California
It's the Tech Industry vs. the Sierra Club in California's Big Housing Debate
California State Senator Scott Wiener made a big splash this month by announcing a package of pro-development bills, and now interest groups are taking sides in a heated debate over housing and density.
BART Gets 10 New Rail Cars
Fewer seats and more room for standing commuters are among the updates to the rail cars coming to BART.
Op-Ed: Los Angeles Needs a Vermont Avenue Subway
As the second busiest bus corridor in the area, Vermont Avenue is currently a candidate for bus rapid transit. But would rail be a better choice?
Temporary Trailers Will House Homeless in Downtown L.A.
If approved, a City Council motion would mark a shift in how Los Angeles deals with a rising number of homeless residents.
California Gas Tax Repeal Update: And Then There Was One
One of two initiatives to repeal last November's 12-cents per gallon gas tax increase failed to attract enough signatures by the Jan. 8 deadline. However, the other initiative has major backing and will likely appear on the Nov. 6 ballot.
Legal Strategies Shift on the Front Lines of the Bay Area's Housing Debate
The threat of a lawsuit by the California Renters Legal Advocacy has the city of Dublin rethinking a housing proposal that would add 220 units near the Dublin/Pleasanton BART station.
Costs Jump on Central Valley Section of California High-Speed Rail
Costs for the initial construction segment, 119 miles from Madera to just outside Bakersfield, jumped $2.8 billion in what the consultant called the "worst-case scenario," to $10.6 billion, or over $89 million per mile.
'Electric Charge Network' to Install 7,500 New Charging Stations in California
One of California's three investor-owned utilities has announced an electric vehicle charging infrastructure program that will spend $130 million through 2020.
Orange County to Remove 1,000 Homeless People From the Santa Ana River
Responding to local homeowners and politicians, Orange County will clear homeless encampments from a riverbed and stormwater channel under its control.
Fatalities Mount from Brightline, South Florida's New Higher-Speed Train Service
A 51-year-old bicyclist became the second fatality in the first week of revenue service. It was the fourth fatality since the summer for the diesel train, which operates from West Palm Beach to Fort Lauderdale.
The Slow Transition from Gas Taxes to Mileage Fees
Oregon was the first to conduct a pilot program in 2006, followed by California and Colorado last year. With financial backing from the U.S. DOT, at least four more states are exploring charging by the mile driven rather than the fuel burned.
Streetcars Coming to the OC
The conservative bastion of Orange County will soon begin on construction on the mode of transit favored by the Obama Administration: the "modern streetcar."
Airbnb Sheds Thousands of Hosts in San Francisco
New registration requirements have proven an effective disincentive for thousands of short-term rental hosts in San Francisco.
Trial Over San Francisco Waterfront Development Height Limits Begins
The State Lands Commission filed suit shortly after San Francisco voters approved Prop. B in June 2014, requiring waterfront developments exceeding height limits to obtain voter approval rather than go through the Planning Commission process.
A Pro-Housing Policy List of Your Wildest YIMBY Dreams
This list is a wishlist of the most ambitious possible YIMBY political platform.
Ballot Measure to Hike Bay Area Bridge Tolls Headed for June Ballot
A modest toll increase, $3 over six years, took a major step forward with the approval of a key Bay Area Toll Authority committee. With the exception of the Bay Bridge, the round-trip toll on each of the region's seven state-owned bridges is $5.
San Francisco’s Salesforce Tower Opens, Underwhelms
Of the city’s newest, tallest building John King writes, “[it’s] as if the creators were so busy being tasteful they forgot that big buildings can be fun."
Santa Monica to Plan for a Freeway Cap Where the I-10 Meets the Pacific Coast
The terminus of the I-10 freeway is a 7,000-foot concrete trench across the heart of Santa Monica. The city's new downtown plan calls for a cap, and a new master plan will hammer out specifics.
Mapping All the Transit Corridors Targeted for Upzoning Under California's SB 827
SB 827, announced last week by California State Senator Scott Wiener, would revoke density maximums, parking minimums, and set permissive height limits along transit corridors all over the state.
What's a Climate Action Plan if it Has No Teeth?
The city of Pasadena has released its draft Climate Action Plan, but how will the city achieve an 83 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions if the plan sets no mandates?
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.
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