James Brasuell, AICP is the former editorial director of Planetizen and is now a senior public affairs specialist at the Southern California Association of Governments. James managed all editorial content and direction for Planetizen from 2014 to 2023, and was promoted from manging editor to editorial director in 2021. After a first career as a class five white water river guide in Trinity County in Northern California, James started his career in Los Angeles as a volunteer at a risk reduction center in Skid Row. Prior to joining Planetizen, James worked at the Cal Poly Pomona College of Environmental Design, as an editor at Curbed LA, as editor of The Planning Report, and as a freelance contributor for The Architect’s Newspaper, the Urban Land Institute – Los Angeles Chapter, FORM, KCET, and the California Planning & Development Report.

Friday Eye Candy: Take a Virtual Reality Tour of Toronto's Underpass Park
The ASLA has rightfully identified virtual reality as a powerful promotional tool for the field of landscape architecture. Soon, we'll all be ditching plan views and offering virtual tours of proposed and completed projects.

Following Study, Army Corps Needs More Study to Decide Dakota Access Route
As the protests over the Dakota Access Pipeline continue, so does the legal wrangling.

A Little Help Explaining the Stormwater Utility Concept
American Rivers has created a toolkit for implementing stormwater utilityies

Yet More Data on the Value of Trees to the Built Environment
A new report from the Nature Conservancy provides evidence of trees as a crucial component of public-health infrastructure.

The Vision for a Revitalized Downtown in Akron, Ohio
It's been a busy year for planners in Akron, Ohio. The most recent accomplishment is the completion of phase 1 of the Downtown Vision and Redevelopment Plan.