The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Los Angeles Deputy Mayor for Budget and Innovation Rick Cole shares his views on the critical ingredients necessary for the city to improve its thoroughfares at a Urban Land Institute-Los Angeles’ panel discussion titled "Can LA’s Streets Be Great?"

March 16 - The Planning Report

The city of Santa Rosa, California, has “cut against the trend” by implementing a safe parking program at the county fairgrounds lot. What has your surface parking lot done for you lately?

March 16 - Los Angeles Times

A successful agriculture program in Southern California introduces farming as a viable career choice to suburban students.

March 16 - Public Radio International

The hazards of shipping North Dakotan crude-by-rail have been well documented and are the focus of new DOT regulations due to its volatility, but there's a more positive side to this oil and the trains that deliver it, illustrated in Philadelphia.

March 16 - NPR Morning Edition

In a recent speech, Virginia Beach Mayor Will Sessoms announced that Virginia Governor Terry McAullife and Transportation Secretary Aubrey Layne have pledged financial support for a $1.3 billion light rail extension.

March 16 - The Virginian-Pilot

Several highway-widening projects on the East Coast were approved under the pretense of expected growth in traffic totals. Now planners are scrambling to figure out the new normal.

March 15 - Philadelphia Inquirer

“Underpriced land and room for upward growth in rents is the magic formula that developers seek in the next hot neighborhood.” Just to the east of prospect Park in Brooklyn is a place that has both.

March 15 - New York Times (Real Estate)

Recycled wastewater, or "direct potable reuse," proved successful in Orange County, and following the driest year on record in California, more cities are looking to implement water purification facilities.

March 15 - San Jose Inside

Comparing the demographic changes of Cleveland and Chicago, the results might surprise you: “Cleveland (Cuyahoga County) is experiencing brain gain. Chicago (Cook County) has brain drain.”

March 15 - Pacific Standard

Donald Trump has committed to working with the environmental nonprofit Audubon International to improve the environmental practices on the 20 Trump Golf courses around the world.

March 15 - Environmental Leader

When it comes to infrastructure projects, “we're not just a bit behind the curve — we're ridiculously, embarrassingly behind the curve,” according to a recent article by Ryan Cooper.

March 14 - The Week

The city of San Francisco will vote on Prop. B, an ordinance that would limit the height of developments along the waterfront, in June. The ballot will list the campaign manager for the Yes on B campaign as the official opponent of the measure.

March 14 - SFGate

The concept of surveying residents to get their take on a development may seem like a simple idea, but it is no easy task. Planner Clement Lau shares key lessons learned about conducting and creating surveys as part of the planning process.

March 14 - Los Angeles UrbDeZine

Philadelphia recently became the largest U.S. city to create a “land bank.” As new land banks spring up across the country, it is important to take a close look at what needs to accompany them if we want to have real impact.

March 14 - Urban Direction

Yes, one is with and the other without oxygen, and both divert waste from the landfill—but in terms of the end products, what is the advantage of anaerobic digestion? Simply put, does society face a shortage of compost or renewable energy?

March 14 - NPR Morning Edition

The Greater London Authority recently published the “Further Alterations to the London Plan” report, which set aggressive targets for housing in the booming city. Now details are emerging about how Mayor Boris Johnson hopes to incentivize housing.

March 14 - Planning Resource

If you fancy yourself a modern-day John Wesley Powell, but to this point haven’t climbed on a raft headed Grand Canyon way, Google recently released a series of “Street View” style photos from the very bottom of that most famous natural landmark.

March 14 - AP via San Jose Mercury News

BLOG POST

You do not hear much talk about meaningful urbanism in the Southeast U.S. Until political winds shift, don't expect that to change.

March 14 - Mark Hough

You probably didn't end up on your community's planning commission because of your lack of opinions. Now that you are performing this service to the community, how do you balance your past political inclinations and maintain a fair process?

March 14 - PlannersWeb

A repair crew was en route to investigate a complaint of gas odor when the two five-story, one-hundred-year-old buildings in East Harlem exploded, killing seven with eight still missing as of press time. Leaking cast iron pipelines may be to blame.

March 14 - WNYC