Government / Politics
Most Popular Planning Articles of 2018
We crunched the numbers on all the features, blog posts, and news articles we published in 2018 to figure out which made the biggest splash with readers.
British Columbia's Climate Plan Bans Sales of Gas and Diesel Passenger Vehicles by 2040
Ten years ago, British Columbia launched North America's first carbon tax. This month, Premier John Horgan unveiled the long awaited climate plan, CleanBC, that aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent below 2007 levels by 2030.
Zoning Changes May Be Coming to Atlanta
The city is considering zoning updates, including legalization of accessory dwelling units and smaller apartment buildings, which would increase density and provide more housing.
California Pot Farms Stink (Literally), Say Neighbors
Officials overseeing cannabis implementation are having to deal with residents’ complaints that the smell from marijuana operations is overwhelming.
Year in Review: The APA's Advocacy Work in Washington, D.C.
The APA noted that the 115th Congress was "marked by divisive rhetoric, partisan stalemates, and threats to programs on which local communities rely." At the end of the year, however, it could still celebrate substantial victories.
Lamenting the Decline of Caracas, Once the 'Jewel of Latin America'
"A generation ago, Venezuela’s capital was one of Latin America’s most thriving, glamorous cities; an oil-fuelled, tree-lined cauldron of culture that guidebooks hailed as a mecca for foodies, night owls and art fans."
District of Columbia to Adopt the Nation's Strongest Renewable Energy Target
Move over, Hawaii and California, with your ambitious goals of going to 100 percent renewable electricity generation by 2045. The District's city council passed legislation on Tuesday that sets 2032 as the target to reach 100 percent renewable.
An East Coast Cap-and-Invest Approach to Reducing Transportation Emissions
Nine Mid-Atlantic and Northeast states and the District of Columbia have agreed to work together to develop a policy to price emissions from transportation, set a 'cap' on them, and invest the revenues in low carbon transportation solutions.
YourCoast App Will Make California's Public Beaches More Accessible
The app, developed by tech mogul Sean Parker (of Napster and Facebook fame), brings technology and environmental regulation together to give people the information they need to get to public beaches.
Gentrification Threat Spreading in Houston, Particularly on City’s East Side
A decrease in affordable housing, the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, and demographic changes mean more of the city’s neighborhoods are facing gentrification challenges.
Texas Has a Lot of Work to Do to Prepare for Future Hurricanes, Says Report
A new report outlines a long list of measures the state needs to take to prevent catastrophic outcomes. However, it avoids directly discussing climate change as a cause of increasingly severe natural disasters.
California Delta Project Facing Approval Challenges
The plan to update the state’s water system has hit a major snag.
A Vision for the Future of Transportation in Massachusetts
A long awaited report on the future of transportation in the Bay State was released last Friday. Among the recommendations: a phaseout on the sales of gas and diesel powered light duty vehicles and allowing cities to enact cordon congestion pricing.
Implementing the Paris Climate Agreement in Katowice, Poland
Representatives from nearly 200 nations have been attending the U.N. Climate Change Conference in Katowice since Dec. 2 to work on implementing the 2015 Paris climate agreement. Scheduled to end Friday, it will be extended two days due to discord.
Who's Advocating Rolling Back Fuel Economy Standards?
Conventional thinking is that the auto industry, wanting to sell more fuel-gulping SUVs, are pushing for weaker fuel economy standards, but Hiroko Tabuchi, climate reporter for The New York Times, exposes Big Oil's stealth campaign.
Boston Bridge Separated Bike Lane Might Get the Ax This Winter
MassDOT and cycling advocates don’t agree on what should happen to the Longfellow Bridge’s bike lane in the coming months.
Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke Resigns Amid Scandals
With a tweet from the president on Saturday morning, the public learns that yet another embattled cabinet member will lose his job. Zinke, a former congressman from Montana, is the subject of numerous investigations and controversies.
EPA and Army Corps of Engineers Propose Revision of Wetlands Definition
Fulfilling a promise he made as a candidate, the Trump administration proposed a redefinition of what is classified as a wetland, with the result being the loss of federal protection of millions of acres of waterways and wetlands.
Brooklyn-Queens Expressway Needs Innovative Solutions
The New York City roadway is desperately in need of repair, but just tearing it down and replacing it would be a shortsighted fix.
Recent Parking Reform: Start of a Wave of Change?
The range of cities that have recently removed parking mandates could help motivate others that are eyeing new parking policies.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
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Planning for Universal Design
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Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie
