Climate change dominated the news this week, as flooding wreaked unfathomable havoc on the state of Louisiana.
It only takes three minutes to catch up on the biggest news stories of the week in the world of planning with the Planetizen Week in Review.
Normally it's foolish to point at a single weather event as proof (or disproof) of climate change, but the week's devastating flooding in Louisiana are an exception. Severe rains and flooding have repeatedly hit the state in the last year, in proof of a new era of climate change.
The village of Shishmaref in Alaska is aware of the new climate era: it voted this week to relocate, faced with rising seas and an eroding coastline.
Ambitious long-term plans were released in Chicago and in the Nashville region, as well. Finally, the city of San Francisco and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development had a high-profile disagreement about fair housing this week.
For more on the stories covered in the video, see the links below.
- This Is Climate Change: Eight 500-Year Storms Since May *2015
- Faced With Sea-Level Rise and Coastal Erosion, an Alaskan Village Votes to Relocate
- 25-Year Regional Transit Plan Revealed for Nashville
- A Bold Plan to Swim in Chicago's Rivers by 2030
- HUD Rejects San Francisco's 'Neighborhood Preference' Plan
Read the full story: Planetizen Week in Review August 20, 2016
HUD Rejects San Francisco's 'Neighborhood Preference' Plan
The federal government has decided that a policy recently approved by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors would have the exact opposite effect of its intentions.
Over 500 NYC ‘Blue Zones’ at Risk of More Destructive Floods
High-risk flood zones cover roughly 20% of the city’s land.
Rising Above: Innovative Solutions for Waikīkī’s Sea-Level Challenges
The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s award-winning Waikīkī sea-level rise adaptation project combines science, architecture, and community input to create scalable solutions for climate resilience and coastal flood mitigation.
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