San Diego

Will San Diego's Sweeping Stadium and Tourism Initiative Pass Constitutional Muster?

A coalition of unlikely allies are circulating a sweeping ballot initiative in San Diego that would decide a hodge-podge of land use and tax issues confronting the city in one fell swoop. But is it legal?

March 28, 2016 - UrbDeZine

Activist and Urbanist Collaborate for San Diego's North Park

San Diego's diverse urban North Park Community, once a victim of suburban flight, is now dealing with urban remigration. Urban planner Howard Blackson and community activist Don Leichtling collaborate on community plan update recommendations.

March 21, 2016 - UrbDeZine

Op-Ed: San Diego Should Look to Beaches to Increase Density

San Diego should look to its beach communities and its major intersections to achieve its housing and Climate Action Plan goals while minimizing community polarization, writes urban planning consultant Howard Blackson.

March 4, 2016 - UrbDeZine

Maokong Sky Gondola

When Other Transit Modes Won't Do, There's Always Sky Gondolas

One Toronto-area man is hoping that cable cars in the sky will one day complete the metro's transit system, but transportation experts see limited use for the technology.

February 29, 2016 - Hamilton Spectator

Op-Ed: San Diego's Draft Downtown Mobility Plan Suffering From Suburban Myopia

San Diego's Draft Downtown Mobility Plan is laudable but consists of basic generalities and vanilla concepts, ignoring how an urban environment functions, writes Jimmy Parker, former president of the city's most urban business district.

February 26, 2016 - UrbDeZine

San Diego

San Diego's Bold New Plan for Downtown Cyclists and Walkers

San Diego's downtown, dominated by 3-lane one-way streets engineered to maximize car velocity and traffic flow, may be getting redesigned to make it hospitable for bicyclists and pedestrians.

February 15, 2016 - UrbDeZine

Op-Ed: Billionaire's Ballot Initiative in San Diego Trades Revitalization for Tourism

The unlikely alliance of a ballpark billionaire, tax watchdog, and environmentalists in San Diego circulate a planning ballot initiative that makes an all-too-familiar sacrifice: urban neighborhoods.

January 22, 2016 - UrbDeZine

Nightime view of San Diego skyline

Big Development Plans Proposed for Downtown San Diego

A local developer has proposed a $400 million development that would add several game-changing uses to Downtown San Diego.

January 8, 2016 - The San Diego Union-Tribune

Qualcomm Stadium

3 NFL Teams File Walking Papers

Three teams will attempt to leave town. Resolution of the contentious political situations could be coming very soon.

January 5, 2016 - ESPN

What Makes San Diego's Climate Plan Different From All the Others

It's been a month of historic announcements in the effort to combat climate change. But a vote today in San Diego might set the standard for ambitious, enforceable action.

December 15, 2015 - The Urban Edge

Competing Visions for East Village—San Diego's SOMA

Downtown San Diego's East Village neighborhood shares traits with San Francisco's SOMA, circa 1990s. However, there are competing visions for the area: academic and high tech vs. stadium and convention center expansion.

November 29, 2015 - UrbDeZine

Three Examples from San Francisco that San Diego Can Use for the I.D.E.A. District

Three examples of problem solving and "catalytic action" can help San Diego with its I.D.E.A. District, writes former SPUR director Jim Chappell.

November 20, 2015 - UrbDeZine

A Case Study of California's Lowest-Ranked Transit Station

Build it and they will come hasn't worked out so well for the Gillespie Field station on the Green Line of the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System. A recent scorecard rated the station lowest among 489 competitors.

October 22, 2015 - Voice of San Diego

Cracked Sidewalk

Who Will Pay to Fix San Diego's Broken Sidewalks?

San Diego quest to find solutions to repairing damaged city sidewalks continues, with home and business owners potentially facing liability for trip-and-fall accidents

October 3, 2015 - Voice of San Diego

San Diego Rail

New San Diego Regional Plan Focuses on Public Transit

The San Diego Association of Government on October 9 will consider a 35-year regional plan that prioritizes public transit in its management of an expected 1 million new residents.

September 29, 2015 - The San Diego Union-Tribune

Proposed California Law to Ensure Local Input Into Downtown Planning

California lawmakers have approved a bill that establishes oversight of elected officials over planning decisions of development corporations, such as that in downtown San Diego.

September 14, 2015 - UrbDeZine

Condition on San Diego's New Airport Parking Lot: Make Sure People Don't Use It

A deal between the San Diego International Airport and the California Coastal Commission will pave the way for a 3,000-space parking garage—in the hopes that people don’t use it.

August 14, 2015 - Voice of San Diego

Keep Portland Weird

How Cities Derive Their Identities

While visiting Paris, San Diego landscape architect David McCullough pondered his own new world city's identity and concluded, counter-intuitively, his city's (and all cities') identity is defined by its diversity.

August 13, 2015 - UrbDeZine

Bus Only

Bus Rapid Transit Without Dedicated Lines—Finding Out the Hard Way

San Diego's bus rapid transit line, open for nine months, hasn't improved transit service along El Cajon Boulevard. Critics blame cuts to the original plan.

July 27, 2015 - Voice of San Diego

San Diego Gaslamp District

Stiff Opposition to San Diego Mixed-Use Mega-Project

In February, the city council approved One Paseo, a 1.4 million-square-foot mix of offices, residences, retail, and entertainment. The project's detractors have forced a referendum, putting a kink in San Diego's urbanist planning ambitions.

May 18, 2015 - ULI Urban Land Magazine

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Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

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