California

School Chlidren

A Third Court Win for Children's Climate Change Lawsuit

Strike three for the federal government in trying to dismiss a lawsuit launched by 21 children in Oregon who sued the Obama administration in 2015, claiming the government was endangering their future because of its failure to reduce climate change.

July 30, 2018 - San Francisco Chronicle

Sacramento

The Greening of California's Republicans?

One finding from a new statewide survey, "Californians and the Environment," suggests that the environment is becoming a more bipartisan issue, but that finding is still subject to interpretation. What isn't is the top environmental issue: water.

July 29, 2018 - San Francisco Chronicle

Venice Beach Pedestrian and Bike Path

Study: Scooters Are Really Popular

The narrative of electric scooter users as affluent, entitled, and "tech bro-y" does not reflect the demographics of fans of the new mobility technology, according to a new study. Electric scooters are actually very popular.

July 27, 2018 - Wired

Water Storage

California Awards $2.7 Billion to Water Storage Facilities

The California Water Commission made an historic commitment to new water storage projects. Many of the largest projects planned in the state will require additional funding before construction can commence.

July 27, 2018 - San Francisco Chronicle

Yosemite Smoke

A Map of 'Smoke Events' Around the World

Fire season is back, and it's not safe to breathe in huge swaths of the world.

July 27, 2018 - The Mercury News

Downtown Los Angeles

Downtown Los Angeles Streetcar Plans Released

The streetcar planned for the central business district and historic core of Los Angeles would cost nearly $300 million and move an estimated 4,181 riders a day.

July 26, 2018 - Los Angeles Downtown News

Urban Sprawl

Carbon Offsets for Suburban Developments? The Courts Could Decide

The county of San Diego wants sprawling suburban developments to buy carbon offsets, billing the idea as a fix to the region's housing affordability crisis.

July 26, 2018 - The San Diego Union-Tribune

Pumping Gas

Another Major Climate Win for Big Oil in Federal Court

A New York federal district court rules on a climate change lawsuit like its West Coast counterpart did last month: Don't hold oil companies accountable for climate change and sea level rise. Baltimore and Rhode Island file climate change lawsuits.

July 25, 2018 - Inside Climate News

Southern California Coast

San Diego Called Out for Section 8 Housing Discrimination

San Diego was identified for its failure to enact a Section 8 housing discrimination ordinance in a recent American Bar Association article. Poverty law attorney Parisa Ijadi-Maghsoodi explains the situation.

July 25, 2018 - UrbDeZine

Public Toilet

Futuristic Public Toilets Coming to San Francisco

San Francisco's street furniture predates Google, but the city hopes a new design will bring it into the Information Age.

July 25, 2018 - San Francisco Chronicle

Corner lot gas station

Berkeley Zoning Board Choose Current Gas Station Over Proposed Co-Housing Development

The Zoning Adjustments Board (ZAB) of one of the nation's most progressive cities has chosen a very conservative approach to new housing projects.

July 25, 2018 - Berkeleyside

San Diego Rail

San Diego City Council Prohibits Short-Term Rentals in Second Homes and ADUs

In a move to limit the number of properties available for rental, the San Diego City Council members voted 6-3 to limit rentals to primary homes and the licensing process more strict.

July 24, 2018 - San Diego Union Tribune

Brisbane, CA

San Francisco Suburb to Vote on Massive Project to Double Population

Brisbane, a city of about 4,700 on the southern border of San Francisco, will vote on a controversial ballot measure in November to approve or reject a mixed-use development including up to 2,200 residential units on a 660-acre vacant brownfield.

July 24, 2018 - San Mateo Daily Journal

California Water

Los Angeles (and Climate Change) Seriously Threaten Air Quality at Mono Lake

With water levels habitually low, officials from the Eastern Sierra say they are "headed for a showdown” with L.A.

July 23, 2018 - Los Angeles Times

Twin Peaks Drive

Breaking: Trump Administration Will Revoke California's Auto Emissions Authority

Sources leaked news of the Trump Administration's plans to dismantle the Obama-era environmental policies. The Trump Administration also aims to dismantle the Golden State's ability to regulate air pollution from vehicles.

July 23, 2018 - Bloomberg

Santa Monica Bikes

Sometime This Summer, California's Population Tops 40 Million

Rather than projecting when the 50 million milestone will be reached, demographic and political indicators predict the state's population is more likely to decline, according to Joe Mathews of Zócalo Public Square.

July 23, 2018 - Zocalo Public Square

O'Hare Blue Line

High-Speed Transit Tunnels to O'Hare Airport Could Begin Construction Within Months

The 16-mile route itself from downtown Chicago is still being negotiated. Passengers will be transported in what Elon Musk's Boring Company calls an "electric skate" at speeds up to 150 mph for the 12-minute trip.

July 23, 2018 - Engineering News-Record

NFL Stadium People Mover

People Mover to Inglewood's New NFL Stadium Proposed

The forthcoming people move to LAX could have company nearby, with a proposal for a people mover to the new NFL stadium in Inglewood.

July 21, 2018 - Daily Breeze

Echo Park

$300 Million Property Tax to Fund Stormwater Infrastructure on the Ballot in Los Angeles County

The proposed property tax would double the county's stormwater capture capacity.

July 21, 2018 - LAist

San Francisco Skyline

California Achieved its Climate Goal; Now the Hard Part Begins

New York Times climate reporter, Brad Plumer, comments on California's landmark accomplishment in reducing emissions, observing that with the low-hanging electricity generation fruit picked, reducing transportation emissions will prove formidable.

July 20, 2018 - The New York Times

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.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.