The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

The military presence in Afghanistan is expanding at a rapid pace, creating a military sprawl.

September 29 - The National Post

For the past year, a Washington state legislator has been devising a plan for replacing Seattle's damaged inner-city freeway, the Alaskan Way Viaduct. His plan has mainly been a secret -- until now.

September 29 - Crosscut

Once a week, car-flooded streets convert into bike- and pedestrian-flooded public parks in crowded Mexico City.

September 29 - Los Angeles Times

FEATURE

September 29 - Prakash M. Apte

BLOG POST

<p> In thousands of planning and zoning laws across the nation, official announcements are required to be published in the local newspaper of &quot;<strong>general circulation</strong>.&quot; In an era of newspaper decline and expanding diversity of media, are these laws becoming obsolete? Furthermore, should we be concerned with newspapers at all if a newer, more universally accessible medium is available: the Internet? </p> <p> A variety of announcements are legally required to be published in a local periodical of &quot;general circulation,&quot; sometimes in addition to being published in an official government gazette. The practice entered the planning world through the U.S. Department of Commerce&#39;s highly influential <a href="http://www.planning.org/growingsmart/enablingacts.htm">standard zoning and planning enabling acts</a>.

September 28 - Robert Goodspeed

Alex Steffen of WorldChanging observes the growing divide in innovation between urban and rural America.

September 28 - WorldChanging

BLOG POST

<div> </div> <div> I&#39;ve always wanted, but never quite had the cred, to go to Burning Man. Instead, I went to this year&#39;s rendition of <a href="http://www.parkingday.org/" target="_blank">National Park(ing) Day</a> in the hopes that it would provide a reasonable, if diminuative, substitute in temporary parks across the country. Creative minds can do a lot with 180 square feet, especially when there are straight-laced passers-by to shock and paradigms to subvert. <br /> </div>

September 28 - Josh Stephens

This column from the <em>Globe and Mail</em> expresses some common frustrations with a slow-moving regional transportation plan.

September 28 - Globe and Mail

Will Allen began Growing Power, an urban farming non-profit, in an ailing Milwaukee neighborhood in 1993. He has since spread the gospel of urban farming throughout the world, and earned a MacArthur Genius grant for his efforts.

September 28 - New York Times

Midvale used to be the heart of Utah's mining industry. After an economic slump, downtown Midvale has come back thanks to small businesses and a new influx of immigrants.

September 28 - The Salt Lake Tribune

The California legislature has approved a "complete streets" bill to help make city streets more accessible and livable. The bill is awaiting approval from the governor.

September 28 - Daily News

Greenwich, Connecticut is a rich enclave of hedge fund managers- and thus is feeling the pain of the current financial crisis like a ton of bricks. Ned Lamont, a Greenwich resident who ran for Senate in 2006, says, 'This is our Katrina.'

September 27 - The Wall St. Journal

Elvira's Cakes is a home business that outgrew the kitchen and settled into Kansas City's ailing downtown. The city is looking to small business people like Elvira to breathe new life into Kansas City's struggling districts.

September 27 - The Kansas City Star

Implementing auto regulations and restrictions or raising the gas tax is the debate amongst the public as to how to lower air pollution from the growing car population. However, getting older cars off the road may be the most effective.

September 27 - The Wall Street Journal

Over the past few years, San Francisco's waterfront has become home to art pieces like an enormous, cartoony bow and arrow and a giant spider. Labor historians have a different idea: A five-story crane built in the early 1970s for loading coconuts.

September 27 - San Francisco Chronicle

This piece from <em>Scientific American</em> looks at plans for three "eco-cities".

September 27 - Scientific American

Benzie County, Michigan has canned their planning director in the name of budget cuts. County Commissioner Mary Pitcher said, "I believe that we can get considerably more bang for the buck if we contract for services."

September 26 - Michigan Land Institute

Bank of America CEO Kenneth D. Lewis presents the case for Secretary Paulson's proposed financial rescue package, and why Main Street needs it.

September 26 - The Wall St. Journal

The suburbs of Tewksbury, MA, a quaint New England town, have developed uncomfortably close to one of the largest pig farms in the state.

September 26 - Boston Globe

After being signed by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, a half-cent sales tax increase will appear on the November ballot in Los Angeles County, where it would create a fund for public transit projects.

September 26 - Los Angeles Times