The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

<p>New Jersey struggles to develop fair rules on affordable housing. "The whole thing is madness at this point," says a Sussex County administrator.</p>

May 26 - New Jersey Herald

<p>Ham Lake, Minnesota, residents are torn over the best way to preserve the rural character of their St. Paul suburb.</p>

May 26 - Star Tribune, Minneapolis-St. Paul

<p>Mark Kingwell observes the sharp -- and deadly -- contrast between shining Shanghai skyscrapers and the poorly-built prefab concrete structures in China's rural areas that proved to be deathtraps in the recent earthquake.</p>

May 26 - The Globe & Mail

<p>Awareness is increasing of the evils of the ubiquitous plastic water bottle. Elizabeth Royte suggests a solution- the return of the public fountain, a neglected staple of yesteryear.</p>

May 26 - The New York Times

<p>The Pentagon Memorial, dedicated to the 194 people killed at the Pentagon on Sept. 11th, opened today to families and journalists. Architects Julie Beckman and Keith Kaseman sought to evoke individual memories but express a collective whole.</p>

May 26 - WJLA-TV

FEATURE

Planning and zoning commissions need to be diverse to make sure the broad range of issues and concerns are considered. That requires commissioners who are from different parts of town, different walks of life, different ethnic backgrounds, and now, different age groups.

May 26 - Wayne Senville

<p>One of Chicago's most famous streetscapes is threatened by proposed new towers.</p>

May 25 - The Chicago Tribune

<p>Scooter sales are on the rise, as Americans wake up to the effect of high gas prices on their pocketbook.</p>

May 25 - Tim Halbur

<p>The City of Stockton, California votes to impose a temporary moratorium on the demolition of potentially historic buildings to allow staff time to create a permanent ordinance.</p>

May 25 - The Stockton Record

<p>With gas prices rising beyond the comfort zones of many drivers, ridership on L.A.'s train system has seen record highs in the early months of 2008. For many in the city, the price is prompting a major paradigm shift in terms of mobility.</p>

May 25 - BBC

<p>San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom is considering a plan to temporarily close down certain streets to car traffic, creating public space for pedestrians -- similar to the successful Ciclovia that takes place weekly in Bogota, Colombia.</p>

May 25 - The Examiner

<p>The New York Times looks across the nation and finds consumers reluctantly changing their habits to deal with rising gas prices.</p>

May 24 - The New York Times

<p>If you demolish a building, then recreate it exactly in a different spot, will it retain its original character? Atlantans may find out.</p>

May 24 - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

<p>Falling revenues from real estate taxes could impact transit expansion plans as New York's MTA faces a sharp decline.</p>

May 24 - Tim Halbur

<p>Understanding and improving the Brazilian informal settlements known as favelas will require more information about the slums -- especially in the field of mapping.</p>

May 24 - Harvard Design Magazine

<p>Delhi has unveiled a new bus rapid transit system, with dedicated bus lanes. The only problem is that the bus stops and dedicated lanes are located in the middle of hectic and busy streets that are dangerous to cross.</p>

May 24 - The Wall Street Journal

<p>By day, Nicole Losch works on the Sidewalk Strategic Plan for Burlington Public Works. But in the evenings, look out.</p>

May 23 - WCAX-TV

<p>A provocative new exhibition at the New York Public Library challenges new bans on taking pictures in public space, and proposes the idea that photography is in some ways an exercise of eminent domain.</p>

May 23 - The New York Times

<p>High gas prices and slowing construction rates in exurban areas may mean that the era of "driving until you qualify" for affordable housing may be over soon.</p>

May 23 - California Planning & Development Report

<p>In the early days, trolleys and trains carried 400,000 passengers a day over the Brooklyn Bridge. With continued growth in pedestrian traffic, a former transit commissioner says a rail renaissance might not be so far-fetched.</p>

May 23 - NY1 News