California
Leave Transit Projects to Transit Experts, Not Politicians
Stephen Smith sheds light on the problems of leadership holding back Obama's dream of high-speed rail.
'Climate Dividend' Proposed for California Utility Customers
California residential utility customers will receive a 'climate dividend', about $30 twice a year as part of the nation's first comprehensive 'cap & trade' program if the CA Public Utility Commission accepts a staff proposal at its Dec. 20 meeting,
L.A. Moves to Curb Parking's 'Wild West'
Ever wonder what happens to your car after you hand it to a valet? You probably don't want to know the answer. A new ordinance to be considered by L.A.'s City Council may finally rein in "the wild, wild West at our curbs."
Sacramento Relaxes Parking Requirements to Stimulate Development
In what is being described as a "monumental shift" in the city's approach to parking, Sacramento's City Council has voted to ease minimum parking requirements for commercial and residential developments reports Tony Bizjak.
In SF, Does Lack of Big Names Mean Lack of Good Design?
Alexei Barrionuevo explores San Francisco's starchitect deficit, finding a city "more interested in conserving its [history] than in making a statement." This approach comes in for criticism from the dean of starchitects himself - Frank Gehry.
CA HSR Passes Crucial Court Test In Central Valley
Writing from Madera in the Central Valley, the Mercury News transportation reporter explores the local opposition to the largest public works project in the nation. Farmers wanted an injunction placed on the CA High Speed Rail Authority to halt work.
Historic U.S. Postal Buildings Threatened with Sale and Demolition
The U.S. Postal Service is selling 78 post office buildings, including the National Register listed Berkeley California Post Office building. 4,400 nationwide may be sold with many demolished. What can you do to save your favorite post office?
So You Want To Be a Certified Planner?
While planning seems more intuitive than technical to many the layperson, Los Angeles planner Clement Lau describes what it takes to stay at the top of the profession.
California Auctions First Carbon Credits; Chamber of Commerce Sues
California's climate law reached a milestone on Nov. 14 when the state auctioned its first carbon credits in the 'Cap & Trade' provision of the bill. But that didn't stop the CA Chamber of Commerce from filing suit against this provision of the law.
The Shaky Foundation Underlying CA's New Long-Range Regional Plans
Wendell Cox rebuts the work of Arthur C. Nelson, who has projected CA as over-supplied with detached housing and in demand of small lot and multi-unit housing. Nelson's work has been the basis of long-range regional planning throughout the state.
California's Bullet-Train Will Require Extraordinary Engineering Feats
Given its unprecedented “scale and scope”, California's bullet train poses a plethora of complex challenges to engineers and train planners, reports Ralph Vartabedian, yet it also seizes their imaginations.
Why Downtown L.A. Should Approve a Streetcar, Despite Campaign Missteps
As a special election gets underway to determine whether 10,000 downtown L.A. residents support taxing property owners to build a new streetcar system, the editors of the Los Angeles Downtown News offer their qualified support for the project.
Congestion Pricing Debuts in L.A.
AP covers the opening of the first toll lanes in LA county: 110 Freeway Express Lanes that allow solo-drivers to use a carpool lane for a toll that varies with the level of congestion (i.e. congestion pricing). Shoup asks: "Why did it take so long?"
Back To The Future: The 1970 Los Angeles 'Centers' Concept Plan
The 1970 Concept Los Angeles plan is a history lesson for urban planners and a vision of what the city could have looked like.
The 10 Diagrams That Changed Planning
A new exhibit that opened this week at the San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Association's gallery explores the 10 diagrams that have had a monumental influence on urban planning, and the possibilities inherent in the medium.
California Voters Like Jobs But Not Housing
In a dozen local land use measures Tuesday in California, voters approved jobs-oriented projects but not housing-oriented projects. Split decision on downtown plans.
After Setback, L.A. Mayor Still Intent on Speeding Transit Projects
In the aftermath of the seemingly narrow defeat of his pet measure to speed up the expansion of L.A.'s transit infrastructure, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa remains unbowed in his attempts to accelerate his key initiative, writes Ari Bloomekatz.
What Was Behind L.A.'s Rejection of its Transportation Ballot Measure?
Was not enough transit spending the culprit for the narrow rejection of Los Angeles County's Measure J initiative, which aimed to speed up construction of a host of the region's transit projects from 30 to 10 years? Damien Newton thinks so.
Free Parking 'Drives' Solo Commuting, Study Says
California Watch, a project of the nonprofit Center for Investigative Reporting, evaluated the 2009-11 American Community Survey and determined that CA's 'drive-alone' rate to work was 73%. Joanna Lin points the finger at free parking as chief cause.
Replacing Billboards with Trees...Sort Of
Artist Stephen Glassman and a team of engineers and planners have developed a plan for transforming L.A.'s ubiquitous billboards into floating, globally connected urban forests. All that's needed for the first prototype are a few generous strangers.
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont
