Exclusives

BLOG POST

Who fights for suburbia?

This morning, one of my listservs was aflutter with discussion of a new article by Joel Kotkin, attacking an alleged "war against the suburbs." According to Kotkin, this "war" consisted of Jerry Brown’s efforts to "compel residents to move to city centers." After reading Kotkin’s article, I couldn’t really figure out exactly what Brown was trying to do- and since I don’t live in California, it really isn’t that important to me. However, it is important to realize that "smart growth" need not be the enemy of suburbs. Here’s why:

July 22 - Michael Lewyn

BLOG POST

Will Canada's 'New Deal' for Cities Run Out of Gas?

In response to the <a href="http://www.canadascities.ca/newdealforcities.htm">political movement for a "new deal" for Canada's cities</a>, successive Federal governments have instituted a Gas Tax Fund to provide Canadian municipalities with a supposedly stable means to finance their infrastructure needs. The 2008 Federal Budget extended the fund to beyond 2013-14<a href="http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/ip-pi/gas-essence_tax/index_e.shtml"> to become a permanent measure</a>. Agreements were drawn up between each of the provinces and Ottawa to set specific amounts, based on per capita need and other principles.

July 22 - Michael Dudley

FEATURE

The L.A. River, Navigability, and the Future of Watershed Development

Planetizen's Assistant Editor Nate Berg investigates the impact of recent court decisions on the Los Angeles River, and how it may affect development on the watersheds of rivers and waterways across the country.

July 21 - Nate Berg

FEATURE

Debunking Connections Between Urbanism and Alienation

In response to a recent essay about an apparent relationship between urbanism and social alienation, Robert Steuteville argues that the study in question -- and its press -- twists the facts.

July 21 - Robert Steuteville

BLOG POST

Liveblog from the MICD Santa Rosa Technical Assistance Team Session

In early 2008, the <a href="http://www.micd.org">Mayors' Institute on City Design</a> received a generous gift from the <a href="http://www.micd.org/news/micd_tat_pr.htm">Edward W. Rose III Family Fund</a>, directed through the <a href="http://www.nea.gov">National Endowment for the Arts</a>, to support technical assistance teams going into the communities of alumni mayors who have already attended one of our traditional Mayors' Institute sessions. The four cities that we selected for the pilot phase of this work were Santa Rosa, CA, Lincoln, NE, Cincinnati, OH, and Tulsa, OK.

July 18 - Jess Zimbabwe

BLOG POST

A Word from the New Managing Editor

It's a unique time to be joining the staff of Planetizen as managing editor. The world seems to be awakening for the first time to all of the issues we deal with everyday, whether we work in urban and regional planning, environmental preservation, architecture and placemaking, landscape architecture or transportation. Suddenly, everyone understands that these niches are, in fact, interconnected, and that "place" as a general concept affects everything we do. Unfortunately, it took $4.85 gasoline and a mortgage crisis that is sinking our economy, but at least people are thinking!

July 17 - Tim Halbur

FEATURE

Taking Action for 'More and Better Options'

Congressman Earl Blumenauer (OR-3) is doing more than responding to Gov. Glendening's recent op-ed on Planetizen calling for more and better options -- he's also introducing legislation to do just that.

July 16 - Congressman Earl Blumenauer

BLOG POST

Marketing the Bus

Not until this month did a bus pass ever make its way into my wallet.

July 15 - Josh Stephens

BLOG POST

Bike Language: the Wave, the Yell and the Nod

City cycling can be hectic. Let's be realistic: most American cities are not meant for cyclists. It would be great if they were, but for now, our city forms are primarily designed for the movement of cars. Because cities are made for cars, it's understandable that car drivers tend to disregard the fact that somebody might be riding a bike out there. (<a href="/interchange" target="_blank" title="Planetizen Interchange">Interchange</a> blogger <a href="/user/405" target="_blank" title="Planetizen Interchange blogger Mike Lydon">Mike Lydon</a> recently wrote an <a href="/node/33877" target="_blank" title="The Bicycle Network - by Mike Lydon - Planetizen Interchange">excellent piece about planning for bicycle networks</a>.) Until our urban forms and public policies encourage the use of roads by a variety of transportation types, the burden is on cyclists to assert their role in the transit jungle. Communication is key to achieving this goal. Safe cycling (and safe transportation in general) relies heavily on communication. Safe cyclists speak bike language -- a rudimentary system made up of three main components: the wave, the yell and the nod.

July 14 - Nate Berg

FEATURE

Cities: The Missing Presidential Campaign Issue

There is a glaring lack of attention in the presidential primaries to urban policy, says Randall Crane.

July 14 - Randall Crane

BLOG POST

My Favorite American Neighborhood

<div class="mp_drop"> Last year Project on Public Spaces and I published the <a href="http://www.pps.org/info/products/Books_Videos/great_neighborhood_book">Great Neighborhood Book,</a> which offers hundreds of ideas from around the world about making community improvements on issues ranging from crime prevention to environmental restoration. Since then almost everyone I meet asks: What's your favorite neighborhood? </div> I should have an answer ready. But each time the question arises, my mind starts wandering through the great places I've explored through the years. Is it the Plateau neighborhood in Montreal, where I became infatuated with cities years ago as a college student? Maybe

July 11 - Jay Walljasper

BLOG POST

Please Tax My Carbon

North American (United States and Canada) policy generally favors low energy prices, with low taxes, production subsidies and other types of energy industry support. As a result, North Americans are energy rich: an average worker can purchase more fuel per hour of labor than almost any other time or place. In response North Americans have developed energy intensive lifestyles and industrial practices, have failed to implement many energy conservation practices common in other parts of the world, and consume more energy per capita than most other times and places.

July 11 - Todd Litman

FEATURE

New WTO Rules Could Threaten City Planning

July 10 - Ellen Gould and Andrew Pask

BLOG POST

Mexicans, Machines and Place

The newest Drew Carey video at <a href="http://www.reason.tv/">Reason.tv</a>—<a href="http://www.reason.tv/video/show/451.html">Mexicans and Machines: Why Its Time to Lay Off NAFTA</a>—is (IMHO) brilliant, and triggered more than a couple of thoughts about how technology and progress creates practical challenges for planning.

July 9 - Samuel Staley

BLOG POST

The Bicycle Network

Basic Elements

July 7 - Mike Lydon

BLOG POST

Vancouver's New Policies for Greener Buildings and Large Sites

In my recent post outlining Council's approval of the <a href="http://www.vancouver-ecodensity.ca/content.php?id=42" target="_blank">EcoDensity Charter and Initial Actions</a> I referenced that two new rezoning policies approved by Council (Actions A-1 and A-2) may give Vancouver the highest green requirements for private-sector building design and large site design in North America. Here are these two policies that are in effect as of May 13, 2008.

July 7 - Brent Toderian

FEATURE

Americans Demand More and Better Options

Former Maryland Governor Parris N. Glendening says that Americans are tired of feeling like victims and are ready for innovative changes in how they live and get around.

July 7 - Parris Glendening

BLOG POST

Why Kelo is not a blank check

Last week marked the third anniversary of the Supreme Court’s ruling in Kelo v. New London. The first time I read Kelo, I thought what many Americans probably thought: that any government could seize property for any reason, so long as it compensated prior owners. But after having taught Kelo to law students several times over the past few years, I now realize that Kelo is much more complex. Kelo was a 5-4 decision, and Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote a separate concurrence. Because Justice Kennedy was the “swing vote”, his decision predicts future Court decisionmaking more accurately than the Court’s primary opinion, because a taking which fails to satisfy Kennedy might not be able to get five votes in the Supreme Court.

July 4 - Michael Lewyn

BLOG POST

False Creek North - The Residents' Views

What do the residents of Vancouver's False Creek North think of living in one of the largest centrally located, high-density, pedestrian- and family-oriented mixed-use neighbourhoods in the world?

July 1 - Gordon Price

FEATURE