The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

US Department of Housing and Urban Development sees diverse crop of applicants for $100 million in grants going towards community development projects adhering to livability principles.

February 9 - Metropolis

As the city of Los Angeles's budget faces deep cuts, money to pay for the upkeep of the city's iconic Watts Towers folk art installation has dried up. But a museum is stepping in to try to keep the Towers alive.

February 9 - The New York Times

More than 2 years after it expired, the federal transportation bill is likely to be reauthorized soon, according to Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.

February 9 - Reuters

Long-held plans for a new bridge over the Columbia River between Portland and Vancouver, Washington, have been thrown out by a panel of experts who have suggested cheaper alternatives.

February 9 - The Oregonian

San Francisco will host the America's Cup yacht race in 2013. Some in the city argue that the event could provide a good opportunity for the city to make major investments in projects that last long after the event.

February 9 - Streetsblog San Francisco

Governor's Island is likely the next major waterfront area in New York City to be converted into a public space. Designers and planners are starting to think about what form it could and should take.

February 9 - Places

Recent snowstorms in much of the U.S. have left many cities with major snow cleanup jobs on their streets. In some instances, though, the buildup of snow has created natural traffic-calming curb extensions.

February 9 - Streetfilms

BLOG POST

<p> <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Having read articles lately on Planetizen and elsewhere on how the &quot;fresh new concept” of Intelligent Cities is replacing the stale old term &quot;smart growth&quot;, I was moved to <a href="/node/47982" target="_blank">write a comment regarding the latest such article</a> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'">which compared smart growth to urban renewal in terms of its stale-dated coolness, and suggested that smart growth may be passé because of its successful take-over of main-stream thought and practice.

February 8 - Brent Toderian

The town of Cranston, Rhode Island came to the realization that hundreds of stop signs -- almost a third of the stop signs in town -- were not installed by the city. Are these the work of a rogue urban planner?

February 8 - Lowering the Bar

Formed as a primarily agrarian nation, Canada is now seeing its cities crippled by constitutional arrangements that leaves its cities underfunded and with only minimal support from the federal government, writes John Macfarlane.

February 8 - The Walrus

New York City has released a new handbook of its zoning regulations in an illustrated, easily-comprehensible guide.

February 8 - The New York Times

Ed McMahon of ULI talks about an article he's writing that will make the argument that billboards and other outdoor advertising deserve to be eliminated.

February 8 - Planning Commissioners Journal

The Obama administration yesterday announced that it would put $50 million dollars into speeding up the process to get offshore wind farms built along the Atlantic coast.

February 8 - USA Today

The city of Bell made news in 2010 with rampant misappropriation of public funds, but the problem is still (as ever) more widespread than anyone realizes.

February 8 - The Planning Report

A transit program in California is intended to be a lifeline for the homeless population, allowing for easier access to medical services and employment opportunities.

February 8 - GOOD Magazine

Interested communities are invited to apply until February 23, 2011. The purpose of the program is to help interested communities adopt sustainable planning methods.

February 8 - Sustainable Cities Collective

NJ's two U.S. Senators collaborated with Amtrak to propose an alternative to the Access to the Region's Core tunnel that N.J. Gov. Chris Christie canceled in Oct. 7. Unlike ARC, the Gateway tunnel will lead directly into Penn Station.

February 8 - The Star-Ledger (New Jersey)

"Open Buildings" App lets you discover the built environment with the touch of a screen.

February 8 - thisbigcity.net

The City Council of Temecula, CA decided that a proposed mosque met all zoning requirements and voted to approve its construction, despite opposition that supporters claim was fueled by religious reasons and not concerns over traffic and parking.

February 8 - The Huffington Post

Ever since David Owen's book Green Metropolis pushed forward the idea that cities are better for the planet, people have been debating if it's really so. New evidence says yes.

February 7 - Grist