Land Use

Seattle Experiments With Fence-Free Sidewalk Cafés
Sidewalk-adjacent eating spaces generally separate diners from pedestrians. By using markers instead of fences, some Seattle eateries are opening their dining areas to the street.

A Floating Food Forest In New York City
New York's 'barge-to-table' floating farm gives city residents without access to farmland the opportunity to pick their own food.

On California's Broken Housing Requirement System
Liam Dillon has written the exact article for anyone who has every rolled their eyes at the words "housing element" or Regional Housing Needs Assessment.

L.A. Metro CEO Challenges Trump on Infrastructure Funding
President Trump’s most recent transportation budget is projected to cut transportation spending by 13 percent, potentially undercutting many of Los Angeles' ambitious projects to continue the build-out of a full public transportation system.

Atlanta to Create New Downtown Sign District
Not everybody has the same definition of vibrant, but Atlanta recently chose the way of Times Square and the Sunset Strip.

Trump Budget Would Cut PILT Funding to Rural Communities
Sparsely-populated rural counties with large amounts of public land stand to lose the most if the Trump Administration succeeds in cutting funding to the Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program.

Beware the Utopian Visions of Transportation Technology Boosters
At the dawn of automated vehicle technology, humans, and Americans in particular, should recall the shortcomings of past utopian visions.

Light Rail Stations to Charge for Parking in Southern California's San Gabriel Valley
The popularity of the Gold Line extension in the San Gabriel Valley to the east of Pasadena requires a new approach to parking. It's hoped that parking fees will decrease demand for parking at stations along the route without affecting ridership.

Seattle Tackling Equity Challenges With Global Lens
Seattle is faced with an affordable housing crisis that has led the new Planning & Community Development Director Sam Assefa to look globally for solutions.
Workers Returning, Carefully, to the Scene of Epic Landslide on the California Coast
Engineers are searching for solid ground along the California coast at the scene of a massive landslide that wiped out California Highway 1 near San Luis Obispo.

As Medical Cannabis Grows, So Does the Space Needed for It
Despite its medicinal benefits, cannabis will negatively impact the environment if we don’t plan accordingly.

Louisville's Sprawl Threatens One of its Last Clean-Running Streams
New subdivision planning and construction is expected to expand the footprint of the Louisville metropolitan area. The question is whether those new developments will protect or harm the beloved Floyds Fork.

The Dutch: Ready to Export Their Flood Control Expertise
For those who want it, the Netherlands is willing to share the fruits of its centuries-long relationship with the unruly seas. In Rotterdam, lots of local urban solutions are also on display.

Louisiana's Subsidence Problem Looks Dire
According to a new study, the state's coastal lands are sinking at a quicker rate than previously estimated.

A New Urban Garden to Feed Dallas' Homeless
A new state-of-the-art urban garden is for the 400 daily residents of a Dallas homeless shelter to maintain and enjoy.
Amid Controversy, More Density Urged Along San Diego Trolley Extension
In 2021, San Diego will open a northern trolley extension connecting its downtown and Golden Triangle. However, much of the route in between is barren and inaccessible. AIA-SD urges density and more effort to win over opponents.
Controversy Over Proposed Zoning Changes for Philly's Delaware Waterfront
Along comes a developer, wanting to build something that doesn't conform to a 2013 plan, with the support of the local councilmember, and local stakeholders aren't happy.

An Expanding Vision for San Francisco's Treasure Island
San Francisco is starved for ideas for ways to meet growing demand for housing, and skyrocketing prices. Here's a big idea: how about building space for some 20,000 new residents on Treasure Island, located in the middle of the bay?
Prop. 13 Will Blunt the Property Tax Windfall as Boomers Transfer Property to Millennials
The benefits of Prop 13's limit on property taxes will pass from generation to generation in California, at the expense of state and local coffers.

Developers Ready for New Opportunities Along the Chicago River
Chicago's North Branch Framework Plan and Design Guidelines, approved in May, is already having the expected effect: big, flashy developments in the pipeline.
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