With Southern California's strictest urban growth rules and a commitment to preserving open space and agriculture, Ventura County has become the region's hotbed of smart growth.
County Supervisor Kathy Long elaborates on what's happening in Ventura:
"It's not a secret to anyone: the market, the cost of property, and the cost of housing have skyrocketed. We feel those pressures. Our internal growth has been somewhere around 3 or 4 percent, which is manageable, but we know that additional pressures are coming to our county because of built-up, built-out areas surrounding us and the frustration of folks who live in those communities who might want to get away from the intense density and development."
"We are struggling with the need for adequate housing, both for low-income residents and farm workers, and even for our general workforce-firefighters, nurses, and medical technicians. I think we have moved in our community dialogue to where the general constituency knows we can't continue with the old blueprint of large-lot, single-family homes and still accomplish the balance of farmland and open space that they have mandated by their vote. We have to look at higher densities and go up."
Thanks to Josh Stephens
FULL STORY: Supervisor Kathy Long Balances Smart Growth & Open Space Preservation in Ventura County

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.

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.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie