Residents and city officials in L.A. battle over what to do with unused land surrounding the Silver Lake Reservoir.
"The neighborhood of Silver Lake is the only place in Los Angeles that has more cheese stores than doughnut shops. It has a reputation as a hipster haven, but in reality it's a destination for the upwardly mobile to raise children. Politically active. Informed. Opinionated. Think of it as Berkeley with a wax job."
"Even with its idiosyncrasies, Silver Lake is far from unique. Like everywhere, its political dramas are packed with passion and rife with absurdity. In an area where the majority of residents have their own yards, the firestorm has been over a roughly six-acre plot of green space, the Meadow."
"It sits at the north end of Silver Lake Reservoir and has been closed off from the public, by most accounts, for 60 years. The open-air reservoir is being decommissioned as a source of city drinking water due to tighter environmental rules."
"The question now is whether the admittedly public land surrounding the reservoir, long fenced in, should be opened to the public. Or should it be a wildlife sanctuary for birds and coyotes?"
"Open it or keep it closed?"
FULL STORY: Silver Lake's Nasty Land Feud

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

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie