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.
St. Louis Facing Huge Costs from Aging Water Infrastructure
"The St. Louis region doesn’t face the prospect, as Western states do, of running out of water," according to Jacob Barker. But the region is facing a water problem: "aging infrastructure and capital spending that isn’t keeping up."
A Planner's Guide to Chicago
Pete Saunders, blogger with the Corner Side Yard and professional planning consultant, wrote a post explaining Chicago for the U.K. publication Guardian Cities.
Streamlined Permitting Approved for California Rooftop Solar
The path to a distributed solar future just got clearer in California, thanks to new bill approved by the State Legislature and awaiting Governor Jerry Brown's signature.
Coming Soon to Downtown Houston: the City's First Dedicated Bike Lane
Reflecting a series of recent initiatives by city leadership in Houston to promote bike safety and road diets, a vehicle lane will soon be removed and handed over to bikers in Downtown Houston.
Columbus, Ohio Launches 'insight2050' Plan to Curb Sprawl
The Mid Ohio Planning Commission (MORPC) is working with Columbus 2020, ULI Columbus, and planning firm Calthorpe and Associates to head up a new effort called insight2050 that will develop "objective analytical tools" to prepare for growth.