Los Angeles has hired a team of consultants to study ways to make the LA River a focus of urban revival instead of a flood control system. A series of public meetings may be a prelude to massive public works projects.
"Is it the city's most prominent gutter or a river waiting to be reborn?.. As other cities have made rivers the centerpiece of urban revival, the L.A. River has continued to serve largely as a flood control system.
But increasingly, Los Angeles officials believe that, with some smart engineering, the river can serve as an anchor for parks and wildlife habitat while still protecting the region from floods.
...The city has hired a prominent engineering firm as a primary consultant â€" Tetra Tech Inc. of Pasadena â€" and a few ideas have already trickled out. These include terracing the concrete-lined sides of the river into stairsteps that could be planted with trees and used as picnic spots."
FULL STORY: Planning for a Greener L.A. River

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

Vehicle-related Deaths Drop 29% in Richmond, VA
The seventh year of the city's Vision Zero strategy also cut the number of people killed in alcohol-related crashes by half.

As Trump Phases Out FEMA, Is It Time to Flee the Floodplains?
With less federal funding available for disaster relief efforts, the need to relocate at-risk communities is more urgent than ever.

Berkeley Approves ‘Middle Housing’ Ordinance
The city that invented single-family zoning is finally reckoning with its history of exclusion.

SEPTA Budget Slashes Service by 45 Percent
The Philadelphia-area transit agency is legally tasked with maintaining a balanced budget. Officials hope the state will come to the rescue with additional funding.

Connecticut Governor Vetoes Housing Bill
Gov. Lamont reversed his view on a controversial affordable housing bill that would have required municipalities to zone for set amounts of affordable housing to receive state funding.
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