Los Angeles City Council President Eric Garcetti is proposing much-needed changes to the way L.A. facilitates neighborhood development.
"Somebody from the Planning Department or the Department of Building Safety should be knowledgeable enough to check the project's tree plan. If we can boil down those 12 stops to two stops, at the Planning Department and the Department of Building and Safety, we will have a city that I believe will not only pro-business, but also pro-neighborhoods..."
"But I say to the departments, "Wouldn't you like to have an additional staff member back working on the core issues in your department?" If it's the Fire Department, shouldn't you be working on fire safety, fire prevention, or firefighting and emergency services? If it were Street Trees, wouldn't you love to have an extra body out there planting or trimming trees? We have a good case to take to departments: this will actually give you the resources back for your core job, and let Planning and Building and Safety do their core job."
Eric Garcetti goes on to discuss the critical role smart growth and affordable housing can play in revitalizing neighborhoods.
FULL STORY: L.A. Council President Garcetti Would ‘Plan by Neighborhood’

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