Amanda Eaken details Kern County's new Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy (RTP/SCS). The new plan implements California's SB 375, which serves as the land use component of California's carbon emissions reductions goals.
"With the third most polluted air in the country in 2013, the 5th fastest growth rate of all California counties in 2012, and now a steady state-wide stream of funding to support sustainable communities from cap and trade proceeds, Kern County has much to gain from sustainable planning."
Eaken's coverage of the new plan breaks the plans into list of "good news" and "bad news" about what the plan achieves and where it falls short.
Among the positives, according to Eaken:
- The plan "contains seven times more funding both for transit (exclusive of high speed rail) and for bicycle/pedestrian infrastructure compared with their last long range transportation plan adopted in 2011."
- The plan anticipates future changes in housing demand: "the adopted plan’s land use scenario accommodates 21% of new development in infill areas as opposed to only 1% in the 2011 plan, and it places more emphasis on multi-family and small-lot single family homes in an effort to create more walkable communities."
And then some of the plan's shortcomings, according to Eaken:
- The plan did not adopt the Balanced Growth Scenario supported by the National Resources Defense Council and will pursue the Centennial Corridor highway plan, "slated to demolish over 200 homes in an historic neighborhood."
- The plan still targets greenfield development: "the RTP/SCS is projected to consume over 91 square miles of farmland, working landscapes and other open space, an area more than half the size of Bakersfield."
FULL STORY: 'Cause how many of you that sit and judge me, ever walked the streets of Bakersfield?

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