California

In last week's court ruling, the California Supreme Court didn't just kill redevelopment. The court also upheld a drawn-out process of other agencies picking the meat off redevelopment's bones.

January 5, 2012 - California Planning & Development Report

The California State Supreme Court recently upheld the eradication of the state's roughly 400 redevelopment agencies, and now officials from those groups are trying to convince legislators to give back some of their spending powers.

January 4, 2012 - Los Angeles Times

There's no budget for anything over-the-top, but it is an opportunity to bring in drought-resistant landscaping. The Department of Recreation and Parks is evaluating ideas.

January 3, 2012 - Los Angeles Times

Tens of billions of dollars are to be side aside for a plan to protect against flooding of the San Joaquin River basin. Cities wonder if this "broad road map" is enough to protect those truly at risk, and, of course, who pays for it.

January 3, 2012 - Stockton Record

San Francisco's planning and permitting process has become so complicated and expensive that former advocates of preservation are now fighting back against the city's historic preservation efforts.

January 3, 2012 - The New York Times

Curbed offers it's eclectic selection of the "best, worst, and ...showiest of things that happened in Los Angeles real estate, architecture, and neighborhoods this year."

January 2, 2012 - Curbed Los Angeles

Parklets are a new urban trend spreading to cities all over the world. It's an idea born in San Francisco, and the San Francisco Chronicle's John King takes a tour of each of the city's new mini-parks

January 1, 2012 - San Francisco Chronicle

Call it megachurch fatigue: A proposed Sufism Reoriented sanctuary is just one of an increasing number of religious developments facing no shortage of community backlash in northern California.

December 31, 2011 - The Wall Street Journal

A group of lawyers in California has filed a lawsuit to overturn the two-thirds legislative voting requirement of Proposition 13, the law that limits increases in the state's taxes -- but not property taxes.

December 30, 2011 - San Francisco Chronicle

The State Supreme Court struck down redevelopment. Now it's up to the political players in California to strike a deal to bring it back. Can they do it? And what will the state's price be?

December 30, 2011 - California Planning & Development Report

The court's decision is likely to have far-reaching effects on how cities in California finance and facilitate urban redevelopment.

December 30, 2011 - Los Angeles Times

If high-speed rail fails, 130 miles of track will have to go to Amtrak. But critics say that the backup plan comes with no guarantee that Amtrak would even have to use the tracks and is, therefore, a useless backup plan.

December 30, 2011 - Los Angeles Times

The city of Vernon, California, fought hard recently to avoid disincorporation. The price of that fight has drained the city's coffers, and now some say it's too deep in the hole to function properly.

December 29, 2011 - Los Angeles Times

To encourage train ridership, Caltrans and Metrolink have teamed up to display train times on electronic signs along two oft-congested Southern California freeways.

December 24, 2011 - The Orange County Register

According to Richard Platkin, the Hollywood Community Plan Update is merely one megaproject after the next--a huge mistake, and the antithesis to the Los Angeles General Plan Framekwork for good reason.

December 24, 2011 - City Watch

Can the community of Long Beach, California use examples from much larger places like San Francisco and East Village to reclaim its extensive public alleys?

December 23, 2011 - Long Beach Post

LA to SF in 2 hrs, 40 mins? That promise in the proposition that voters approved in 2008 could be the train's undoing, as to keep that schedule it will require more expensive design, including viaducts and tunnels, than would otherwise necessitate.

December 22, 2011 - Los Angeles Times

As utilities and energy companies move towards distributed power, building owners, businesses, and developers are seeing the possibilities.

December 21, 2011 - The Planning Report

A new Community Plan for Hollywood is making its way through the Los Angeles City Council, to the delight of the Mayor and the Planning Commission, and to the consternation of some community groups.

December 20, 2011 - LA Times

Adding a pedestrian/bike lane to the 'west span' of the Bay Bridge won't come on the cheap: $550 million is the current estimate. The east span lane, from Yerba Buena Island to Oakland, will be included in the new bridge due to open in late 2013.

December 20, 2011 - Contra Costa Times