The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

In the progressive city of Seattle, <em>Worldchanging</em>'s Alex Steffen finds the metro area falling behind other American cities with what is becoming an out-dated land use policy.

October 7 - WorldChanging

The Saudi Arabian capital of Jeddah is looking to build a $5.6 billion light rail system.

October 7 - Agence France Presse

Wendell Cox questions the economic impact of the city's much-celebrated land use and transportation policies, which are intended to strengthen the urban core and discourage sprawl.

October 6 - New Geography

A new report from The Los Angeles Food Policy Task Force calls for the government to take steps to increase accessibility to local, healthy food in urban areas.

October 6 - Good

A new report suggests that making policies in Canada to avoid urban sprawl development will reduce pollution and boost the economy.

October 6 - The Vancouver Sun

Cities, not the agriculture heavy Central Valley, are the source of most of the runoff and pollution that enters the San Francisco Bay, according to a new report.

October 6 - San Francisco Chronicle

It was to be expected. After the first lawsuit was dismissed, the plaintiff's attorney warned that the revised environmental document was inadequate. Menlo Park and Atherton were joined by Palo Alto as well as some non-profits.

October 6 - Daily News via Silicon Valley Mercury News

Venice Beach (City of LA) is the latest community to restrict overnight parking of vehicle-dwelling homeless residents, including those living in RVs. It's a growing problem, especially in areas with inviting climates and tolerant political attitude

October 6 - The New York Times - U.S.

BLOG POST

<span>My hometown of Winnipeg is going through a <a href="http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/Bike-path-should-be-finished-before-lawsuit-settled--103638144.html">particularly nasty battle over cycling infrastructure</a>. Its current mayor, Sam Katz, while he may be reviled by rapid transit advocates for cancelling one BRT scheme and <a href="http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/epc-endorses-light-rail-transit-98007694.html">then muddling another </a>(will it be a bus? A train? A streetcar?), has nonetheless managed to accomplish more for cyclists than his predecessors. In recent years we have seen new bikelanes, multiuse pathways and a cycling culture invigorated by such events as Winnipeg&#39;s <a href="http://www.downtownwinnipegbiz.com/home/events/ciclovia/">Cyclovia</a>.</span>

October 6 - Michael Dudley

Prop. 18, the financial centerpiece of legislation meant to overhaul California's aging water supply infrastructure, was removed from the statewide ballot slated for November.

October 6 - The Planning Report

A $776 million monorail system planned in the Brazilian city of Manaus to ease transportation issue when it hosts the 2014 World Cup has been suspended.

October 6 - Business News Americas

The history of San Francisco's version of the Statue of Liberty, and how it disappeared, is discussed in this episode of <em>99% Invisible</em>, a new radio segment from KALW.

October 6 - 99% Invisible

Small enclaves of low-wage workers in Beijing have been walled off from their surroundings in an effort to reduce crime. The separating walls have become a local controversy.

October 6 - The New York Times

BLOG POST

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman">Climate change has become a focal point of urban planning in the U.S. and abroad as cities grapple with so-called sustainability. </span><a href="http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=1562561&amp;show=html"><span style="font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman; color: #800080">I’ve been a critic</span></a><span style="font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman"> of many attempts to implement sustainability plans, not so much because I disagree with the intent as much as I believe the tools used to achieve sustainability are not particularly effective.

October 5 - Samuel Staley

State and county officials spent over two million dollars saving a cabin thought to be the former home of Josiah Henson, the model for the Uncle Tom character in the novel. New evidence shows they were wrong.

October 5 - The Washington Post

Colleges around the U.S. are implementing car sharing services to help reduce the need for private car among their students and faculty.

October 5 - The Seattle Times

HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan talks with PBS about the department's new approach of integrating transportation and housing policy.

October 5 - PBS

Activists who want to solve the problem of "food deserts" in underserved areas push for co-ops and and independent grocery stores. But would large chains like WalMart be a better solution?

October 5 - Grist

Officials in London are relying on the creation of 86 new public spaces throughout the city to cut down on criminal behavior.

October 5 - London Evening Standard

Publishers and marketing folks admit that the barrage of lists titled "Top 10 Places To...." is inspired purely by the public's inability to resist clicking them.

October 5 - The Wall St. Journal