This week, San Diego's City Council voted to resurrect the city's moribund Planning Department. A government-wide reorganization and energized leadership seem certain to ensure the department won't become a zombie.
After a two year absence (that seemed much longer), "the [San Diego] City Council approved a sweeping reorganization plan that once again includes a stand-alone Planning Department," reports Roger Showley. "Under the new setup, about 120 employees, most currently housed in the Development Services Department, will shift to [Planing Director Bill] Fulton, although formal transfer awaits passage of an ordinance in a few weeks in conformance with the city charter."
"We will restore long-range community planning to its rightful place as an important component for city business," Fulton said.
At Voice of San Diego, Andrew Keatts details the new organizational structure, which impacts much of the city government. "The biggest part of the reorganization might be the reintroduction of three deputy chief operating officers, each in charge of a different group of city functions — infrastructure and public works, neighborhood services and internal operations."
FULL STORY: Planning lives again at City Hall
Reborn San Diego Planning Department Gets New Director
Mayor Bob Filner's promise to revive San Diego's shuttered planning department became a reality with the announcement of Bill Fulton as its new director. The former mayor and author of the 'definitive guide to California planning' starts on July 8.
Lessons Learned from Decades of California Planning
Since the 1980s, California has been both a beacon of cutting-edge urban policy and an example of the ways planning can go awry.
Bill Fulton On What It Will Take to Rebuild San Diego's Planning Department
Bill Fulton, noted Smart Growth advocate and Director of Planning for the City of San Diego, looks to rebuild a department and pass community plans in the wake of San Diego's leadership crisis. In this interview, he describes the path ahead.
Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Walmart Announces Nationwide EV Charging Network
The company plans to install electric car chargers at most of its stores by 2030.
New State Study Suggests Homelessness Far Undercounted in New Mexico
An analysis of hospital visit records provided a more accurate count than the annual point-in-time count used by most agencies.
Michigan Bills Would Stiffen Penalties for Deadly Crashes
Proposed state legislation would close a ‘legal gap’ that lets drivers who kill get away with few repercussions.
Report: Bus Ridership Back to 86 Percent of Pre-Covid Levels
Transit ridership around the country was up by 85 percent in all modes in 2024.
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.
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions