The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

California Draining

Decades of massive hydrologic engineering have altered California's ecology out of equilibrium and will be unable to support present demands, warns Rachel Olivieri.

September 9 - AlterNet

A Snapshot of Cycling in Upstate New York

An Albany newspaper takes a look at cycling in the Capital District: cycling is up, and advocacy groups are working to take advantage of it.

September 9 - Metroland

Rethinking the Kwik-E-Mart

Jeff Patterson thinks the future will look less like your auto-oriented 7-11 and more like "transit station marketplaces".

September 9 - Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal

Traditional Neighborhoods Hit Houston

New TNDs are springing up all around Houston, including three new projects designed by Andres Duany.

September 9 - The Houston Chronicle

Huge Taxpayer Bailout Of Highway Fund

Taxpayers, not transit users, will bail out motorists to keep the highway trust fund solvent. The administration had initially proposed to use transit funds and veto using general funds, but with the fund scheduled to go bust in Oct., they relented.

September 9 - Los Angeles Times via San Francisco Chronicle


Post-9/11 Safety Provisions Challenged

Safety codes recommended by NIST after analyzing the collapse of the World Trade Center are being challenged by another federal agency on the grounds they will be too costly.

September 9 - The New York Times

Documenting Industrial Areas on the Ground

By enlisting the help of concerned local citizens, researchers are getting better documentation of the locations of potentially polluting industrial land uses near residential areas.

September 9 - The Los Angeles Times


California Water Policy Deadlock Deepens Regional Crisis

Michael George of Golden State Water Company makes an impassioned plea for leadership from Sacramento as the state’s deepening water supply crisis gets lost in another budget battle.

September 9 - The Planning Report

Mumbai Slum A Battleground Between Dwellers and Developers

The battle over development continues in Dharavi, the largest slum in India. Its valuable location in Mumbai has had developers' mouths watering for years, but residents have resisted their drive to demolish and rebuild the slum.

September 8 - The Los Angeles Times

Fannie and Freddie Go Federal

The government takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will likely bring lower interest rates, but tighter eligibility requirements and stricter monitoring of underwriting.

September 8 - CNN

Cars Left Behind in Most Trips to Vancouver's Core

A recent study shows that about 60% of all trips into the urban core of Vancouver are not by car.

September 8 - The Vancouver Sun

Looking for a Parking Spot? Go Online

A collection of links to online sources for parking spots.

September 8 - Mashable

Leading With Our Stomachs

Surrounded by storefronts, but nowhere to shop? Charlotte, NC, like many reviving downtowns, has a plethora of restaurants but a lack of significant retail.

September 8 - Governing Magazine

Forget Las Vegas, Viva Macau

The Chinese coastal city of Macau has passed Las Vegas as the biggest gambling city in the world. This article from <em>Smithsonian Magazine</em> looks at how it got there.

September 8 - Smithsonian

The Presidency and America's Addiciton to Prisons and Drugs

Neal Pierce looks at America's addiction to incarceration and drug prohibition and wonders what -- if anything -- the presidential candidates would do to change the country's course.

September 8 - Citiwire

Tokyo's Robotic High-Tech Bike Parking

Tokyo finds solution to commuter bicycle parking shortage by building high-tech robotic garages.

September 8 - The Washington Post

Katrina's Homeless Still Searching for Housing

Housing -- or the lack of it -- remains a major issue in post-Katrina New Orleans.

September 8 - Mother Jones

Housing Bust Merciless to Merced

Merced California typefies the housing bust: speculation, foreclosures, and the construction of houses nobody can afford to buy.

September 8 - The New York Times

FEATURE

Changes to AICP Certification Maintenance Program a Positive Step Forward

Leonardo Vázquez, AICP/PP, applauds recent changes to the AICP Certification Maintenance Program that reduce costs and improve access.

September 8 - Leonardo Vazquez, AICP/PP

Chickens Approved in Fort Collins

Urban chickens have been approved in Fort Collins, Colorado. Some, including one vocal city council member, are not happy about it.

September 8 - Fort Collins Now

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