The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Op-Ed: Houston’s Memorial Park Centers Nature, Connectivity
The Houston Chronicle editorial board calls the newly redesigned park a “transformative” project, urging state transportation officials to take note.

City Dwellers Happiest in Parks, Angry at Transit Stops
An analysis of geotagged tweets reveals that city dwellers express positive emotions in green spaces and restaurants, while bus stops and transit elicited more frustrated reactions.

Cars Are Outgrowing Their Parking Spaces
As American vehicles grow taller, wider, and longer, more of them are having a hard time fitting in traditional parking spaces.

Michigan Cities to Improve Accessibility at Rail Stations
Four cities settled lawsuits citing a lack of ADA compliance at their intercity rail stations.

Houston Mayor Halts Affordable Housing Deals
The mayor wants to examine the true benefits and impacts of a state law meant to boost affordable housing production that allows developers to exempt their projects from property taxes.

Study: Electric Stoves Improve Air Quality
Air pollutants in housing units that received electric stoves as part of a pilot program dropped sharply, signaling that switching to electric appliances has public health benefits as well as environmental ones.

San Francisco Officials Detail Self-Driving Car ‘Mayhem’ in Letter to State
In the worst version of the autonomous future, San Francisco firefighters have to fight off a self-driving car that crashed into their equipment during a fire, prompting calls for stricter regulations.

San Diego-Area EIR Ruling Could Slow Development
A court ruling that calls for environmental impact reviews to account for adjacent developments could significantly affect how government agencies and developers approach projects.

Proposed Outdoor Dining Ordinance Could Decimate L.A.’s ‘Al Fresco’ Dining
Restaurant owners say the new regulations proposed by the city for installing and maintaining outdoor dining areas would put them out of reach for many businesses.

APA Releases ‘Equity in Zoning’ Guide
The guide provides a framework for assessing and improving equity in housing policy.

Chicago Bike Lane Enforcement Proposal Draws Criticism for not Addressing Structural Flaws
A new ordinance would use automated enforcement to ticket drivers who block bike lanes, but some bike advocates say the city is avoiding the harder work of improving its bike infrastructure.

Pittsburgh Adaptive Reuse Program Accepting Applications
The city has issued a request for proposals to support projects converting downtown office buildings to affordable housing.

Florida Supreme Court Voids County Tax That Included Transit Funding
A proposal from Gov. DeSantis would require Hillsborough County to return revenue collected from the tax to residents who paid it and bar the county from using any remaining funds on transit projects.

Appeals Court Decision Favors New York City Tenants
The court ruled against landlords challenging the city’s rent stabilization laws as unconstitutional. The landlords plan to take their case to the Supreme Court.

Washington Could Legalize Single-Staircase Buildings
Supporters of ‘point access blocks,’ which are common in Europe and other parts of the world, say the design maximizes living space and lowers the cost of construction.

San Francisco Housing Plan Gets State Approval
The city cleared a major hurdle as its housing plan, which paves the way for 82,000 new homes by 2030, is certified by the state.

Rail Transit Plans Would Connect L.A.’s South Bay to the Regional Rail System
Two new transit extensions promise several new routes for South Bay residents to access the Los Angeles region’s transit system.

Property Appraisal Caps Unlikely to Pass in Texas
Critics of a proposal to limit property value increases to reduce homeowners’ property tax burden say the measure would destabilize the housing market and cause cities to raise other taxes to compensate.

Hawaii State Bills Could Limit or Expand Affordable Housing Law
Some legislators see a law that provides a zoning exemption to affordable housing builders as a necessary way to alleviate the housing crisis, while others worry about the impact of fast-tracked development on land zoned for conservation.

Cleveland: The Nation’s Most Equitably Walkable City
A new study assesses which cities have the broadest access to walkable neighborhoods.
Pagination
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
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