Government / Politics
The fine for misuse of a placard will increase considerably, but not everyone agrees this is the right way to address a growing problem.
Los Angeles Times
The Virginia Air Pollution Control Board approved a cap-and-trade policy for utilities to join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, but Republicans added language in the state budget bill to prevent it.
The Washington Post
Proposed legislation in California would limit short-term beach rentals in San Diego.
Voice of San Diego
Work requirement programs achieve very little in helping housing assistance recipients find work, according to a recent study.
Curbed
While accessory dwelling units have the potential to ease California’s housing crisis, homeowners still find the construction process difficult to navigate.
San Francisco Chronicle
The proposed legislation would open up cities like Palo Alto to higher-density housing.
Los Angeles Times
The Supreme Court heard opening arguments Department of Commerce v. New York this week.
Social Explorer
A number of U.S. cities have set ambitious zero-waste goals, but reaching targets has been challenging. Turning waste into a viable commodity is one strategy to get materials out of the waste stream.
Next City
Once again, the president's efforts to undo his predecessor's environmental legacy were thwarted by a court ruling. In this case, the Interior Department's failure to conduct an environmental review of a Trump executive order ran afoul of NEPA.
The New York Times
Nashville has a great deal going for it, but rising housing costs and gentrification could take it down a darker path.
The Guardian
Reports of a new federal program designed to cut the waiting list for public housing was greeted incredulously from housing advocates this week.
CityLab
Inglewood had fallen on hard times, but then plans for a massive sports and entertainment complex came along. While the city’s future is poised to change dramatically, the development is also displacing residents.
Los Angeles Times
The 3 cent gas tax and 6 cent diesel tax increases are among the lowest of any states that have hiked fuel taxes since 2013, but combined with other revenue sources in the legislation, plus an upcoming sales tax ballot measure, it's historic.
Talk Business & Politics
Current Texas law grants state representatives significant power over whether affordable developments receive federal tax credits. Controversially, several representatives have proposed the reduction of their own authority in that regard.
Next City
Public outcry about the priority given protected bike lanes on streets can be mitigated when civic crowdfunding is part of the planning process, according to this article.
The Conversation
Blog post
Last week, Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced a plan to replace Toronto's subway expansion plans with a vision of his own. Reactions have been pouring in ever since.
A Chicago City Council vote to approve tax increment financing for the massive Lincoln Yards redevelopment proposal scored a surprising reversal and a big win for outgoing Mayor Rahm Emanuel, with an assist from Mayor-elect Lori Lightfoot.
Politico
At this week's American Planning Association National Conference in San Francisco, a roundtable of eight planning directors from the Bay Area discussed their cities unique situations and common challenges.
California Planning & Development Report
Motorists who purchase gas along the I-81 corridor will pay an additional 2.1 percent gas tax, about seven cents a gallon. Trucks, which disproportionately use the corridor, will see increases to registration fees and road and diesel taxes.
The Winchester Star
Can freight trains and a scenic shoreline park along San Francisco Bay coexist, or are they incompatible uses? The East Bay Regional Park District voted to remove old rail tracks that BNSF Railway wants to reactivate. A local court may decide.
San Francisco Chronicle
