William Fulton pens a column for the U-T San Diego assessing the city of San Diego's transition from suburban to urban after 18 months on the job as planning director.
"When I arrived in San Diego as planning director 18 months ago, I came with a strong sense of mission," writes William ("Bill") Fulton to open the column. "My job, as I saw it, was to help the city successfully transition from a suburban to an urban place. This transition still seems inevitable to me. And I still believe that if San Diego does not confront this challenge directly, it will become not an elegant and well-functioning 21st century city, but rather an unworkable jumble of halfhearted efforts to both embrace and repel a more urban future."
Fulton, well known in planning circles as the former mayor of Oxnard, former vice president at Smart Growth America, and the publisher of the California Planning & Development Report, goes on to provide anecdotes from the up-and-down history of delivering on the state mission of his position as he issues a clear call to action for the city and its leaders to support the City of Villages planning agenda adopted by the city a decade ago.
Read the full story: San Diego must embrace urban future
'Housing for All of Us' Initiative Unveiled in San Diego
The city of San Diego is hoping an expedited community plan process can help deliver more housing, and more affordable housing options, to meet the needs of its residents.
Controversial Comprehensive Plan Update Moves Forward in Charlottesville
Residents have had a chance to oppose the new residential density proposed by the "Charlottesville Plans Together" comprehensive planning process.
San Diego High-Speed Rail Plan Counts on Future Density
Despite slowing population growth statewide, officials believe the region will "grow into" the new rail system if cities promote dense development around transit stations.
‘Going backwards:’ Baltimore mayor, students rally against state's transit funding plan
Maryland's proposed six-year plan provides no funding for Baltimore’s BMORE bus program and reduces its road maintenance funding.
Detroit to transform waterfront with $2.2 billion investment
Developers will convert about 18 acres of unused parking lot space into civic spaces.
Mamdani sent nearly 6,000 pied-à-terre tax warnings to homes that didn’t qualify
A judge has ordered the administration to cancel thousands of pied-à-terre tax notices after it sent 35% of them erroneously.
25 states, cities sue the EPA over erased power plant emissions limits
The coalition also intends to sue the EPA for not regulating emissions from gas-fired power plants.
Newsom vetoes giving CA tribes greater voice in water projects
In his veto letter, Newsom said the bill would add ‘uncertainty’ to the state’s fight to secure Californians’ water supplies.
Michigan Senate votes to revise 'lax' dam safety laws
A Bridge Michigan investigation found more than 100,000 Michigan residents live in the floodpath of a high or significant-hazard dam.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Thousand Oaks
City of Wisconsin Rapids
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA)
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello