This year’s California American Planning Association conference convened at Disneyland and covered some innovative environmental, active transportation, and park plans and programs, including Disney’s own green practices, writes planner Clement Lau.
The recent APA California conference wasn’t just an opportunity to meet at Disneyland, which is billed as "the happiest place on earth."
The gathering of those who help chart a course for the cities they serve was a chance to learn about what planners at the amusement park and communities throughout California are doing to promote urban greening, according to Lau.
Lau gives some key highlights from the conference, which included Disneyland's own use of compressed natural gas and biodiesel to fuel some of its rides.
"As part of the original design of Disneyland in 1955, two-thirds of the storm drains flow to one of a number of connected waterways: the Rivers of America, Storybook Land canals, the castle moat, Carnation Creek, and the Jungle Cruise. This system retains a great deal of storm water while providing natural biological treatment."
Lau summarizes several conference sessions on creative strategies for greening urban communities. For example, he discusses how Anaheim is trying to bolster pedestrian and bicyclist use of recreational trails and other areas through its Outdoors Connectivity Plan.
"The Plan recommends not only increasing recreation and mobility opportunities along the river, but also contributing to the completion of the Santa Ana River Trail and Parkway. The City of Anaheim has created a very informative website and a catchy slogan 'Anaheim Outdoors: It's Your Backyard' which promotes greater stewardship of the community by residents."
FULL STORY: APA Conference: Lessons from Disneyland
Impact Study Released for Disneyland Expansion
The theme park giant is one step closer to adding new sections to its Anaheim empire.
"Imagineering" Versus Planning
The conference of the California chapter of the American Planning Association took place across the street from Disneyland this week. What Disney does for fictional landscapes, planners must do for real landscapes.
Disneyland Is Too Crowded. Is More Capacity Needed?
Disneyland has a plan to create more supply to meet contemporary demand, a strategy reminiscent of contemporary debates surrounding housing and transportation.
Florida Considers Legalizing ADUs
Current state law allows — but doesn’t require — cities to permit accessory dwelling units in single-family residential neighborhoods.
Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing
Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?
HUD Announces Plan to Build Housing on Public Lands
The agency will identify federally owned parcels appropriate for housing development and streamline the regulatory process to lease or transfer land to housing authorities and nonprofit developers.
Research: Walkability Linked to Improved Public Health
A study reveals that the density of city blocks is a significant factor in communities’ walkability and, subsequently, improved public health outcomes for residents.
Report Outlines Strategies for Resilient Wildfire Recovery in LA
Project Recovery offers a roadmap for rebuilding more sustainable and climate-resilient communities after wildfires and other disasters.
New Executive Order Renews Attack on Public Lands
An order issued late last week pushes for increased mineral extraction on federally owned public lands.
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.
Florida Atlantic University
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
City of Piedmont, CA
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland