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.

San Jose Sharks Invoke CEQA to Protect Arena Parking
Another "only-in-California" story.

First New Portland-Area Highway in 34 Years Opens Today
The sun rises on the new Sunrise Expressway in Oregon.

An In-Depth Look at Sea Level Rise in the San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Chronicle gives feature-length, in-depth treatment to the looming dangers of sea level rise, which are more likely to encroach on the built and natural environments of the Bay Area with every passing year.

Friday Funny: An Old Meme Scores Points Against New Transportation Tech
You remember the one showing the amount of space occupied by 60 people on a bike, 60 people on a bus, and 60 people in cars? It's also helpful for making a convenient point about Uber and self-driving cars.

Planetizen Week in Review: July 1, 2016
It will only take us two-and-a-half minutes to catch you up on the big planning news from the last week of June.