California
The Wisdom and Future of Short-Run Transit
By looking at three Los Angeles examples of very short rail lines, writer Alissa Walker suggests that seemingly pointless but fun transit systems could be the best way to use transit to improve urban areas.
Will California Be The Saudi Arabia Of Solar Power?
Federal incentives have set off a rush to get solar power plants permitted for the California deserts. Plants approved before January could cover a combined 53 square square miles. Clean energy fans are happy. Desert tortoises, not so much.
New L.A. Planning Codes Could Create 'Transit Sprawl'
A new group of activists in Los Angeles is warning that recently approved changes to the city's planning code could make it easier for transit-related projects to be approved even if they are not in alignment with neighborhood planning documents.
SF's Congestion Pricing Plan Advances
Three possibilities for tolling San Francisco's downtown have been advanced by the Board of Supervisors; two involve tolling the 'Southern Gateway', the only entrance to the peninsula city that is untolled. However, Prop 26 could doom the plan.
Urban Agriculture Program Gets Boost in Oakland
A small-scale urban agriculture project in Oakland, California is set to receive a $4 million grant to expand its work.
The Cultural Reshaping of Los Angeles
In this reflection on the new book "Los Angeles in Maps", James Rojas wonders what shape the city will take in the near and far future.
Developing A Coexistence Between High Speed Rail and L.A.
Los Angeles architect Roger Sherman is trying to help guide the car-centric L.A. area into harmonious coexistence with the state's planned high speed rail.
San Francisco Passes Country's First Open Data Requirement
A new law requiring city agencies and departments to make "reasonable efforts" to publish their data received unanimous support from the Board of Supervisors.
Silicon Valley Start-Ups Head Downtown
The area's tech firms, which typically favor office parks, are increasingly drawn to revitalized urban centers, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Environmentalists Torn Over Smart Growth
A Berkeley, CA growth initiative revealed the stresses that smart growth play on grassroots environmental organizations like the Sierra Club where members determine positions.
Doing More With Less in Los Angeles
In a recent press release, L.A. Director of Planning Michael LoGrande announced that he is reorganizing their reduced staff to "focus on and master critical functions."
Residents Resist County Plans for Marina del Rey
A meeting last week at the Regional Planning Commission attracted dozens of speakers angry with L.A. County's plans to change the zoning around the marina to allow new development of apartments and retail spaces.
California 'Fee' Proposition To Wreak Fiscal Havoc
While Propositions 19 (marijuana) and 23 (global warming suspension) grabbed headlines, Prop 26, which would require a 2/3rds vote threshold for fees, slipped under the radar and passed. Opponents say it could make regulation nearly impossible.
Elections Could Sabotage L.A.'s 30/10 Plan
Christopher Hawthorne at the L.A. Times says that the Republican rise to power will likely spell doom for Mayor Villaraigosa's request for a federal loan to speed up transit construction. Still, he writes, the work will go on.
The Economic Impact of Energy Efficiency Retrofits
Cary Lowe, Los Angeles-based attorney and advocate for energy efficiency, makes the case for the economic benefits of energy efficiency retrofits to the state of California.
Suburban Civics in the Age of Facebook
The recently retired Don Waldie, an impassioned observer and critic of metropolitan Los Angeles, spent his career finding ways for residents to participate to the civic process.
Electric Taxis Coming to Bay Area
A new company is bringing battery switch stations to the San Francisco-San Jose corridor, laying the groundwork for an electric vehicle taxi fleet.
California Carbon Trading Program Released - But Election Could Kill It
CA Air Resources Board announced some of the important elements of the carbon trading scheme they developed for the 500 largest stationary emitters in the state. Of course, if Proposition 23 should pass on Nov. 2, forgetaboutit!
World Series Cast Shadow On Parking Lots Behind AT&T Stadium
Just beyond McCovey Cove, where kayakers await home run balls hit from AT&T Park, sit vast parking lots that Giants bigwigs are proposing could be a great location for a Golden State Warriors stadium.
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.
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