Residents and city officials in L.A. battle over what to do with unused land surrounding the Silver Lake Reservoir.
"The neighborhood of Silver Lake is the only place in Los Angeles that has more cheese stores than doughnut shops. It has a reputation as a hipster haven, but in reality it's a destination for the upwardly mobile to raise children. Politically active. Informed. Opinionated. Think of it as Berkeley with a wax job."
"Even with its idiosyncrasies, Silver Lake is far from unique. Like everywhere, its political dramas are packed with passion and rife with absurdity. In an area where the majority of residents have their own yards, the firestorm has been over a roughly six-acre plot of green space, the Meadow."
"It sits at the north end of Silver Lake Reservoir and has been closed off from the public, by most accounts, for 60 years. The open-air reservoir is being decommissioned as a source of city drinking water due to tighter environmental rules."
"The question now is whether the admittedly public land surrounding the reservoir, long fenced in, should be opened to the public. Or should it be a wildlife sanctuary for birds and coyotes?"
"Open it or keep it closed?"
FULL STORY: Silver Lake's Nasty Land Feud

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

Restaurant Patios Were a Pandemic Win — Why Were They so Hard to Keep?
Social distancing requirements and changes in travel patterns prompted cities to pilot new uses for street and sidewalk space. Then it got complicated.

Map: Where Senate Republicans Want to Sell Your Public Lands
For public land advocates, the Senate Republicans’ proposal to sell millions of acres of public land in the West is “the biggest fight of their careers.”

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.

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.

California Homeless Arrests, Citations Spike After Ruling
An investigation reveals that anti-homeless actions increased up to 500% after Grants Pass v. Johnson — even in cities claiming no policy change.
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
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)