Government / Politics
Shanghai to Create Suburbs as Remedy for Urban Density
Shanghai in its 12th Five-Year Plan is modeling seven new satellite cities as suburbs to alleviate the density in the city center, reports Yu Ran, China Daily.
Experts Weigh Mica's Transportation Bill
Since the release of House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman John Mica's proposed $230 billion surface-transportation bill, reviews have been mostly negative. National Journal asks its panel of experts for their take.
Mixed Feelings As San Diego Dissolves Planning Department
As the San Diego Planning Department folds into another department to save city money, locals and former officials grapple with whether it was the right move and how the city could change as a result.
Government Control Vs. Individual Responsibility
Climate Central intern Ruthie Nachmany writes how one conference on energy envisions individuals taking a role in being energy efficient, while another conference prefers cities creating systems that can lead to energy efficiency.
Federal Officals to Aid Recovery in Six Problematic U.S. Cities
Federal officials are being sent to work in six cities including Detroit, Cleveland and New Orleans to help coordinate local officials to "tap federal funds and leverage local and regional resources," The Wall Street Journal's Sharon Terlep reports.
Brazil to Receive Billions for Mobility Ahead of World Cup
The cities hosting the 2014 World Cup in Brazil have been awarded an infusion of $6 billion from the Inter-American Development Bank to fund urban mobility and other efforts ahead of the event.
Private Sector the First Stop in Public Project Fundraising
When Toronto City Councilor Kristyn Wong-Tam wanted to raise money for a street redesign project, she went directly to the private sector. They raised the money and recently released the master plan for their proposed street project.
Code Violations Land 'Phonehenge' Builder in Jail
A Superior Court Judge has ordered the jailing of the builder of an elaborate and eccentric set of unpermitted buildings in the exurbs north of Los Angeles.
L.A.'s Planning Director Trying to Do More with Less
Despite a budget significantly smaller than his predecessors had, Los Angeles Planning Director Michael LoGrande is hoping to bring about major changes in the way the city gets things done.
Obama Launches Strong Cities, Strong Communities Initiative In 6 Cities
Six pilot cities are selected for the launch of a new federal, interagency initiative know as 'Strong Cities, Strong Communities': Fresno, New Orleans, Detroit, Cleveland, Memphis and Chester, PA.
Will L.A.'s Mayor Fight Prop 13?
Increasingly seen as an ineffective tool, the property tax limiting Proposition 13 has been derided in California for decades. Now, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa looks to be willing to argue against the politically sensitive law.
Mayors Push Gas Tax to Fund Transit in Vancouver
A group of mayor in the metropolitan Vancouver area have proposed an increase in the gas tax to develop a fund for a long-stalled transit project.
The Uneasy Transition in Post-Recession Seattle
While some have pigeonholed him as anti-business, Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn is taking the city through the recovery of the economy in a positive but potentially hard-to-swallow way, according to this column.
Keeping Rail On Track
Rail projects throughout the U.S. are hard hit by the downturn in the economy. The agencies behind them are trying to find ways to keep the projects from falling apart.
Projects Die As Redevelopment Agencies Try to Survive
Legislation in California that officially dissolves its redevelopment agencies offers them the chance to stay alive -- but at a cost that may be too high for some.
The Challenge of Long-Term Planning
The sometimes decades-long gap between cause and effect makes it difficult to reverse long-standing transportation & planning policies, says Ben Brown.
Why California Should Increase Car Tax
George Skelton of The Los Angeles Times contends that one of Schwarzenegger's biggest blunders as governor of California was lowering the vehicle license fee to 0.65%.
Making Cities Smarter By Making Urban Data Digestible
Making urban data available is important, but not as important as presenting that data in a digestible way, according to this piece from Change Observer.
Easy Zoning and Emergent Urbanism
The emergent urbanism of informal settlements has posed problems to governments in the Third World, and some are looking to address equality issues by issuing land titles. But one approach skips the titles and focuses on simple zoning.
Subsidizing Sprawl Through Relocation Tax Breaks
A new study from the nonprofit research center Good Jobs First looks into how relocation tax breaks for businesses have encouraged sprawl in the Cleveland and Cincinnati metropolitan areas.
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.
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
Tyler Technologies
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
