California

View of San Francisco neighborhood from top of hill with misty bay in background.

San Francisco Supervisors Punt Housing Ordinance

After hours of public comment, the zoning reform package aimed at increasing housing production and limiting red tape was delayed for further discussion.

September 24, 2023 - SF Standard

Aerial view of large warehouses in Southern California with hills in background.

California Air Regulators to Crack Down on Warehouses

Truck traffic to and from Southern California warehouses accounts for as much pollution as refineries, power plants, and other industrial polluters combined.

September 22, 2023 - Los Angeles Times

Aerial view of residential buildings in Koreatown, Los Angeles with downtown skyline in background

How L.A. Failed to Stop Landlords From Turning Low-Cost Housing Into Tourist Hotels

Fifteen years ago, Los Angeles passed a law to preserve residential hotels as housing of last resort. Now, amid the homelessness crisis, Capital & Main and ProPublica found some hotels may be violating that law by offering rooms to tourists.

September 21, 2023 - Shelterforce Magazine

Empty underground Muni train platform in San Francisco with escalator, stairs in center of image.

Post-Pandemic Travel Patterns Call for Different Transit Schedules

As remote work and changed commuting patterns endure, transit agencies are shifting their focus to serve a wider variety of riders.

September 21, 2023 - Governing

Close-up of top of California state capitol dome with U.S. and California flags flying and blue sky in background.

California Housing Bills Streamline Affordable Housing

A series of current and proposed bills are paving the way for more affordable housing production in the state, where environmental laws are often deployed to delay or block new development.

September 20, 2023 - CALmatters

Aerial view of Disneyland park in Anaheim, California.

Impact Study Released for Disneyland Expansion

The theme park giant is one step closer to adding new sections to its Anaheim empire.

September 18, 2023 - Mercury News

Rendering of proposed bus rapid transit station in Pico Rivera, California

L.A. County City Calls for New BRT Line

Pico Rivera has released an ambitious plan that would create more transit connections in eastern Los Angeles County.

September 15, 2023 - Urbanize LA

Old railroad line overgrown with grass with cars parked in background

San Jose Walk/Bike Trail Moves Forward

The new trail will offer key connections to a new BART station and other local trails.

September 15, 2023 - The Mercury News

Nighttime view of Sacramento River with Tower Bridge and Sacramento skyline.

ADU Permits Spike in Sacramento County

Backyard cottages, known as accessory dwelling units, are touted as one solution to the rising cost of housing.

September 14, 2023 - KCRA

People lounging on grass in Alamo Square park in San Francisco overlooking painted ladies Victorian houses and city skyline

Drinking Water More Precious Than Grass in California

Ornamental grass—the kinds of grass that line medians and roadsides but never serves for recreation—is a vanishing amenity in a drought-stricken West.

September 14, 2023 - Los Angele Times

Aerial view of Glen Canyon Dam on Colorado River among red rocks

Calls Grow for ‘One-Dam Solution’ on Colorado River

California growers and others in the river’s Lower Basin want the federal government to consider draining Lake Powell to conserve more water downstream.

September 13, 2023 - Los Angeles Times

View of two trucks on asphalt two-lane road in Vapa Valley with vineyards along side of road

A Vision Zero Plan for Napa Valley

The regional transportation agency released a Vision Zero that will guide a ‘Safe Systems’ approach to improving road safety.

September 12, 2023 - Napa Valley Patch

Close-up of top of ornate Art Deco blue tile Eastern building in downtown Los Angeles

Easing Regulations for Adaptive Reuse

Cities with ordinances aimed at making commercial-to-residential conversions easier are reaping the benefits.

September 12, 2023 - Route Fifty

Aerial view of UC Berkeley campus with Campanile tower

New California Law Alters CEQA in Favor of Student Housing

Following a heated legal battle over new student housing in Berkeley, Governor Newsom signed a new law removing ‘social noise’ as an environmental impact.

September 11, 2023 - Los Angeles Times

View of downtown Los Angeles at golden hour from top of grassy hill with wooden bench in Vista Hermosa Natural Park

Downtown Los Angeles Park Wins National Award

Vista Hermosa Natural Park, designed by the landscape architecture firm Studio-MLA, has won the ASLA 2023 Landmark Award. Completed in 2008, Vista Hermosa was the first public park built in downtown L.A. in over 100 years.

September 11, 2023 - ASLA The Dirt

Row of white Spanish Revival-style homes in Torrance, California.

California Cities Continue Fight Against State Preemption

Lafayette City Council Member Susan Candell penned an op-ed in support of a lawsuit to invalidate Senate Bill 9 by four Southern California cities, highlighting a recent supportive court filing by UCLA economic geographer Michael Storper.

September 11, 2023 - The Mercury News

View of purple, orange, and yellow wildflowers on hillside during California superbloom

Celebrating and Protecting Biodiversity

Park and recreation agencies have an important role to play in safeguarding biodiversity. Learn more about how they contribute to the preservation of diverse ecosystems.

September 10, 2023 - National Recreation and Park Association Open Space Blog

Aerial view of small community among green agricultural fields and wind turbines in Solano County, Northern California.

An AI-Generated Vision of a Silicon Valley Utopia

A proposed plan to build a new city in the Bay Area is light on details and heavy on idyllic renderings.

September 10, 2023 - The Verge

The Silver Lake Reservoir and surrounding neighborhoods in Los Angeles, as seen from high above

First Look: Silver Lake Reservoir Master Plan Adopted in L.A.

The Los Angeles City Council approved environmental review documents for the long-awaited Silver Lake Reservoir Master Plan, clearing the way to remake a defunct reservoir into active green and park space.

September 8, 2023 - Urbanize Los Angeles

View of hillside community of La Canada Flintridge, California

After Supreme Court Affirmative Action Ruling, L.A. Suburb Claims Housing Mandate Unconstitutional

A wealthy California city is using a new argument to fight a multifamily housing development.

September 7, 2023 - San Francisco Chronicle

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