What a difference a wet winter makes.

"It’s a fantastic year for wildflower lovers, who’ve been flocking to fields of poppies, lupine and golden brush. The orange, purple and yellow blooms are already populating the warmer climes of southern California and the Central Valley thanks to above average winter rainfall following five years of drought," writes Lindsey Hoshaw
Residents of Southern California (like me) can tell you that images of the so-called "Super Bloom" have been a near constant on social media in recent weeks, but the images shared in the article by Hoshaw offer a different perspective—the one from space. The series of before and after satellite images shows why "super" is such an appropriate way to describe California's spring bloom this year.
While the Super Bloom has exploded in places like Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and Los Padres National Forest, other locations like Death Valley haven't been so fortunate. It's possible that locations farther north could still see a Super Bloom in June and July.
FULL STORY: Here’s What California’s Wildflower ‘Super Bloom’ Looks Like From Space

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning
SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.

The Tiny, Adorable $7,000 Car Turning Japan Onto EVs
The single seat Mibot charges from a regular plug as quickly as an iPad, and is about half the price of an average EV.

With Protected Lanes, 460% More People Commute by Bike
For those needing more ammo, more data proving what we already knew is here.

In More Metros Than You’d Think, Suburbs are Now More Expensive Than the City
If you're moving to the burbs to save on square footage, data shows you should think again.

The States Losing Rural Delivery Rooms at an Alarming Pace
In some states, as few as 9% of rural hospitals still deliver babies. As a result, rising pre-term births, no adequate pre-term care and "harrowing" close calls are a growing reality.
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.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)