Government / Politics
Downtown Improvement District Lives Up To Name
This column from MinnPost praises the year-old Downtown Improvement District in Minneapolis for helping to revive the city's downtown core and give people a reason to walk.
Canadian Politicans: Come to Your Census!
In this op-ed for the Globe and Mail, four leading Canadian scholars argue that the Harper government's unilateral decision to scrap the long form census should be put to a vote in the House of Commons.
Hopeful Progress in Brazil's Slums
Redeveloping the slums of Rio de Janeiro has been on the city's agenda for decades. Despite the many challenges, some new efforts seem to be paying off.
Cycling in Toronto Leaves Much to Be Desired
Toronto Star architecture critic Christopher Hume blasts the city's lackluster bicycle planning efforts, calling them disjointed.
An Olympic Gamble for Community Revitalization
East London is the home of the city's poorest and most overlooked neighborhoods. It's also home to the site of the 2012 Summer Olympics, which officials hope will revive the struggling area.
Budget Crisis Taking Toll on City Services
State and municipal governments across the United States are facing an unprecedented financial crisis, prompting many of them to cut back drastically on public services in order to reduce costs.
French Utopia Devolves
Born from the 1968 riots, a carefully planned community in France has been steadily taken over by crime and unrest, prompting some to question whether its utopian ideals actually work.
Adam Smith's Economic Principles Reduce San Francisco Parking Congestion
After years of preparation, San Francisco has implemented a new system that will adjust the price of parking spots according to supply and demand.
Score One For Livability
Senator Dodd's Livable Communities Act passed a milestone on August 3 by passing the Banking Committee on a party line vote: 12-10. Known as a "smart growth planning" bill, it would integrate transportation with housing and economic planning.
San Francisco Bike Plan Ban Lifted
A 4-year legal battle over whether SF's bike plan was in compliance with the state's environmental law has been settled - the city has the go-ahead to resume planning and implementing new bike facilities designed to increase bike riding.
L.A.: 'Most Politicized' Planning In The World
An all-star panel of architects, developers and journalists convened to offer advice to L.A.'s new planning director.
Gas Tax for Highways Only?
The gas tax is being spread too thin on a broad range of transportation projects, according to the Reason Foundation. They say the gas-tax should be directed towards its original recipient: highways.
Detroit Light Rail Questioned
An environmental impact study will be launched to look at a possible 9.3-mile light rail line in Detroit. Time's blog questions whether it's really such a smart move to build the line.
Rem Koolhaas Produces Plan To Run Europe On Shared Renewable Energy
OMA proposes to redesign a whole continent along energy saving lines. Called Roadmap 2050, it is a plan that "combines the belief that drastic intervention is required to mitigate climate change, with a desire to give meaning and power to the E.U."
Michael LoGrande Appointed As Los Angeles' New Planning Director
Chief Zoning Administrator Michael LoGrande has been promoted to director just a few short weeks after his predecessor, Gail Goldberg announced her resignation.
Google Earth Reveals Un-Permitted Pools
A town in New York has been using satellite imagery from Google Earth to identify illegally-built pools.
Drive-Thrus Banned at Birthplace
The city of Baldwin Park, California -- purported home of the world's first drive-thru -- is temporarily banning any new construction of drive-thrus to try to combat obesity.
San Francisco Parking Battle Shows Limits Of Smart Planning
Neighbors are in uproar over a 71-unit affordable housing project planned on a bus-turnaround in a residential area of San Francisco because it provides only 7 parking spaces. Is smart growth planning getting ahead of itself by becoming top-down?
Bikes and Peds A Threat to the Car?
National Journal asks its panel of transportation experts whether the car is really threatened by the rise in policy focus on pedestrians and cyclists.
LaHood Repeats Vow: No New Fuel Taxes & No VMT Fee
While acknowledging that the 18.4 cent gas tax is insufficient to meet today's and tomorrow's transportation needs, LaHood said that increasing fuel taxes now would jeopardize the economic recovery.
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.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)
