San Diego Incubates Civic Innovation

"Former Mayor Bob Filner’s formal push to spur civic innovation endures despite the scandal that ended his mayoral tenure," reports Lisa Halverstadt. The program, tweaked and renamed the Civic Innovation Lab, will be operated by Planning Director Bill Fulton in consultation with UC San Diego professors Teddy Cruz and Fonna Forman.

"Fulton wants to start with smaller moves first. For example, he said, the city might experiment with new ways to approach urban gardening or street striping, or look at ways to add parklets in more San Diego neighborhoods," notes Halverstadt.

“In general, (these are) little experimental things, which could make a big difference in the way neighborhoods look and feel and operate,” Fulton said.