The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Multi-Family Housing

The Connecticut Zoning Atlas Illustrates a Proclivity for Single-Family Zoning

A new online interactive mapping tool illustrates just how much developable land is devoted to one for of residential housing in the state of Connecticut.

January 29 - Hartford Courant

Detroit, Michigan

GM 'Aspires' to Carbon Neutrality by 2040

General Motors announced this week intentions to replace gas combustion engines with electric vehicles and carbon offsets in under two decades.

January 29 - Detroit Free Press

Ohio River Power Plant

Court's Rejection of Trump EPA Rule Clears Slate for Emissions Regulation

A D.C. circuit court struck down a rule that limited the agency's regulatory reach to emissions "at the source" in the power sector.

January 28 - Bloomberg Law

Mediterranean food cart in Portland

Dallas City Council Will Consider Food Carts

As the pandemic leaves restaurants and food businesses struggling to make ends meet, the Dallas City Council will evaluate a proposal legalizing detached food carts.

January 28 - The Dallas Observer

Interstate 10

Los Angeles-to-Coachella Train Service Taking Shape

New intercity rail service is being planned for the desert reaches between Los Angeles and the Palm Springs area.

January 28 - Progressive Railroading


Vancouver 2012

Vancouver Might Allow Non-Profit Housing to Skip Rezoning Application

Vancouver is considering eliminating a rezoning application, which could save non-profit developers up to two years in the city's approvals process.

January 28 - Daily Hive

Washington, D.C.

Biden Promises New Attention to Racial Inequality, Including Fair Housing

The Biden administration is announcing its intentions to overturn several controversial products of the Trump administration to weaken the the implementation of the Fair Housing Act of 1968 and the doctrine of disparate impact at its core.

January 28 - The White House


Commuter Rail

Post-Pandemic Transit Planning: A New Era for Commuter Rail

Ridership on the nation's commuter rail services has plummeted more than other forms of transit during the pandemic. Serving a more affluent, professional ridership, commuter rail is looking more likely to face long-term cuts after the pandemic.

January 28 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

Interior of taxi with driver in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Riding in Cars with COVID-19

Research suggests maximizing airflow during shared car rides vastly reduces the risk of transmission.

January 28 - The New York Times

Granny Flat

Proposed Law Would Legalize Accessory Dwelling Units in New York State

Advocates have been calling for the New York State Legislature to legalize accessory dwelling units for years. A new law would take the first step.

January 28 - New York ADU Legislation

C.J. Peete Public Housing, New Orleans

Opinion: Public Housing Won't Solve the Affordability Crisis

Seeking repeal of the Faircloth Amendment could be a needless distraction in the new administration's efforts to create more affordable housing, according to an article by Jenny Schuetz for the Brookings Intitution.

January 27 - Brookings Institution

Bridalveil Fall

Get Outdoors: 10,000 Miles of National Park Trails Restored

A three-year project to restore access to 10,000 miles of national park trails has been completed through a collaboration between the National Park Foundation and food company Nature Valley.

January 27 - Lonely Planet

Coronavirus

Outdoor Dining and Indoor Haircuts Return to California

With COVID infections plummeting, Gov. Gavin Newsom surprisingly lifted California's regional stay home order that had imposed the nation's strictest personal and business restrictions during the most deadly phase of the pandemic.

January 27 - California Department of Public Health

Capitol

December Stimulus Comes Up Well Short of Solving the Eviction Crisis, Report Says

A research brief published recently by the Urban Institute provides insight into debt accruing among renters during the pandemic and what governments need to do to relieve the pressure.

January 27 - Urban Institute

East Bay Area

Berkeley to Remove Parking Requirements for Residential Properties

Berkeley is the second city in Northern California to approve landmark zoning reforms so far in 2021.

January 27 - Streetsblog USA

Savannah, Georgia

Warehouse Moratorium Sought in Suburban Georgia to Slow Road Damage

Traffic from the area's booming distribution centers is damaging local roads and causing concern among residents.

January 27 - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Detroit Motor City

Detroit's Unique Climate Challenges

As climate change intensifies, Detroit could see more devastating floods and deadlier heat waves.

January 27 - Planet Detroit

Bus Priority Zones

Survey Says New Yorker Want More Protected Bike and Bus Lanes, Less Parking

A new survey reveals broad support for a less car-centric approach to capital investment in the city of New York.

January 27 - Gothamist

COVID-19 and Public Health

Biden: Masks, Not Vaccines, Are Best Defense in Near Term

President Joe Biden is calling on all Americans to wear masks for the next 100 days to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus, issuing two executive orders that require wearing masks on federal property and in domestic and international travel.

January 26 - The Washington Post

Mount Rainier

Upping Tacoma's Missing Middle Housing Game

Tacoma is looking to expand on the accessory dwelling unit reforms of the Home in Tacoma project by planning for new residential density along the city's transit routes.

January 26 - The Urbanist

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