Writing for Alternet, Sara Robinson reports on the Sightline Institute's efforts to compile a list of what she calls "zombie laws" that prevent people from living sustainably.
According to Robinson, the Seattle based Sightline Institute has compiled a list of nine outdated city ordinances and homeowners' association policies that prevent people from living more sustainably. The current list, which Sightline is looking to expand, includes bans on such innocuous sounding offenses such as hanging clotheslines, strollers on buses, couchsurfing, and person-to-person car sharing.
Here are some more that Robinson discovered:
"Granny flats in suburban houses: City and county governments are still clinging to the same 1950s ordinances that created suburban sprawl in the first place. If we want to update our suburban infrastructure, simply letting people build infill housing that raises density is the first and most obvious step to take."
"Food cart regulations: Food carts and trucks are a cardinal sign of healthy urbanism. [Yet nearby restaurant owners often] take their concerns to City Hall, where they get ordinances passed that stop the food trucks and carts in their tracks."
FULL STORY: Making Sustainability Legal: 9 Zombie Laws That Keep Cities From Going Green
How the ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ Impacts Transportation
Five ways the bill negatively impacts U.S. transportation policy.
DC to Launch E-Bike Delivery Pilot
The District will fund low-cost e-bikes and provide charging and battery swap stations for delivery workers to encourage e-bikes as an alternative to driving for food deliveries.
Trump Prompts Restructuring of Transportation Research Board in “Unprecedented Overreach”
The TRB has eliminated more than half of its committees including those focused on climate, equity, and cities.
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