The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

<p>A traditional neighborhood development planned near St. Petersburg, Florida, is having trouble getting approved because its proposed density is twice as high as the city wants to allow.</p>

January 1 - The St. Petersburg Times

<p>Demand for locally-grown food is increasing in Canada, but the number of organic growers has shown a national decline. A shortage of organic processing plants -- especially those used for meats -- is a limiting factor in the 'slow food' movement.</p>

December 31 - The Tyee

<p>L.A. transit officials hope the new smart card system, in the works for more than a decade, will make riding buses and trains more customer-friendly.</p>

December 31 - The Los Angeles Times

<p>The new high tech meters allow drivers to take their unused time to another parking spot in the city.</p>

December 31 - The Examiner

<p>This article from Seattle-based publication <em>WorldChanging</em> describes regional planning efforts to protect sensitive fisheries. This regional planning is not based on political boundaries, but rather on biological boundaries.</p>

December 31 - WorldChanging

<p>The New England region's population growth rate continues to drop below that of the nation as a whole, measuring at a rate of just 0.2 percent between July 2005 and July 2006. This compares with a national growth rate of about 1 percent.</p>

December 31 - Portland Press Herald

<p>Plans for making Paris a greener and more pedestrian friendly city are infuriating motorists in the city.</p>

December 30 - NPR

<p>The Vauban neighborhood on a former military base in Freiburg, Germany was not designed around the automobile. In fact, some streets are too narrow for them. And unlike much of Europe, this is a city made to accommodate young families with children.</p>

December 30 - The Christian Science Monitor

<p>A study released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows that nutrient pollution in New England and the Gulf of Maine has increased over the last 15 years, due to pesticide use, stormwater runoff, and sewage leaks.</p>

December 30 - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

<p>A recent survey of California farmers and members of the state's Farm Water Coalition reveals that the majority of farmers place the highest importance on securing a dependable water supply for the state.</p>

December 30 - Western Farm Press

<p>FBI statistics that identify Kansas City as having the most violent crime in the nation fortify results from a recent survey of residents who are more concerned about crime than residents of the reigning "most dangerous city in America", St. Louis.</p>

December 30 - The Kansas City Star

<p>Home prices in the British capital have made London the most expensive place to buy a home, supplanting New York City.</p>

December 29 - San Jose Mercury News

<p>Many Iraqi families have struggled to find safe, decent and affordable shelter since the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime.</p>

December 29 - The New York Times

<p>Wind energy is touted as an affordable and environment-friendly source for generating electricity. But that's not the whole story.</p>

December 29 - The New York Times

<p>Cities are increasing considering rooftop gardens to bring nature back to urban areas.</p>

December 29 - The Los Angeles Times

<p>The Brookings Institution's Metropolitan Policy Program has published its list of the top ten most noteworthy urban and demographic trends affecting U.S. metropolitan regions in 2006.</p>

December 29 - The Brookings Institution

<p>Grist takes a look at political commentator Rick Gray's proposal for a gas tax scheme that Americans could stand.</p>

December 29 - Grist

<p>A 60s-era motel lobby is getting the star treatment from local preservationists eager to save a piece of the city's former glory.</p>

December 29 - The Chicago Tribune

<p>A new study seeks to understand what cultivates public interaction on the steps of Brooklyn's famed brownstones.</p>

December 29 - The Brooklyn Papers

<p>China's officials say its controversial population-control measure is still crucial for the welfare of the nation, where 800 million rural residents still live in poverty.</p>

December 29 - CNN