Government / Politics
Federal Funding At Risk If KC Alters Plans
Streetcars and rail in place of bus rapid transit said to jeopardize federal funding.
June is Public Participation in Urban Planning Month
Urban planning commentator Robert Goodspeed declares June "Public Participation in Urban Planning Month" and offers a four part series examining how technology and public participation might be more closely linked.
Obama and McCain's Energy, Environment Policies Compared
The Wall Street Journal and other publications compare the energy and environmental policies of Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. John McCain, presumptive nominees for the 2008 U.S. presidential election.
First Toll on a Surface Road Under Consideration
A suburb of Dallas ponders charging a toll on a surface road, perhaps the first such plan for a surface road in the United States.
Caring For Foreclosed Lawns
A city councilwoman in Galt, south of Sacramento, is cited for violating city code rules on watering. That's despite the fact that the City Council had urged the public to water and care for lawns at foreclosed homes.
Unfortunately, More Trains Means More Noise
A peaceful suburb wanting to preserve its tranquility is pitted against a large rail company attempting to lessen freight congestion around Chicago by running its trains through it and other suburbs on an existing rail line it hopes to purchase.
Police Take Control of D.C. Neighborhood
Washington, D.C. police decide to stop everyone entering a neighborhood that has seen 22 killings so far this year, including a recent triple homicide.
California Voters Show Support for Redevelopment
Election Day provided a big boost for proponents of redevelopment in California. A statewide measure to restrict use of eminent domain lost badly, while voters in San Francisco and Napa County showed support for redevelopment projects.
Pushing New Fuel Taxes In The Era Of $4 Gasoline
As drivers complain about higher gas prices, one California lawmaker is promoting a new 9 cent fee on gasoline to fund public transportation and congestion relief in Los Angeles County.
Providing Public Services a Challenge for Karachi's Mayor
Tackling urban infrastructure problems in Karachi, Pakistan, is an uphill battle for Mayor Syed Mustafa Kamal. With few services, continuing violence and a rising population, he has his work more than cut out for him.
On the Brink? Miami's Downtown Struggles To Revitalize
While mega-condo developments are enlivening districts in and around Miami's urban core, a long moribund downtown business district struggles to keep up. Many hope that small improvements will make a big difference in the area's quest for vitality.
Keeping Public Space Public In Knoxville
Downtown Knoxville has seen many improvements in recent years. This column calls on the city to be careful how it lets private interests use downtown's new public spaces.
Homelessness Continues to Plague New Orleans
By some counts, the number of homeless people in New Orleans has more than doubled since Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005. Aid workers are hoping a bill in Congress will bring extra aid to the struggling city.
A 'One Size Fits All' Rule For Affordable Housing Doesn't Work
Requiring all cities and towns to building affordable housing is bad policy. The focus should be on building housing in existing urban areas near jobs and transit, not in rural and suburban towns.
Bush Considers Massive Marine Conservation Effort
The Bush Administration is reportedly considering the creation of some of the world's large marine reserves by using the presidential powers granted by the Antiquities Act of 1906.
The Failure of Long-Range Metropolitan Transportation Planning
In a policy analysis for the Cato Institute, Randal O'Toole reviews plans for more than 75 of the nation's largest metropolitan areas reveals that virtually all of them fail to follow standard planning methods, and half of them are not effective.
Generations of Planning Commissioners
Planning and zoning commissions need to be diverse to make sure the broad range of issues and concerns are considered. That requires commissioners who are from different parts of town, different walks of life, different ethnic backgrounds, and now, different age groups.
Parking Lot Hotels Serve Homeless
An outreach counseling group in Santa Barbara, California, has worked with the city to set up 12 parking lots where people can sleep in their cars at night -- an act that is illegal on city streets.
A City Devoid Of Billboards
Under a bold plan from the city's Mayor, the 11 million residents of Sao Paulo, Brazil, are enjoying a city free from outdoor advertising.
Engaging The Public In Land Use Decisions
A committee in Baltimore charged with the task of encouraging more public involvement in land use decisions is learning how difficult that can be as it faces criticism that its own meetings didn't get enough participation from residents.
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.
KFH Group Inc.
Greater Baltimore Committee
Eagle County Government
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
