Open space advocates laud Massachusetts governor's efforts to protect public parks from development.
The Romney administration announced that it would "veto any bill requesting the conversion of parkland for other uses, unless an exhaustive state review has been conducted. That review requires cities and towns to show there is no other place to build a school or other facility but on parkland, and also mandates that any lost open space be replaced elsewhere within municipal borders....Particularly in municipalities that are tight on space, portions of parks have been carved up and used for water and sewer lines, police and fire stations, roads, housing, cemeteries, and schools.From now on, cities and towns must make an extra effort to explore alternatives, such as rehabilitating an existing school in a central location, before getting the governor's approval for building a new school in a park...."
Thanks to Connie Chung
FULL STORY: Governor seeks to curb building on public parkland

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Bend, Oregon Zoning Reforms Prioritize Small-Scale Housing
The city altered its zoning code to allow multi-family housing and eliminated parking mandates citywide.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

LA Denies Basic Services to Unhoused Residents
The city has repeatedly failed to respond to requests for trash pickup at encampment sites, and eliminated a program that provided mobile showers and toilets.
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