Development proposals in one of the least affluent communities in the Silicon Valley have repeatedly been scuttled due to a lack of water. Wealthier communities have more than enough.
"Hundreds of units of affordable housing and millions of square feet of commercial construction in East Palo Alto cannot be developed because the city doesn't have enough water," reports Sue Dremann. The project's demise is only the latest twist in the ongoing story about East Palo Alto's efforts to invest in their community running into a wall of water shortages.
Dremann notes that East Palo Alto is currently allotted 1.96 million gallons per day by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC). Using 57 gallons per day, East Palo Alto's residents use less water per capita than any other wholesale water customers supplied by SFPUC. Residents in the nearby, affluent city of Hillsborough use 302 gallons per day.
In June, East Palo Alto officials responded to the latest development setback by requesting an additional 1.5 million gallons of water a day. In March, Tara Lohan reported on East Palo Alto's ongoing efforts to secure more water supply. In May, Sam Levin reported on another project that stalled for want of water: a free school for low-income students funded by Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan.
Read the full story: East Palo Alto runs out of water, development on hold
Phoenix and Tucson create emergency water reserve, anticipating Colorado River cuts
The Secure Water Arizona Program will allow participating cities to use a reserve of water or make agreements to buy it from other jurisdictions.
Rural Ohio is Reconsidering its Laissez-Faire Zoning Culture as Data Centers Threaten Local Resources
There are at least 10 data center proposals in the pipeline in southeast Ohio.
Colorado River States Fail to Strike Deal After ‘Historic Meeting’
The Colorado Basin states have until February 14 to agree on new water conservation measures.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour
If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.
Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River
Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.
Chicago voters approve permanent festival grounds, penalty for vacant property owners
Currently, major summer and fall festivals take over public parks for weeks at a time, drawing criticism from nearby residents
NYC votes to cut outdoor dining red tape, speed up permitting
New York City also voted to allow the Department of Transportation to begin work on urgent projects before notifying elected officials.
California appears to reject Prop. 45
The proposition would have expanded the projects that qualify for a streamlined environmental review, effectively paring down the California Environmental Quality Act.
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 Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority