The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Policymakers are closer than ever to coming to an agreement on comprehensive water legislation. They've agreed on major parts, but have yet to officially finalize the details.

October 22 - Los Angeles Times

The New York Times Automobiles Section discusses the growing population of Americans living car-free.

October 22 - The New York Times

A survey shows that 2/3rds of Houston residents are ready for stricter land use regulations. This follows a number of high-profile clashes between neighborhoods and developers who want to build in them.

October 22 - The Houston Chronicle

Bicycle commuting increased 43% in the U.S. from 2000 to 2008. And as commuters get used to having their trusty bike to get around, more business travelers are taking their ride with them.

October 22 - New York Times

Cohousing, which is cooperatively-managed but independently-owned housing, is gaining popularity in the Northwest. A new cohousing project in Portland just opened its doors last weekend.

October 22 - Northwest Hub

The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen have filed a lawsuit against Metrolink, saying surveillance cameras, which were installed after a deadly crash, are an "invasion of privacy."

October 22 - Los Angeles Times

The New York Times examines a handful of places in the US embracing zero-waste policies, how they're doing it, and what challenges lie ahead.

October 22 - The New York Times

FEATURE

With the emergence of new traditional design patterns among contemporary architects, the standards and rules that have defined historic preservation are becoming obsolete. Steven W. Semes calls on planners and designers to create a new ethic of harmonious intervention into historic settings.

October 22 - Steven W. Semes

Without even a hint of sarcasm, the National Park Trust is planning to give an award to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger for protection of public lands.

October 22 - Los Angeles Times

With only 100 voters and a mayor with strong financial ties to the city, Industry, CA is "disturbingly insular," says the LA Times. And with a proposed $800 million stadium in the works, Industry's concentrated power is called into question.

October 21 - Los Angeles Times

Ultracapacitor batteries are a poor fit for domestic cars, but are a unique fit for transit. Michael Graham Richard looks at how this technology is working on electric buses in China.

October 21 - Treehugger

Japan is running out of places to store the remains of its dead, so what better place than in the city, near transit stations in high-tech, high-rise facilities?

October 21 - BBC News

Global corporations like Frito Lay and Barnes and Noble are attempting to co-opt the word 'local' into their branding.

October 21 - Utne Reader

Lima's poorest residents are using nets to capture the moisture from the fog that shrouds the city. They don't have access to running water and often pay a high price to get it.

October 21 - BBC News

Huffington Post highlights 11 astonishing architectural proposals from around the world [slideshow].

October 21 - Huffington Post

Clayton McCleskey makes the case for why Dallas ought to be a little more like Zurich.

October 21 - The Dallas Morning News

California has finally begun to encourage insurance companies to offer "pay as you drive" (PAYD) insurance policies. The Natural Resources Defense Council says it's a half baked policy.

October 21 - Streetsblog Los Angeles

Ever wonder how many people hop on those cable-cars in San Fran without paying the fare? Well, it turns out that transit cheats cost MUNI, San Francisco's transit agency, an estimated, $19 million a year.

October 21 - The San Francisco Chronicle

A new report shows a dramatic trend in homelessness: increasing numbers of former homeowners left with nowhere to live after foreclosure are turning to homeless shelters.

October 21 - The New York Times

That's Lynden Miller's motto, an artist and garden designer with a new book, <em>Parks, Plants, and People: Beautifying the Urban Landscape.</em> The Wall St. Journal has a profile.

October 20 - Wall St Journal