Government / Politics
Maglev Is A Hard Sale In California
A California developer is pushing proposals for high-speed magnetic levitation trains. He's hoping private enterprise will help make the costly venture more attractive to state and regional governments.
Property Wrongs: Lessons from Oregon
Report by Seattle-based Sightline Institute documents a growing backlash against "property rights" initiatives in Oregon communities deeply affected by Oregon's Measure 37 and implications for western states.
Greenspan Joins Movement Advocating Gas Tax Increases
Alan Greenspan, Chairman of the Federal Reserve for two decades, is the latest Republican economist to join a small academic movement to increase gas taxes to address market imperfections so as to reduce energy consumption.
Locals Want Role In Pakistan's Quake Reconstruction
A year after an earthquake killed 73,000, rural leaders say they need a greater voice in rebuilding.
American Christianity Embracing Environmentalism
"To conservative Christians, environmentalism was a dirty word -- it stank of paganism, of interference with the free market, of the sixties. Meanwhile, many environmentalists were more secular than the American norm, and often infected with the notion spread by the historian Lynn White in his famous 1967 essay, "The Historical Roots of Our Ecologic Crisis," that Christianity lay at the root of ecological devastation. Everyone, in short, was scared of everyone else. But there were a few lights starting to shine in that gloom."
Planning On The Ballot
The Kelo decision spurs ballot measures to restrict eminent domain and "regulatory takings".
Planning Commissioners Serving Developers In Palm Beach
This opinion piece from the Palm Beach Post accuses the county's planning commissioners of bowing to the desires of developers and showing little concern for the way the 'planned' land is to be used.
India's Special Economic Zones Plan Runs Into Opposition
Shenzhen and Pudong (near Hong Kong and Shanghai respectively) were developed as Special Economic Zones (SEZs). Now India's plans to fast-tract and focus such development into designated areas have run into opposition from diverse sectors like India's left.
'Is God Green?': Evangelicals And The Environment
Legendary journalist Bill Moyers on the growing environmental consciousness of conservative evangelical Christians.
11 States To Vote On Challenging Kelo
Eleven states have initiatives on their ballots this fall that could go against 2005's Supreme Court eminent domain decision in the case of Kelo v. New London.
Columnist Wants Honesty From Planners, Not A T-Shirt
Urbanism critic Trevor Boddy of Toronto's Globe and Mail is upset with the city planners who significantly changed their plans for his neighborhood without public input. He says the town hall meeting before the decision was all fluff.
US Cities, Architects Promote Green Development
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) and cities such as Chicago are undertaking innovative initiatives to reduce energy use and combat global warming.
The Long Planning Process On The Gulf Coast
This article from Governing Magazine looks at the planning process along the Gulf Coast as cities and towns look to rebuild, but struggle to decide what to rebuild into.
Will U.S. Support Widescale Congestion Pricing?
Is congestion pricing at a tipping point in the US? Should we begin converting HOV lanes to toll lanes? Dr. Peter Gordon and Bumsoo Lee review recent research on the topic and offer their views.
Journal Says White House Censored Hurricane Report
The journal Nature alleges that the Bush administration tried to block a report that linked global warming is contributing to the stronger hurricanes.
Prince's Foundation Going To Work In Jamaica
The Prince of Wales and the Jamaican government are set to announce a major redevelopment plan for Trench Town, one of Kingston's most troubled neighborhoods.
Ballots Reflect Eminent Domain Backlash
After the Supreme Court's "Kelo" decisions, ballot referendums seek to restrict local governments' power.
Establishing Land Rights For The Poor?
Establishing land rights for the poor in developing nations was a mostly-ignored issue until the second annual Clinton Global Initiative in Manhattan in late September, 2006.
Second Homes In Tahoe Basin Force Out Local Workforce
As more wealthy Bay Area residents purchase second homes to vacation in the Tahoe basin, long-time residents and workers find themselves priced-out, moving to less expensive, rural Nevada and commuting long distances, or out of the area entirely.
Environmental Role Reversal In California Politics
In an unusual role reversal, Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger has Democrat Phil Angelides on the defensive on environmental issues. Republicans in other states are also using the environment to appeal to voters.
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.
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
