The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Blade Runner Goes Back to the Future
Los Angeles appears in Blade Runner 2049 in name only. But the film still provides an arresting vision of a high-density future and is a reminder of the eternal ambiguity that surrounds Los Angeles.

How People Talk About Blight and Vacancies
The kinds of words and arguments people use to describe blight, foreclosure, and eviction reveals a lot of society's biases.

Is Miami's Brickell City Centre the Mall of the Future?
Miami's Brickell City Centre represents the evolution of the shopping mall as a mixed-use social gathering place.

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Is It Time to Rethink the Legacy of Enrique Peñalosa?
Negative responses to the "Most Influential Urbanists" list published last week overwhelmingly focused on one name on the list: Enrique Peñalosa.

Dockless vs. Docking Bikeshare Showdown in San Francisco
When Ford GoBike took over Bay Area Bike Share last year and promised to expand the number of bikes ten-fold, they entered into an exclusivity contract with San Francisco. So why is the city going to issue a permit to a competitor?
A Three-Story House That Fits in a Parking Space
There's a design for a 400-square-foot house spread over three floors.

San Diego's Journey From First to Worst in Public Transit and What Could Turn it Around
For much of the 20th century, San Diego led the nation in public transit firsts. Unfortunately, the region has slipped to the bottom of national transit rankings. Planning activist Murtaza Baxamusa explains how it happened and the needed reform.

Increased Tolls for Bay Area Bridges Headed for a Vote
It is now up to the Bay Area's transportation planning agency to determine when to ask voters to hike tolls on seven Bay Area bridges, by how much, and whether to phase the increase. A bill to allow voters to fund Caltrain was also signed.

Is Population Growth Worth Fixating On?
While mayors of shrinking cities do all they can to buoy a discouraging metric, others ask whether population growth is all it's cracked up to be.
South L.A. Housing Project First to Use New 'Transit Oriented Community' Incentives
The city's new guidelines incentivize the development of affordable housing near transit.

Ross May Be Immune from the Amazon Effect
Ross Stores continues its expansion in the face of a much-foretold retail apocalypse. The shopping experience it provides may be one reason it can stand up to Amazon.

Study: Urban Renters Move Often, and Voluntarily
The usual narrative of gentrification and displacement often assumes a static population. According to this study, urban renters move around very frequently, and most (but not all) of their moves are voluntary.

Icelandic Town Hopes to Slow Traffic with 3-D Illusion
The small town of Isafjordur, Iceland is hoping an optical illusion painted onto a street will work to slow down drivers.
Under Construction: An Elevated Pedestrian Path on the Chicago River
The new 312 RiverRun will connect three parks on a two-mile elevated pedestrian path.

Governor's Veto Gives Locals Control Over 5G Infrastructure in California
A bill designed to streamline the implementation of 5G Internet infrastructure onto public poles and lights has been vetoed by California Governor Jerry Brown.

Power Shifts to Cities in San Diego County's Embattled Regional Planning Agency
Larger cities in California's second most populous county will be given more power thanks to a bill that reforms the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG). One result may be that more public transit measures appear on the ballot.

New Commuter Train Comes Through for Fire-Ravaged Santa Rosa
Sonoma-Marin Rail Transit (SMART) has been operating almost continuously at full schedule, collecting no fares since the epic wildfires began in Sonoma County on Oct. 8. Two stations in the fire-zone are shut down due to lack of access.

Bikelash Reaches a Whole New Level
A Minneapolis bike lane protest sets a new bar for opposition to bike lanes—Godwin's law was definitely in play.

Where's the Concern About Spiking Traffic Fatalities?
Traffic fatalities are increasing faster than any time since the 1960s, but it's hard to notice much concern from the United States.

Rents Drop for the Second Consecutive Quarter in Washington, D.C.
A large amount of new rental units have come online in recent months in Washington, D.C., and the housing market has seen a surprising amount of upheaval as a result.
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City of Moorpark
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Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.