With federal and state environmental clearance and with funds allocated, the main obstacle to laying track in the Fresno-Merced route is an environmental lawsuit to be be heard April, 2013. Two county farm bureaus ask that work cease until then.
The California High Speed Rail Authority has enjoyed much good news of late. It celebrated the expedited federal clearance of environmental permitting from the Federal Railroad Administration on Sept. 19 for the northern segment of the Central Valley 'spine' of the Los Angeles to San Francisco project. On July 6, the state Senate, by one vote, approved allocating $2.7 billion in 2008 Prop. 1A high speed rail funds for the Central Valley segment. Only determined Central Valley farm interests and their political friends remain as the obstacle to construction.
Determined to protect farmland from the project, "the Madera and Merced County farm bureaus have asked a judge to freeze construction on a segment of the project", writes Joshua Emerson Smith of the Merced Sun-Star.
"Sacramento Superior Court Judge Timothy Frawley will hear arguments for and against the Preliminary injunction Nov 16. The CEQA challenge of the Merced-to-Fresno route is scheduled to start in April."
It was for this very reason that another determined player, Gov. Jerry Brown, had requested that the project receive 'streamlining' from the state's premier environmental law, the CA Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) in June. However, pressure from the major environmental groups in the state cause him to relent.
Thanks to Katie Pearce
FULL STORY: Opponents request building freeze on high-speed rail
Oregon Passes Exemption to Urban Growth Boundary
Cities have a one-time chance to acquire new land for development in a bid to increase housing supply and affordability.
Where Urban Design Is Headed in 2024
A forecast of likely trends in urban design and architecture.
Savannah: A City of Planning Contrasts
From a human-scales, plaza-anchored grid to suburban sprawl, the oldest planned city in the United States has seen wildly different development patterns.
Washington Tribes Receive Resilience Funding
The 28 grants support projects including relocation efforts as coastal communities face the growing impacts of climate change.
Adaptive Reuse Bills Introduced in California Assembly
The legislation would expand eligibility for economic incentives and let cities loosen regulations to allow for more building conversions.
LA's Top Parks, Ranked
TimeOut just released its list of the top 26 parks in the L.A. area, which is home to some of the best green spaces around.
City of Rochester
Boston Harbor Now
City of Bellevue
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Birmingham, Alabama
City of Laramie, Wyoming
Colorado Department of Local Affairs
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.