The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

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Recently I’ve been writing about skills that planners need—the findings from surveys of employers and the key role or writing in the planning skill set. Skills like writing, graphics, data analysis, and the ability to listen are obviously important. As <a href="/node/34807" target="_blank">Ethan Seltzer and Connie Ozawa</a>’s 2002 <span>survey found, however, several more general skills are also key. I reported these in an<a href="/node/34807" target="_blank"> earlier blog</a> and they include:</span> working well with the public and with colleagues, being a self-starter, being able to finish work on time and on budget, and understanding public needs.

November 1 - Ann Forsyth

Washington instituted a Growth Management Act in the 1980s to help the state grow smarter. But recent studies show that the GMA has made housing increasingly unaffordable.

November 1 - Washington CEO

Planners in Baltimore have unveiled a 30-year plan to remake its arts district into a mixed-use, transit-oriented, regional destination.

November 1 - The Baltimore Sun

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<p> <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Courier New'">Since arriving in Vancouver, I&#39;ve realized that we are part of a &quot;peer group&quot; of international water cities. Through waterfront design conferences where the same cities seem to get invited time and time again, or through deeper and more interactive collegial opportunities for shared learning such as summits or study trips, these global water cities are taking every opportunity to learn from each other&#39;s successes and failures around water-edge planning and design.</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Courier New'"> </span> </p>

October 31 - Brent Toderian

The Bermuda Triangle tops this list of spooky places, but the compendium also includes the Pirate House of Savannah and Colorado's Stanley Hotel, the inspiration for <em>The Shining</em>.

October 31 - MSN

Al Gore did in fact invent the 'electranet', or at least he coined the term to explain the necessity of a new smart grid to transmit electricity from new, green sources like wind and solar. GOOD Magazine reports on the state of the electranet.

October 31 - GOOD Magazine

Joel Kotkin derides urban boosters who have looked to external forces -- such as the mortgage meltdown -- to fuel an "urban renaissance", rather than looking at altering their own economic environments to be more attractive to investors.

October 31 - New Geography

Solar energy initiatives are taking off all across the country, despite some reservations over the impacts of large-scale installations.

October 31 - AlterNet

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<p> The most recent bicycle counts from two of America&#39;s most progressive cities, New York City and Portland, have been made public. The results are impressive as much as they are instructive. </p>

October 31 - Mike Lydon

After speeding construction by using county toll revenues, a 23-mile long, 18-lane freeway has opened in Texas.

October 31 - The Houston Chronicle

A team of management consulting and foreign policy professionals has released a report analyzing which cities of the world are most global in reach, looking at business activity, human capital, and information exchange. New York comes out on top.

October 31 - Business Week

'Laneway housing'- known to many in the U.S. as 'granny units'- is a popular solution for creating more housing in dense Canadian cities like North Vancouver. In fact, Mayor Darrell Mussatto lives in one.

October 31 - The Georgia Straight

No sooner had Chrysler released its new hybrid SUV- a Dodge Durango 40% more efficient than its gas-only counterpart- than it has been forced to close the factory where both versions are produced in order to save on costs.

October 31 - Bloomberg.com

Gas prices are falling, and drivers are going right back to their gas-guzzling ways.

October 31 - The New York Times

L.A. Times architecture critic Christopher Hawthorne and transportation reporter Steve Hymon look at a proposal to raise the sales tax in L.A. to fund public transit. They call it a good opportunity for the city's urbanism, but also a tough sell.

October 31 - Los Angeles Times

BLOG POST

<span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Verdana">One of the perks of my job is getting to know new cities and neighborhoods.<span>  </span>We research, create a lot of graphics and talk with a lot of people.<span>  </span>In the course of those discussions, while people often exhibit pride in where they live, there is also an underlying concern that frequently goes something like this:</span> <ul> <li><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Verdana">“We feel like a last place team – the one that can never get out of the cellar.”</span></li> <li><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Verdana">“There is a real self-image problem here.”</span></li> <li><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Verdana">“You can’t do that in [insert name of place here] because we

October 30 - Scott Page

Architect Richard Reep argues that the fatal flaw of Celebration and other New Urbanist-style developments around Florida is the lack of jobs within walking distance.

October 30 - newgeography

David Morris of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance wonders if the economic crisis will see alternative energy fall off the political agenda, or if the next president will recognize the economic benefits of renewable energy investments.

October 30 - AlterNet

Recently approved legislation tying land use planning to greenhouse gas emissions is being sold as critically important by both detractors and supporters. But Bill Fulton argues that SB 375 provides only one step in an ongoing evolution.

October 30 - California Planning & Development Report

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<p> The following post will likely result in the revocation of my Philadelphia residency. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> It’s heretical to say, especially on a day when the city is on fire (not literally; okay, <a href="http://www.philly.com/philly/gallery/World_Series_Damage.html?index=3">mostly</a> not literally) with excitement. But the city planner in me almost wishes the Phillies hadn’t won last night. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> Of course I wanted them to win the World Series. Twenty-five years is a long time for any city—let alone a four-sport city—to wait for a championship, and it’s definitely Philadelphia’s time. I’m thrilled to pieces they pulled it out. </p>

October 30 - Jeffrey Barg