The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

California High-Speed Rail Status Check
The New York Times recently checked in with the California High-Speed Rail project and reported the current details, still in the process of a long evolution.

One Maryland Thrift Store: 40 Pages of Zoning Documentation
A writer for Strong Towns offers a case study of "the byzantine development process" of many municipalities in the United States.

Mapping Biodiversity Risk
A partnership of researchers has created the most detailed map yet of the places where biodiversity is most at risk in the United States.

Milwaukee Streetcar To Benefit from Extended TIGER Grant
With the extension from Congress, Milwaukee can continue work on its downtown streetcar.

Opinion: California's Article 34 Drives Segregation and Cripples Affordable Housing. It's Time To Repeal It.
A little-known provision in California's state constitution enables exclusionary policies under the guise of local control.

Housing Affordability and Worsening Wildfires: Twin Crises
As wildfires grow more destructive, how far should states go to protect homes located in high-risk areas?

Study: Foreclosure Main Factor in Chicago's 'Black Flight'
More than violent crime or employment rates, foreclosure has largely driven the exodus of hundreds of thousands of Black residents from the city.

Tampa Bay Moves Forward With High-Speed Rail Plans
The Brightline will connect Orlando to Tampa and reach speeds of up to 150 miles per hour.

'Homes for All of Us' Initiative Eases San Diego Building Restrictions
The ordinance, which allows lot splitting and eases permitting for accessory dwelling units, is an effort to boost housing affordability.

Boston Aims for Fare-Free Transit
The city's new mayor wants to see fare-free transit funded as a public good throughout the Boston region.

Second Anniversary of the COVID-19 Pandemic
March 11 marked the second anniversary of WHO's declaration of the pandemic and the beginning of its third year. Cases continue to plummet in the U.S. and plateau globally while war in Europe has overshadowed the virus that has killed 6 million.

Austin Considers Controversial Change to Affordable Housing Requirements
The city's commissioners are weighing the option of using neighborhood-level median income to set affordable housing restrictions, but the move could face lawsuits under the federal Fair Housing Act.

PLANOPEDIA
What Is CEQA?
Designed to assess the environmental impacts of new projects and provide mitigation measures, the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) has a controversial history, sometimes serving as a convenient tool for groups intent on stopping or slowing development.

Portland Extends Pandemic Public Space Programs
PBOT will continue two highly successful COVID-era programs that allowed businesses and community groups to repurpose public spaces for pedestrian-oriented uses and engage with customers in safe, accessible outdoor settings.

Reimagining Public Space in the Post-COVID Era
The pandemic forced a large-scale reexamination of how public spaces and urban form impact public health and equity. Now, policymakers can learn from those innovations to plan for the future of cities.

Citywide Master Planning Process Launched in Worcester
The Massachusetts college town, with 200,000 residents, is kicking off the Worcester Now / Next long-range plan with a series of public engagement activities.

Detroit Launches Website To Track Spending of Federal Dollars
A new web portal allows Detroiters to see how the city is spending hundreds of millions in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds.

How To Get Federal Infrastructure Funding for Bike Projects
How bicycling advocates can strengthen existing partnerships and make strategic alliances that will benefit cyclists, pedestrians, and other vulnerable road users.

'Move Ahead Washington' Launches a New Era of Transportation Planning in Washington State
Democrats in the Washington State Legislature won approval for a massive 16-year transportation package dubbed Move Ahead Washington.

Industry Continues to Push Back Against Carbon-Slashing Building Codes
The battle over the efficiencies and infrastructure required in building codes continues.
Pagination
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont
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.