The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Palo Alto Expands Church ‘Safe Parking’ Program
The city is considering adding commercial lots to the program, which provides safe parking and amenities for people living in cars.

Report: California’s Orphan Wells Still Pose Health Risks
Tens of thousands of idle oil wells litter the state. Taxpayers are often on the hook for cleanup.

Healing Neighborhoods Through Park Equity
Learn more about ways to improve park equity with Norma García-González, the director of the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation, and Catherine Nagel, the executive director of the City Parks Alliance.

‘Urban-Scale’ Problems, ‘Rural-Level Resources’
Northwest Oregon towns face a growing housing crisis, but affordable housing grants are hard to come by for underresourced communities.

COP28: Will Developed Nations Reduce Emissions?
Tensions between developed and developing nations surfaced over emissions and energy, with the former focused on reducing fossil fuels and the latter pointing to unrealized emissions reductions from the nations most responsible for global warming.

Masking Traffic With White Noise
A Belgian city is designing public fountains and other design elements to reduce noise pollution in a local park.

New York Governor Withdraws Housing Mandate Proposal
Governor Hochul will abandon a key component of her housing proposal that would have required municipalities to add new housing every three years.

FEATURE
How Design Can Help Mitigate Extreme Heat
To prepare for hotter summers, designers and architects can build resilience into the urban environment.

States Scramble in Wake of Clean Water Act Ruling
The removal of federal oversight of wetlands has left millions of acres unregulated and erected major hurdles for lawmakers seeking to protect them.

Brightline West Awarded $3 Billion in Federal Funding
The high-speed rail line will cut travel time between Southern California and Las Vegas roughly in half.

OKC Celebrates New Rapid Bus Line With Free Rides
The agency wants to showcase the benefits of a recently opened BRT line connecting the northwest part of the city to downtown.

Turning Out the Lights on Light Pollution
Limiting light pollution can have beneficial effects for humans, animals, and the local economy.

EPA Calls for Eliminating Lead Water Pipes in 10 Years
The mandate doesn’t include additional funding, prompting backlash from utility companies.

Baltimore Considers Public Restroom Project
The city is starting to develop a plan for adding more public restrooms downtown, where available bathrooms are scarce and historic buildings are being damaged by public urination.

Will New York’s Strict Short-Term Rental Rules Work?
Some owners are reluctant to put short-term rental units back on the long-term rental market, but the number of permitted units has dropped dramatically.

BLOG POST
Want Less Traffic and More Parking? Start Charging for It!
Cities often fail to effectively manage parking—and the public pays for it.

Seattle’s Bike Infrastructure Hamstrings Growth
Design standards that call for minimal road space allocated to bikes are limiting the growth of cycling in the city.

Winter Fun at Los Angeles County Parks
L.A. County is offering a winter edition of its popular and award-winning Parks After Dark program, providing opportunities for residents to come together and have fun in safe and welcoming spaces.

Sacramento Council Approves Upzoning Proposal
If given final approval, the plan would increase the allowable floor area ratio to permit denser housing development in single-family neighborhoods and near transit.

San Antonio Leaders Look to Revive Dormant Bike Plan
The city’s 12-year-old plan to improve its bike network has made little headway. Now, city leaders hope to revitalize the effort.
Pagination
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
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