Government / Politics
Dispute Over Siting of Coronavirus Quarantine Facility in Washington State
The Seattle area is ground zero for the coronavirus in the U.S., where 10 of the 11 deaths as of March 5 have occurred. King County's decision to purchase a motel in Kent for use as a quarantine facility is being met with protests by city officials.
Public Supports East Coast Climate Pact—More Than Governors
Public comments were largely favorable regarding the 12-state program intended to reduce transportation emissions by using a cap-and-invest system, but governors are cautious due to an expected effect on gas prices.
Alaska Fuel Tax Hike Passes First Key Hurdle
A GOP bill to double the nation's lowest state gas tax was approved by the state Senate on Monday. If approved by the House and signed by Gov. Dunleavy, who is facing a possible recall election, the excise tax would jump to 16 cents-per-gallon.
Super Tuesday Results for Planning and Land Use Votes
Super Tuesday wan't just for presidential primaries: numerous local elections decided the future of land use policy in the largest state in the nation, while Oklahoma City weighed in on planning-related issues as well.
NIMBY Politics Sway the Fight to Contain Coronavirus
A week after the Orange County city of Costa Mesa filed a restraining order against the federal government and the state of California over the use of a state-owned facility as an isolation site for coronavirus patients, the feds dropped the plan.
Utah Officials Want to Replace the State Gas Tax
The state auditor and the transportation chief argue that the gas tax is an unsustainable funding source caused by a projected increase in electric vehicle adoption and an increase in fuel efficiency of gas-powered vehicles.
Federal Law Would Help Build Infrastructure to Weather Climate Change
A bi-partisan bill introduced in the U.S. Senate would inform better information sharing between federal agencies and local code-making powers to ensure more resilient infrastructure.
The Long, Tough Road for Property Tax Reform in New York City
Landlords and the NAACP agree on the need for property tax reform in New York City, but it took a lawsuit to get the city moving on reform, and the state is still dragging its feet.
Déjà Vu: Republican Legislators Flee From Capitol to Stall Climate Bill
Republican state lawmakers repeated a tactic they successfully deployed last summer to prevent the passage of a bill that would have made Oregon the second state, after California, to place a price on carbon emissions from most economic sectors.
Latest San Francisco Bike Battlefront: Valencia Street
With most private auto traffic banned on Market Street in downtown, a battle is brewing in the Mission District between Valencia Street merchants, led by a bike store owner, and cyclists who support converting a bike lane into a cycletrack.
California's Piecemeal Progress on Housing Production
California Assemblymember Richard Bloom and Tara Barauskas dive into the barriers to affordable housing in California and whether recent legislation streamlining local planning, zoning, and permitting processes.
New Orleans 'Smart City' Program Would Install Video Cameras in Public
The video cameras would be used to collect data on street light outages, but could also potentially used by police in the city's crime surveillance program.
Controversial Development Site in Cupertino Compounds Legal Controversy
The city of Cupertino rezoned a controversial development site in case a judge tosses the developer's current plan for the site. Now the developer is suing, accusing the city of an illegal taking.
New Housing Law Quickly Enacted in Bay Area
A four-month-old California housing law that applies only to 100% affordable housing near transit has dramatically changed a housing proposal in an affluent Peninsula city, though it is too soon to say if the additional two-stories will be approved.
The Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda Era Concludes in Seattle
Before YIMBY was a household word and before Minneapolis ended single-family zoning, Seattle's Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda (HALA) broke the planning status quo.
Climate Agency Opens Shop in Denver
A high-profile appointment highlights the launch of Denver's new Office of Climate Action, Sustainability, and Resiliency.
Bribery Scandal Leads to Zoning Board Reforms in Boston
The planning approvals process took a black eye in Boston last year, when a bribery scandal sent a Boston Planning and Development Agency staffer to jail.
TOD and Zero-Emission Trains: Can You Guess Where the Controversy Is?
The nation's first fuel cell electric train will make its debut in Southern California in about four years, but it's also associated with a controversial ballot measure on the station sites that voters of Redlands will decide on Super Tuesday.
Scrutinizing the Reality of Bernie's Energy and Climate Plans
CNN host Fareed Zakaria questions whether the goals of Sanders' ambitious Green New Deal are realistic.
Smart Growth America Promotes the Transportation and Climate Initiative
Former Maryland Gov. Parris Glendening penned a local opinion for The Washington Post in support of the TCI to advance funding of alternatives to driving and ask readers to shape the controversial initiative by submitting comments by Feb. 28.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
KFH Group Inc.
Greater Baltimore Committee
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
