Sustainability is catching on in more cities than New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago. Ventura City Manager Rick Cole explains how his city's land use practice can impact California's climate change efforts.
"We can't reduce greenhouse gas emissions to meet the AB 32 goals without smarter growth-and we need regional collaboration to achieve it."
"The International City/County Managers Association calls sustainability "the issue of our age." Local governments are highly reactive-after all, we are the level of government closest to the people. But this is an issue we are going to have to be strategic about-even as we work to apply the strategic perspective to everything we do day to day."
"The problem is that key drivers of California's success aren't sustainable. We won't be able to count on cheap energy, economic advantage, and debt finance to sustain our success. History is littered with examples of success stories that ran out of gas-although we will be the first where that happens literally. As the late economist Herb Stein rightly observed, "That which is unsustainable eventually comes to a stop." We are not there yet, but we don't have the luxury of waiting to make major change, despite the fact that such changes cause anxiety and discomfort. Because if we don't change, that anxiety and discomfort is nothing compared to the future calamity that will confront our children due to our failure to act today."
FULL STORY: Ventura City Manager Rick Cole Surveys Green Clout of Local Government to Transform 'The Way We Live'

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

San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning
SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.

The Tiny, Adorable $7,000 Car Turning Japan Onto EVs
The single seat Mibot charges from a regular plug as quickly as an iPad, and is about half the price of an average EV.

San Diego Votes to Rein in “Towering” ADUs
City council voted to limit the number of units in accessory buildings to six — after confronting backyard developments of up to 100 units behind a single family home.

Texas Legislature’s Surprising Pro-Housing Swing
Smaller homes on smaller lots, office to apartment conversions, and 40% less say for NIMBYs, vote state lawmakers.

Even Edmonton Wants Single Staircase Buildings
Canada's second most affordable major city joins those angling to nix the requirement for two staircases in multi-family buildings.
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.
Borough of Carlisle
Smith Gee Studio
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)