Government / Politics

The Political Foundation Behind America's Worst Tap Water Contamination

NPR host Linda Wertheimer interviews Evan Osnos about his current New Yorker piece on the Jan. chemical spill into W. Va.'s Elk River. His focus is less on the spill and more on the influence of Big Coal in government and how it contributed to it.

April 4, 2014 - NPR Morning Edition

Google Bus Opponents Lose CEQA Appeal

Yes—that's right: fervent opponents of Google (et.al) buses tried to use California's environmental law to get them off the streets of San Francisco—which would lead to tech employees driving their own vehicles to Silicon Valley.

April 3, 2014 - San Francisco Chronicle

HUD expected to further ease restrictions on mixed-use financing

The administrative change to follow recent successful FHA standards, according to CNU president John Norquist.

April 2, 2014 - Better! Cities & Towns

Port Authority Funds Diverted to New Jersey Roads and Bridges

As an alternative to raising the nation's second lowest gas tax (but lacking Alaska's oil wells), The Record found that Gov. Christie diverted toll revenue from the Port Authority and used them for state-owned facilities such as the Pulaskie Skyway.

April 2, 2014 - The Record

'People Habitat': Kaid Benfield Takes Smart Growth to a Higher Level

Kaid Benfield has a new book out, which Scott Doyon found positively uplifting. In ways beyond what you might be thinking.

April 2, 2014 - PlaceShakers

Examining the United States’ Urban/Rural Dichotomy

Governing presents a special series examining the “Rural/Urban Divide” in the United States.

March 31, 2014 - Governing

Come Together Locally for Smarter Growth

Connecting competence to organized support is key to reversing the Sisyphean cycle of urban placemaking.

March 31, 2014 - Better! Cities & Towns

Report: California High-Speed Rail Won't Meet Travel Time Requirement

In 2008, California voters approved the country's only true HSR project with a travel time of 2 hours, 40 minutes from L.A. to San Francisco. Anything more than that might cause legislators to balk at proposed cap-and-trade funding for the train.

March 31, 2014 - Los Angeles Times

Extreme Weather Could Replace Climate Change as Focus of Federal Agency

A bill sponsored by Rep. Jim Bridenstine (R-Okla.) whose state has suffered the ravages of recurrent tornadoes would direct the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to research predicting extreme weather events in lieu of climate change.

March 31, 2014 - The Hill: E2 Wire

How Cities Prohibit Annoyances

The 5,000 local ordinances that prohibit “annoyances” often focus on the fraught intersections of the public and private. And it’s probably no surprise that public employees often seek legal protections from annoying (or annoyed) citizens.

March 30, 2014 - The Wall Street Journal

Advocating for Extension of Transportation Sales Tax in Los Angeles

Los Angeles Councilmember Mike Bonin talks mobility on the Westside and the region. With another transportation sales tax extension in the works, Bonin sees a sunny future for LA, but no easy fix to end congestion.

March 30, 2014 - The Planning Report

Christie Vindicated!

The facts are in—N.J. Gov Chris Christie did not know of the lane closures on the George Washington Bridge, much less order them, according to an internal report commissioned by the governor himself that did not interview any of the key witnesses.

March 29, 2014 - The Star-Ledger

The State of Preservation Policy in L.A. County: Not Great (with Some Exceptions)

The Los Angeles Times reports on the Los Angeles Conservancy's 2014 Preservation Report Card, which "grades" each of L.A. County's local governments on their preservation programs (or lack thereof).

March 28, 2014 - Los Angeles Times

County Income Taxes for Transit? Hoosiers to Decide

When it comes to allowing voters to decide whether to increase local or state taxes for transportation, the most common option by far is the local or state sales tax. But what about income taxes; has it been tried before? And for public transit only?

March 28, 2014 - Nuvo

Charlotte Mayor Arrested After Taking Bribes for Zoning, Parking

Charlotte Mayor Patrick Cannon was first elected to the city council in 1993. He’s expected to be indicted on public corruption charges next week after accepting more than $48,000 for “the use of his official position..."

March 27, 2014 - Charlotte Observer

Young Planners

A Call for a Youth Movement in the Planning Process

Most millennials and Gen Xers are either too busy or too disengaged to realize how the future of their hometowns is being shaped by people much older than they.

March 27, 2014 - Vancouver Sun

Push to 'Free the Food Trucks' in Dallas

A newly formed coalition of the food truck owners has begun lobbying the Dallas City Council to reduce the regulations governing the operation of food trucks around the city and open the streets to mobile food vending.

March 26, 2014 - Dallas Morning News

Houston Launching 'Goal Zero' Bike Safety Program

Following the lead of New York City and San Francisco, Houston is the latest large American city to launch a program aimed at eliminating bike fatalities. The program includes funding for the creation of a Bicycle Master Plan.

March 26, 2014 - Office of Mayor Annise Parker

Commuter Taxes: An Untapped Revenue Source?

For all those cities that double population during the work day, here's a revenue thought to consider. But why restrict it to in-bound commuters? What about residents who commute-out of the city? Is the commuter tax a legitimate revenue source?

March 26, 2014 - Governing

Are Environmentalists Digging Their Own Fracking Hole in Opposing Natural Gas Exports?

In a pair of articles, The Hill's energy and environment blogger Timothy Cara looks at political efforts to increase natural gas exports to Europe on account of Russia's annexation of Crimea, part of Ukraine, and environmental groups opposed to it.

March 24, 2014 - The Hill

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.