California
What Does the Closure of So Cal's Nuclear Power Plant Mean for the State's Energy Future?
The Planning Report asks Long Beach Mayor, CAISO Chair, and former Southern California Edison president Bob Foster what impact the closure of the San Onofre nuclear power plant will have on energy supply in the Southland.
To Support Rise in Car Share, S.F. Risks Igniting Parking Battle
A pilot program will reserve 900 on-street parking spaces for car-sharing vehicles. While the number of spaces is just .3 percent of the on-street supply, the program is expected to generate controversy in a city "where parking is at a premium".
LA County Transit Agency Tests Public-Private Partnerships
Doug Failing, Executive Director of LA Metro's Highway Programs, proudly shares the agency's $700 million strategy for testing the value of public-private partnerships to finance and accelerate planned transportation upgrades.
Big Solar: It's Green vs. Green
No form of energy production comes without controversy, including solar, despite it being renewable. In advance of the world's largest solar thermal plant opening in Calif's Mojave Desert, KQED's Lauren Sommer shows both sides of the green debate.
Are NIMBYs to Blame for California's Housing Woes?
According to economist Christopher Thornberg, sky-high housing prices in California indicate a state suffering from an acute housing shortage. In an op-ed for the LA Times, he argues that local interest groups and "populist politicians" are to blame.
Cluster Homes Invade L.A.'s Hip Hillsides
Small-lot homes are popping up in the hillsides north of downtown L.A. While the new occupants, often young buyers who can't afford or aren't interested in traditional single-family homes and high-rise condos, are pleased, some neighbors are not.
L.A.'s Downtown Building Boom Comes Up Short
A rising chorus of architects, urban planners and developers are criticizing the suburban scale of development sweeping through downtown L.A. as a missed opportunity. They argue high-rises should be built instead of mid-rise apartment complexes.
Will Car-Sharing Apps Unclutter L.A.'s Roadways?
Thanks to mobile technology, Los Angelenos no longer have to choose between driving their own cars and paying expensive cab fares after a night out on the town.
14 Ways San Francisco Has Given New Life to Its Historic Assets
In the current feature story from its 'Urbanist' magazine, the Bay Area planning think tank SPUR looks at 14 efforts to preserve the soul of San Francisco through the adaptive reuse, incorporation and juxtaposition of the city's historic buildings.
L.A.'s Cash for Cacti Program Ups the Ante
Since 2009, the L.A. Department of Water and Power's Landscape Incentive Program has convinced 850 area property owners to replace their grass lawns with more sustainable plants, mulch, and permeable pathways. Now DWP is upping the ante.
New Study Establishes Baseline for Improving Angelenos' Health
Published on the last day of the Villaraigosa administration, the "Health Atlas for the City of Los Angeles" analyzed 100 different health outcomes citywide to inform the drafting of a new Health and Wellness Chapter for the City’s General Plan.
Landmark Ruling Liberates California GIS Data
The California Supreme Court has ruled in favor of the Sierra Club's quest to have publicly held GIS data made available for a nominal fee under the California Public Records Act.
Proposals for S.F.'s Crissy Field Unfit for Spectacular Site
San Francisco Chronicle architecture critic John King bemoans the visions put forth by three finalists vying to redevelop a spectacular site across from the Crissy Field marsh.
Does Bay Area Industry Have a Future?
A new state-mandated plan for the Bay Area may displace the region's goods movement businesses, thereby worsening congestion, increasing air pollution, raising consumer prices, and eliminating well-paying green- and blue-collar jobs.
LA's Four Epic Planning Mistakes and What They Teach Us
In its history, Los Angeles has made four fateful planning decisions, in the opinion of real estate consultant and developer Michael P. Russell, but much can be learned from these mistakes.
San Francisco's Hidden Gardens Won't Remain Secret for Long
Curbed San Francisco has compiled a list of 17 of San Francisco's secret gardens and overlooked green spaces. Hidden gems include mini parks, rooftop decks, and a tulip garden.
L.A. Looks to NYC for Pedestrianization Inspiration
Inspired by Manhattan's pedestrianization of Times Square, L.A.'s city council recently approved $1.8 million in funding to reduce a major downtown thoroughfare's roadway by half to make room for "a massive increase of the pedestrian infrastructure."
Chalking Vandal Acquitted in San Diego
The streets of San Diego may be safe once again for nefarious chalking after a jury acquitted a local man accused of 13 counts of vandalism for scrawling anti-bank messages on sidewalks.
BART Strike Provides Lessons for Creating a Resilient Bay Area
As news reports indicate, the recent BART strike made a mess out of the Bay Area's morning and evening commutes. For planning think tank SPUR, it has helped to illustrate significant gaps in the region's transportation infrastructure.
Gridlock Grips the Bay Area
Long lines for transbay ferries and the limited number of free charter buses operated by BART, packed AC Transit transbay buses, and traffic crawling on the S.F.-Oakland Bay Bridge show the effects of the BART strike on day two.
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.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS)
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority
