A bill passed by the state senate would ease the permitting process for office conversions in central city neighborhoods.

A California law that would fast-track the adaptive reuse of office buildings was passed by the state Senate and awaits Governor Newsom’s signature, reports Jack Rogers for Globe St.
The measure mandates by-right approval for office conversion projects in city centers. “Under AB 3068, adaptive reuse projects will be eligible for a streamlined, ministerial review process, regardless of the zoning of the site, provided that at least half of the square footage of the project is dedicated to residential uses, according to a posting of the bill on CalMatters.”
The bill exempts adaptive reuse projects in “urbanized areas” from California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) reviews and sets affordability requirements for housing units created under the program. It also requires the preservation of historic facades.
“While the demand for living downtown is at an all-time high, many urban centers simply lack the available housing. If we are serious about jump-starting the economic engine of our cities, we need to remove the red tape that makes office to housing conversions nearly impossible,” said Matt Haney, the assembly member who authored the bill.
FULL STORY: California to Fast-Track Downtown Office Conversions

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie