Government / Politics
Italian Trash Problem Is Nothing New
This op-ed looks at Naples, Italy, where protests over a garbage dump have halted collections and left rubbish piling in the city's streets. Though unpleasant,writes the author, the situation should not be surprising.
Seattle Considers 48-Hour Notice for City Campers
In an effort to standardize its procedures, the city of Seattle is considering a plan to give homeless people 48 hours of notice before they are forced to clear out encampments on city property.
The Emergence of the Northern California Megaregion
The powerful northern California "megaregion" was revealed when it was awarded $840 million by the state Transportation Commission to the amazement and chagrin of southern California, which had been expecting to receive the majority of state funds.
The Threat of Ocean Acidification
There is growing evidence that the gravest peril for ocean species may be posed by “the other CO2 problem” — acidification of the world’s oceans as a consequence of the influx of carbon dioxide generated by human activities.
Traveling The Toll Road Campaign Trail
New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine has plans to travel throughout his state to convince voters that adding tolls to the state's roads is a good idea.
Mayors' Climate Change Vows Result In Little Action
Despite the signatures of hundreds of U.S. Mayors, the Climate Protection Agreement that says cities will take the lead on addressing climate change has resulted in little action, according to this article.
Chinese Farmers Challenge Land Policies
Rural farmers in China want legal ownership rights for the state-owned lands they farm.
New President Could Slow Population Growth
This op-ed form The Christian Science Monitor argues that a new president would most likely enact policies to encourage family planning throughout the country and across the globe.
Houston Needs Plan To Soak It Up
With a patchwork of building regulations, development can be difficult in Houston. This op-ed argues that what the city needs to guide itself to a more organized development pattern is a highly-defined plan to improve the city's permeability.
Political Climate Change?
Sierra Magazine asks Matt Stoller, Michael Bocian, David Orr and Newt Gingrich to square off on how climate change will figure in the 2008 Presidential election.
Planners Need To Work With Difference
There are many voices in the process of community planning. To create effective plans, planners need to welcome these many voices and their respective differences, not suppress them into consensus.
Georgia May Walk Away From Toll Roads
Citing staff inexperience, the head of Georgia's Department of Transportation has raised the idea of abandoning all of the state's toll road plans.
Bike Commuting: Point-Counterpoint
As part of a week-long series, Randal O'Toole and blogger Will Campbell discuss and debate bike commuting and what cities should or shouldn't do to encourage it.
Making Congestion Pricing Politically Feasible
In this article from Access, authors David King, Michael Manville and Donald Shoup suggest that distributing the revenue created by road tolling and congestion pricing will make the controversial idea more politically viable.
Environmentalists May Delay High Speed Rail In California
With the $10 billion bond slated for the November ballot in California, the latest twist in the long saga of delays is that environmentalists, unhappy with the proposed route into the Bay Area from the Central Valley, threaten to litigate the EIR.
'Free' Parking Costing Fort Worth Taxpayers Millions
Taxpayers in Forth Worth are paying millions per year to lease parking spaces to provide free parking downtown, enabled by a TIF that is supposed to build infrastructure in a blighted area. Many are calling it a misuse of taxpayer money.
Baltimore, Facing Foreclosure Crisis, Sues Subprime Lender
Citing the extraordinary impact of the subprime lending fiasco on minority households, the City of Baltimore is suing Wells Fargo for lost property tax revenue and the increased costs the city is now facing as a result of mass foreclosures.
Thinking Beyond the Olympics in Beijing
With the 2008 Olympics heading to Beijing, Chinese officials are looking at ways to reduce pollution and improve air quality by the time the games begin. But locals are also starting to think about life after the games.
Feds Pressure Baltimore For Drug Center Rezoning
For the third time, the city of Baltimore is considering a zone change that would allow live-in drug centers to be located in residential areas. Residents are opposed, but the Department of Justice has threatened to sue unless changes are made.
Abolish Montreal's 'Little Kingdoms'
Owing to political fragmentation and 20 different mayors, the Canadian city of Montreal is becoming increasingly dysfunctional and must be simplified, writes Lysiane Gagnon.
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.
Tyler Technologies
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
