The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson has announced a ten-point plan to turn his city in the greenest in the world by 2020.

October 23 - The Vancouver Sun

Global warming is a problem, says climate scientist Jonathan Foley, but it's not the only one. The other major problem facing the global environment is a pattern of land use for agriculture that is grossly unsustainable.

October 23 - Yale Environment 360

Developers and NYC's Mayor Bloomberg have hit a speed bump in revitalizing the Gowanus Canal. It may be designated as a Superfund site.

October 23 - The New York Times

This post from <em>The City Fix</em> discusses the new bus rapid transit system that just opened in Johannesburg, South Africa, and why the system was sorely needed.

October 23 - The City Fix

GE is going to power the world's largest carbon capture and sequestration project for western Australia, in order to process natural gas from its Gorgon natural gas field.

October 23 - Environment News Service

The Port of Long Beach has settled with the American Trucking Association to clean up its air, while the Port of Los Angeles is waiting to reach more comprehensive changes.

October 23 - Los Angeles Times

BLOG POST

<p> After four years of political wrangling, hundreds of public and internal meetings, several revisions, and one determined planning department, consultant team, and Mayor, the City of Miami made urban planning history tonight by adopting the largest known application of a form-based code. In doing so, Miami has catapulted itself to the forefront of those large American cities serious about implementing smart growth.  </p>

October 22 - Mike Lydon

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed a bill that allows developers of a planned football stadium in Southern California to bypass environmental laws and speed up the planning process.

October 22 - Los Angeles Times

A Stanford professor and a UC Davis researcher say we could make the switch to 100% renewable energy by 2030... if we really want to.

October 22 - Fast Company

Policymakers are closer than ever to coming to an agreement on comprehensive water legislation. They've agreed on major parts, but have yet to officially finalize the details.

October 22 - Los Angeles Times

The New York Times Automobiles Section discusses the growing population of Americans living car-free.

October 22 - The New York Times

A survey shows that 2/3rds of Houston residents are ready for stricter land use regulations. This follows a number of high-profile clashes between neighborhoods and developers who want to build in them.

October 22 - The Houston Chronicle

Bicycle commuting increased 43% in the U.S. from 2000 to 2008. And as commuters get used to having their trusty bike to get around, more business travelers are taking their ride with them.

October 22 - New York Times

Cohousing, which is cooperatively-managed but independently-owned housing, is gaining popularity in the Northwest. A new cohousing project in Portland just opened its doors last weekend.

October 22 - Northwest Hub

The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen have filed a lawsuit against Metrolink, saying surveillance cameras, which were installed after a deadly crash, are an "invasion of privacy."

October 22 - Los Angeles Times

The New York Times examines a handful of places in the US embracing zero-waste policies, how they're doing it, and what challenges lie ahead.

October 22 - The New York Times

Without even a hint of sarcasm, the National Park Trust is planning to give an award to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger for protection of public lands.

October 22 - Los Angeles Times

FEATURE

With the emergence of new traditional design patterns among contemporary architects, the standards and rules that have defined historic preservation are becoming obsolete. Steven W. Semes calls on planners and designers to create a new ethic of harmonious intervention into historic settings.

October 22 - Steven W. Semes

With only 100 voters and a mayor with strong financial ties to the city, Industry, CA is "disturbingly insular," says the LA Times. And with a proposed $800 million stadium in the works, Industry's concentrated power is called into question.

October 21 - Los Angeles Times

Ultracapacitor batteries are a poor fit for domestic cars, but are a unique fit for transit. Michael Graham Richard looks at how this technology is working on electric buses in China.

October 21 - Treehugger