The Global Warming & Energy Committee of the Sierra Club chapter in Silicon Valley decide to highlight the excessive permitting charges of some local cities... and results happen.
"A survey by the Sierra Club this fall of the permit fees that cities in the region charge residents to install solar panels on their homes already is resulting in lower fees.
In the past two weeks, at least three cities -- San Mateo, Morgan Hill and Los Altos Hills -- have moved to dramatically reduce solar fees as a result of the survey and subsequent coverage of it by the Mercury News and other news outlets."
From Executive Summary:
"This study compares the progress of 40 cities in San Mateo, Santa Clara, and San Benito counties in making PV more affordable to homeowners. The goal is to determine a reasonable ceiling for permit fees and to encourage permitting authorities to lower fees that are unreasonably high."
Thanks to Stan Van Velsor
FULL STORY: Cities slash solar permit fees

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.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

Adaptive Reuse Will Create Housing in a Suburban Texas Strip Mall
A developer is reimagining a strip mall property as a mixed-use complex with housing and retail.

Study: Anti-Homelessness Laws Don’t Work
Research shows that punitive measures that criminalized unhoused people don’t help reduce homelessness.

In U.S., Urban Gondolas Face Uphill Battle
Cities in Latin America and Europe have embraced aerial transitways — AKA gondolas — as sustainable, convenient urban transport, especially in tricky geographies. American cities have yet to catch up.
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont