The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Wal-Mart's new plan to pare energy costs by shifting to renewables could prompt other firms to follow its lead.

October 28 - The Christian Science Monitor

Joel S. Hirschhorn illustrates how non-motorists in America are discriminated against in many aspects of daily life.

October 28 - Grist Magazine

Will Los Angeles' new Orange Line -- a dedicated busway -- bring the same economic growth to Woodland Hills that the Red Line subway brought to North Hollywood?

October 28 - The Los Angeles Times

Chicago Tribune Architecture critic Blair Kamin thinks so as he compares the rebuilding of coastal Mississippi with Daniel Burnham's Beaux-Arts Civic Improvements.

October 28 - The Chicago Tribune

The first CEO of New York's Battery Park City calls for a $3 billion selloff and a $300 million growth spurt at the historic mixed-use development.

October 28 - The Slatin Report

San Joaquin County is not part of the Bay Area, but is home to a growing pool of Bay Area workers. The new train service and subscription bus service are seeing substantial ridership gains resulting from $3/gallon gas. Within the Bay Area, ridership is

October 28 - The Record, Stockton, CA

The Katrina calamity in New Orleans offers an opportunity to question Americans' automobile addiction.

October 28 - Grist Magazine - Gristmill Blog

The age of attractive parking structures has arrived.

October 27 - Michigan Land Use Institute

From monetary donations to offers of services, the architecture community is reaching out to help victims of Katrina and Rita -- in spite of some obstacles.

October 27 - Architectural Record

Prospect, CO, a community with a "daring palette", completes a decade into its test of New Urbanism.

October 27 - The Denver Post

Will Hurricane Katrina prove to be "the biggest, most brutal urban-renewal project Black America has ever seen?"

October 27 - ZNet / Mother Jones

Safeguarding against future natural disasters is the most important thing New Orleans can do to bring the businesses back.

October 27 - The Times-Picayune

Only in Los Angeles... A posh kids' treehouse in Brentwood inspires the ire of his neighbor who calls in LA's building inspector to shut down construction.

October 27 - The Los Angeles Times

Reporter Ted Smalley Bowen checks in with LEED's leaders and other interested folks to find out what's next for the world's fastest-growing green-building scheme.

October 27 - Grist Magazine

Construction begins on Las Vegas' new $1.8 billion Cosmopolitan Resort & Casino, a mixed-use high rise towering over 600 feet on the strip.

October 27 - Las Vegas Sun

The U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program is rapidly becoming the dominant system for certifying buildings as eco-friendly.

October 27 - Grist Magazine

Santa Cruz is encouraging infill by offering blueprints for seven prototype accessory dwelling units.

October 27 - Metropolis Magazine

BLOG POST

<img src="http://www.cio.ca.gov/images/ClarkKelso-www2.jpg" alt="Clark Kelso" align="right" />Clark Kelso, California's Chief Information Officer, was kind enough to respond to my recent post, <a href="http://www.planetizen.com/tech/archives/2005/10/18/326/ ">California Updates State IT Strategic Plan</a>, commenting on the state's new strategic plan and what I perceived to be a lack of focus on making technology accessible to people with disabilities.<br /> <br /> Clark writes:<br /> <br /> <blockquote>...I am pleased to see that our planning activities are being followed so closely in the trade press.<br /> <br /> The last paragraph in your article suggests we may not be paying sufficient attention to Section 508 issues in our web developments. Although we did not cite Section 508 in the strategic plan, accessibility is the very heart of our efforts. As your article notes,<br /> the very first goal of the plan is to "Make government services more accessible to citizens and State clients." That concept of accessibility includes not only opening up new, technology-enabled vehicles for delivering services, information and benefits, but the goal of ensuring that those vehicles -- as well as all existing vehicles -- are ADA accessible and compliant.<br /> <br /> Our Portal Steering Committee, which was only recently created and is just starting to warm up to the topic, has already expressly recognized ADA compliance as a required component of the State's web presence. The following link plainly identifies ADA accessibility and compliance as a necessary aspect of the user interface: <br /> <a href="http://www.cio.ca.gov/PDFs/Portal_Committee-040805.pdf">http://www.cio.ca.gov/PDFs/Portal_Committee-040805.pdf</a> (PDF, 100KB) <br /> <br /> The State's web pages are NOT always appropriately accessible, but this is most certainly an issue that we take seriously at the highest planning levels, and we encourage all departments to make accessibility a high priority. </blockquote>

October 26 - Chris Steins

A bienniel survey, Beyond Grey Pinstripes 2005, identifies the top 30 MBA programs for 'sustainable-business education' and names Stanford the top school.

October 26 - GreenBiz

Governor Davis was recalled, in part, because of the "bad business climate" in California. Now a study from the reputable Public Policy Institute of California refutes the charge that businesses were leaving the state.

October 26 - The Sacramento Bee