The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

BLOG POST

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"> <a href="http://www.planning.org/"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small">Planning</span></a><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small"> magazine recently (December 2009) published a story on the benefits of economic impact studies for planners. Most professional planners have run across them at one point or another: they are used to evaluate economic impact and the effectives of various types of programs on job creation. Unfortunately, the article did little to also illuminate the pitfalls and weaknesses of these studies.</span> </p>

March 29 - Samuel Staley

The City of Pittsburgh recently approved a new ordinance requiring bike parking in new developments. Cyclists say the move is a ceremonial acceptance of bicycles as a form of transportation in the city.

March 29 - Next American City

The Tel Aviv Municipality has approved a plan to create affordable housing units in the city, making it the first Israeli city to do so.

March 29 - Sustainable City blog

With increasing urbanization spreading throughout global cities, Justin McGuirk argues that city design is the biggest challenge acing designers.

March 29 - Guardian

The EPA reports that residential construction in cities has outpaced the building of suburban homes, and that the reason is not planners dictating smart growth but the personal preference of homebuyers and renters.

March 29 - Grist

FEATURE

Planners in Cary, North Carolina were tasked by the mayor to make their complex planning process more accessible.

March 29 - Tim Halbur

The New York Times City Critic ventures to Battery Park City to check out the city's newest and greenest library, yet occupying only 10,000 sq. ft. in a multi-story building, and comes away mightily impressed. Check out the photo slide-show.

March 29 - The New York Times - N.Y. / Region

One source of renewable energy isn't going to cut it; the future is in using multiple sources, and even combining them in a single power plant, says blogger jnshere.

March 29 - Renewable Energy World

The Port of San Francisco is considering plans to redevelop Port 70, one of the last working sections of the city's waterfront.

March 29 - The Architect's Newspaper

Last week, Richard A. Davey Jr. was appointed the new general manager of the MBTA, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. The Boston Globe's transportation reporter rides the T with him and talks transit.

March 29 - The Boston Globe

BLOG POST

When Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood’s suggested that bicyclists’ needs should be accommodated in federally-funded road projects, the road lobby responded with something approaching hysteria.

March 28 - Michael Lewyn

Cities often get criticized for sending staff to check out other cities, but Tim Campbell says it's necessary for planners to see what other cities are doing.

March 28 - Crosscut

A court has ruled that, contrary to its zoning laws, the bedroom community of Pleasanton must add more bedrooms. The ruling wipes out local, voter-approved growth control ordinances.

March 28 - California Planning & Development Report

A preliminary count of all road fatalities in 2009 shows a record low figure of 33,963; almost 9% lower than 2008. The final count is due this summer. While the declining VMT due to a depressed economy was a major factor, the rate declined as well.

March 28 - The New York Times - Wheels

America is suffering from a glut of underused space- our homes, offices, and shopping centers. How can we get more efficient in our use of space? Alison Arieff has this report.

March 28 - The New York Times

Sam Staley of the Reason Foundation argues that Ray LaHood's recent statement that bikes and pedestrians will be considered on the same level as cars doesn't mesh with the facts.

March 28 - Reason

The giant Cape Wind turbine farm project has overcome significant opposition, but now two Massachusetts tribes are attempting to block its construction, claiming cultural and religious issues.

March 27 - The Los Angeles Times

BLOG POST

<p> The beauty of street paint is that it costs next to nothing and it can have a huge effect in a very short period of time.  Anyone watching how New York City Department of Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan transforms public streets into public spaces with paint, planters, seating, and signs knows how the installation of these materials overnight works like magic. </p>

March 27 - Ian Sacs

Jacob Snow, the executive director of the Clark County Regional Transportation Commission, can't hide his excitement about new rapid transit buses coming to the Las Vegas area in this editorial.

March 27 - Las Vegas Sun

The new plan includes controversial ideas like moving underwater homeowners to government-backed FHA loans and giving grace periods to unemployed owners.

March 27 - The Wall St. Journal