The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

<em>Forbes</em> looks at the fastest dying American cities.

August 11 - Forbes

FEATURE

August 11 - Hugh Pavletich

A new census of Muslim congregations is reviving controversies over how many Muslims are in the U.S., how they are counted and why it matters.

August 11 - USA Today

Peter Docter, director of the animated film 'Monsters Inc.', has submitted plans to build a series of artificial tree houses on his land in Lafayette, CA to be his family's home. The Planning Commission is currently considering the project.

August 10 - San Jose Mercury News

A handful of EDAW interns have created an ambitious plan for a new park to connect L.A.'s disconnected downtown with lush greenery.

August 10 - The Architect's Newspaper

Solar sculptures light up at night to take the place of energy-intensive streetlights.

August 10 - Ecogeek.org

August 10 - The Tribune

<p>Tom Coffin is tasked with fining those who remove Atlanta trees without a proper permit, but last week he was fired, allegedly for complaining about the “almost total lack of enforcement” by other arborists.</p>

August 10 - The New York Times

The new NY Times Building designed by Renzo Piano snubbed LEED certification to find a different path to sustainability. Writer William Bostwick reflects on the LEED checklist and why the system is broken.

August 9 - GOOD Magazine

Originally a Stalinist program called 'Young Pioneers', the tradition of the Children's Railway is being revived in Budapest.

August 9 - Wall St. Journal

The Third Church of Christ, Scientist in Washington, D.C., has filed suit against the city to remove the landmark designation on their building, which limits what can be done to alter the site -- or demolish it completely, which is the church's hope.

August 9 - Washington Business Journal

The current downturn in the housing industry may be opening the door for a greener upswing.

August 9 - Fast Company

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has announced plans for car-free days on a nearly 7-mile section of road in Manhattan.

August 9 - The New York Times

BLOG POST

<p> Pizza is delicious. Crop circles are cool. But what happens when you put them together? </p>

August 8 - Nate Berg

<div style="font-size: 11px; float: right; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-left: 6px; "><img src="http://media.tcpalm.com/tcp/content/img/photos/2008/08/06/ad3_t220.jpg" alt="Florida Highway Patrol ad campaign">

August 8 - The St. Petersburg Times

Commuters on Ireland's N11 expressway were surprised to find that the cause of a massive traffic jam was a monkey on the loose.

August 8 - The Irish Times

The Houston Chronicle looks at the holes in Houston's transit grid, which force some riders into ridiculously long commutes.

August 8 - The Houston Chronicle

<p>The cost of home heating is expected to rise considerably this winter, but with utilities unable to obtain credit, Washington deadlocked on how to deal with it, and LIHEAP underfunded American households are in for a tough winter.</p>

August 8 - The New York Times

This piece from <em>WorldChanging</em> looks at the trend of dying indoor malls, and some creative ideas for reviving or reusing them.

August 8 - WorldChanging

In order to save an ancient kingdom that was flooded by a reservoir in the 1950s, officials in Bulgaria will build a €100 million wall around the submerged monument.

August 8 - Turkish Weekly