California
New Republican Majority Flexes Muscle on Southern California Air Board
The long-time executive director of the South Coast Air Quality Management District, Barry Wallerstein, may be removed to make the powerful regulatory agency more business-friendly. The board meets in closed-session on Friday.
A Tale of Two Cities: San Jose and Flint
The fixed costs of infrastructure projects leave cities like Flint struggling to pay their bills with fewer people pooling their resources.
2015 Sets New Record for Vehicle Miles Traveled
2007 had set the prior record, which sparked the term, "peak miles driven" or "peak car." Historically low gas prices and an improved economy have fueled more driving, resulting in a record of 3.148 trillion miles driven last year.
Dreaming of a Bike Path on the Western Span of the Bay Bridge
Arup released some very exciting renderings of a proposed pedestrian and bike path on one of the most picturesque and heavily-trafficked spans on the West Coast.
Bill to Phase-Out Coal Power Advances in Oregon
A bill to phase out coal-powered electricity by 2030 is advancing in the legislature. It would also double the state's renewable portfolio standard to 50 percent by 2040 for Oregon's two largest utilities.

Gehry Partners Opens Up on Los Angeles River Progress
When Frank Gehry's involvement in the L.A. River restoration was announced in August 2015, the firm had already been conducting research on the project for nearly a year. For some time after that, details were scant and speculation abounded.
San Francisco Offers to Refund $6 Million in Overpaid Parking Tickets
You might not believe it, but the city of San Francisco is offering refunds after realizing it overcharged on parking tickets.
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.
California's Gas Tax Continues to Plummet
Last February, the state Board of Equalization voted to reduce the gas tax by 6-cents. On Tuesday, it voted 3-2 to continue the decrease by 2.2 cents. The vote is required by an arcane rule that translates into tax *decreases when gas prices fall.
Tiny Homes for the Homeless Run Afoul of the City of Los Angeles
The city of Los Angeles is putting an end to a crowdfunded, unpermitted program to build and deliver tiny homes to homeless people living on the streets of Los Angeles.

Renewable Biogas Can't Compete with Cheap and Plentiful (Fossil) Natural Gas
Unlike Europe where renewable energy is heavily subsidized, very few biogas projects that convert farm waste to energy using anaerobic digesters are being built in the U.S. State incentives are instrumental due to high capital and maintenance costs.
Competing Land Use Initiatives on the November Ballot in Los Angeles
Move over "Neighborhood Integrity Initiative." The "Build Better LA" initiative will compete for the soul of the city in the November election.
Ten States Could Hike Gas Taxes this Year
With gas prices the lowest since 2009, ten state legislatures and governors consider raising state gas taxes, though many are accompanied by fiscally questionable tax shifts. Some tried and failed last year. All of the proposed increases are modest.
Sacramento Region Approves New Transportation Plan
The Sacramento Area Council of Governments put the finishing touches on the 2016 update to the Metropolitan Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy (2016 MTP/SCS) last week.
A Change of Direction for California High-Speed Rail
In the face of political opposition and mounting construction costs in Southern California, the state High-Speed Rail Authority has chosen to build north from the Central Valley to San Jose rather than south from Fresno to the San Fernando Valley.
Champion of L.A.'s 'Neighborhood Integrity Initiative' Speaks
A longtime Los Angeles journalist has joined the cause of a sweeping anti-growth initiative that has city leaders on high alert.

Op-Ed: Let's Build Homes, Not Ideology
Knee-jerk, ideological reactions to the California housing crisis rest on faulty arguments and threaten to cheat the state out of workable solutions.

Socially-Blind Urban Planning
In this era of increased inequality, socially-blind urban planning is morally questionable. Specifically, on the issue of homelessness in America, there are three problems to which planners need to pay particular attention.
L.A.'s New Planning Director Vince Bertoni Shares His Vision
The new director of the Los Angeles Department of City Planning arrives at a pivotal moment for planning in the city, as countywide investment in public transit is blowing up and the flames of old development debates are being fanned.

Report Tallies the Damages of California's Drought
Electricity costs in California have risen more than $2 billion from October 2011 to September 2015, according to a new report studying the effects of California's historic drought.
Pagination
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
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Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Laramie
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency