The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

<p>Supporters of the proposed $300 million Panama City-Bay County International Airport -- including the well-heeled St. Joe company -- talk of economic development. Opponents call the facility the "Airport to Nowhere."</p>

January 18 - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

<p>The family in Bucharest, Romania that owns Bran Castle -- famous for its connection to the 15th century medieval ruler who inspired "Dracula" -- plans to sell the fortress to local authorities for $78 million.</p>

January 18 - Associated Press

<p>While Vancouver's downtown residential population has exploded, the housing boom has crowded out commercial office space, to the detriment of the city's economy.</p>

January 18 - International Herald Tribune

<p>The New York Times profiles three different homes in different areas of the country that sell for $300,000.</p>

January 18 - The New York Times

<p>After a federal raid cost a chicken processing plant in Stillmore, Georgia, 75 percent of its mostly Hispanic 900-member work force, company officials hired locals -- mostly African-American -- to take their place. Then things got interesting.</p>

January 18 - The Wall Street Journal

<p>The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear a New York property owner's case against his city for its use of eminent domain to acquire his land for the development of a drugstore. The owner claimed that a drugstore was not a true 'public use'.</p>

January 18 - The New York Times

<p>Chain stores have invaded Manhattan and now look to open in other New York City neighborhoods. Meanwhile, San Francisco's planning commission has the power to reject chain retail and restaurants. And they have been using that power.</p>

January 18 - The New York Times

<p>East Palo Alto may be one of the few U.S cities of 30,000 residents lacking a supermarket. Now this 23-year-old city is close to getting one on a 6-acre vacant lot, but increased land costs forced the new developer to renegotiate the prior plan.</p>

January 18 - Palo Alto Daily News

<p>High-tech garages and online applications promise to help ease motorists' parking frustrations.</p>

January 18 - MSNBC

<p>City officials in Berkeley, California, are voicing concerns about a regional government association's proposed ousing quota for the next seven years, one which calls for a yearly increase of more than 200%.</p>

January 18 - The Berkeley Daily Planet

<p>Even in virtual environments, it turns out, good planning matters. The virtual environment, Second Life, offers a view into the future of how planning may evolve in virtual worlds, and how planners might use virtual environments to plan.</p>

January 17 - Planning magazine, American Planning Association

<p>With more and more infill sites being developed, environmental due diligence on potential development sites has become the norm, partly due to the insistence of lenders and municipalities.</p>

January 17 - The Globe & Mail

<p>Mass production and prefabrication have revolutionized the manufacturing of cars, planes and ships -- now a number of pioneering builders and architects are applying these technologies to the housing industry.</p>

January 17 - Wired

<p>State and local officials are offering $100 million dollars in tax breaks to the Internet company should it locate a new facility in Lenoir, North Carolina. Yet some wonder if the generosity will pay off for the town.</p>

January 17 - The News & Observer

<p>Drawing on lessons from Hurricane Katrina, disaster experts and government officials are gathering in New Orleans to discuss how to develop emergency plans for those who can't or don't drive.</p>

January 17 - The Advocate

<p>A shantytown set up to protest Miami's housing crisis is winning over neighbors and has become a "warm community."</p>

January 17 - The New York Times

<p>Alberta's inability to provide the necessary municipal and social infrastructure to keep pace with oil sand developments is beginning to make life in the north "intolerable."</p>

January 17 - Rabble

Despite a long-held promise of not spending any city money to attract a tenant to Kansas City's now-vacant sports arena, the city may be willing to pay millions to build a practice facility in an effort to woo a pro hockey or basketball team.

January 17 - Kansas City Pitch

<p>The central location and the expanse of space to facilitate a variety of different uses are getting people excited about the newly proposed City Plaza in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina, despite the fact that it will cut through a well-used street.</p>

January 17 - The Independent Weekly (North Carolina)

<p>A innovative program for gifted children in Australia is giving students a chance to learn the basics of town planning.</p>

January 17 - The Sydney Morning Herald