The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

The fourth attempt proved a charm as Marin and Sonoma county voters narrowly passed a 1/4 cent sales tax measure to build and run a diesel light rail train through both counties along with an adjacent bike path. The tax measure needed 2/3 to pass.

November 5 - Marin Independent Journal

Voters in Honolulu have approved a 20-mile light rail system for the Hawaiian city -- the largest public works project in the state's history.

November 5 - Honolulu Star-Bulletin

The Wedge -- a well-known bodysurfing spot in Newport Beach made famous in the 1966 surf film "The Endless Summer" -- is becoming a part of local history, thanks to a group of bodysurfing preservationists.

November 5 - Los Angeles Times

A sales tax plan to fund light rail in Kansas City has failed.

November 5 - The Kansas City Star

A $10 billion high speed rail bond is winning with 52.2% voting 'Yes' with 95% of the precincts reporting. This would be the first state bond measure supporting high speed rail to be supported by voters in U.S., though it only funds 1/3 of costs.

November 5 - San Francisco Chronicle

Thanks to the ambitious clean-up efforts of a few residents, a neglected, unofficial park on city land is now maintained daily and is on its way to being a greenway.

November 5 - The New York Times

Draper, UT will soon be seeing new transit-oriented development, where there will be no building height restrictions or population caps.

November 5 - Deseret News

Passenger rail is on the minds of voters and politicians more than ever. Some say the next train era is on its way.

November 5 - San Francisco Chronicle

Interest in houses made from shipping containers has been rising in Hawaii, where these inexpensive homes' designs can range from studios to multistory apartments.

November 5 - The Honolulu Adviser

Quirky, artistic bike racks are cropping up in cities around the country--a trend that benefits more than just cyclists.

November 5 - USA Today

The security border fence designed to combat illegal immigration into the U.S. is raising concerns over its impact on habitats and wildlife.

November 5 - OneWorld.net

FEATURE

The balloons have fallen, and the yard signs have been yanked up. The people have chosen, and in a historic win, Senator Barack Obama will soon be our next president. Now the hopes and promises of the campaign must harden into reality. Managing Editor Tim Halbur summarize what we can expect from an Obama presidency in regards to urban issues.

November 5 - Tim Halbur

One architecture critic addresses two skyscraper-related conundrums: Decorative lighting that tops the buildings are energy inefficient, and they are dangerous to migrating birds.

November 4 - Chicago Tribune

Artist Edgar Arceneaux is the man behind the Watts Towers Project, a collaboration of international artists to make the poverty-stricken neighborhood facing on the famed folk art structure into works of art in their own right.

November 4 - Los Angeles Times

The James Bond films have featured some of the most memorable built environments in all of cinema. Too bad Bond invariably blows them up.

November 4 - Guardian (UK)

Democratic insiders have mapped out the possible face of an Obama presidential cabinet. Shortlisted for Secretary of Transportation are Oregon Congressman Earl Blumenauer and Minnesota Congressman Jim Oberstar.

November 4 - Politico

A grassy median in a tony Santa Monica neighborhood has been a hotspot for local fitness buffs looking for a nice place to workout for years. But residents tired of the constant outdoor gym that invades their street are complaining to the city.

November 4 - Los Angeles Times

This piece from the <em>Pittsburgh Tribune-Review</em> looks at the rising amount of wildlife being seen in urban Pittsburgh. According to local experts, this trend has both good and bad implications.

November 4 - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Democrats are in cities and Republicans are in rural areas, according to the results of recent elections. But with two metropolitan candidates in this year's election and an increasingly urbanized populace, that split may become obsolete.

November 4 - Citiwire

By planting in under-utilized backyards, farmer Trevor Paque has brought small-scale farming to more than 50 homes across San Francisco -- a decentralized farm expected to feed more than 150 families come spring.

November 4 - USA Today