, the area's migratory bird life, and water resources that provide for much of the state.
"In the first case of its kind, the unincorporated town of Clarksburg, 15 miles south of Sacramento, is urging a state commission to allow a developer to build 162 homes. The decision about whether to uphold the 14-year-old preservation statute could have broad implications for future land use in the state's immense agricultural plain, which faces increasing pressure from homebuilders."
"The delta includes some of the most fertile soil in the nation and crucial habitat for migratory birds and other wildlife. The levees that crisscross the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta not only protect farmland and small towns but also contain the drinking water for more than 23 million people in the San Francisco Bay area and Southern California."
"In an attempt to control development, state lawmakers in 1992 passed the Delta Protection Act. It set aside about 500,000 acres in an area known as the primary zone to 'be protected from the intrusion of nonagricultural uses.'"
FULL STORY: Urban Sprawl Moves to the Delta

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking
Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

Cal Fire Chatbot Fails to Answer Basic Questions
An AI chatbot designed to provide information about wildfires can’t answer questions about evacuation orders, among other problems.

What Happens if Trump Kills Section 8?
The Trump admin aims to slash federal rental aid by nearly half and shift distribution to states. Experts warn this could spike homelessness and destabilize communities nationwide.

Sean Duffy Targets Rainbow Crosswalks in Road Safety Efforts
Despite evidence that colorful crosswalks actually improve intersection safety — and the lack of almost any crosswalks at all on the nation’s most dangerous arterial roads — U.S. Transportation Secretary Duffy is calling on states to remove them.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
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Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie