California
Smart Parking With A Political Twist
Sausalito, just across the Bay from SF, has replaced attendants with pay stations in four parking lots. While embedded sensors monitor vehicle activity in the lots, residents are given a tag to hang in their vehicles providing 3 hours free parking.
L.A.'s New Planning Director
It's been nearly three weeks since Los Angeles Planning Director Gail Goldberg resigned. Now, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has nominated a new director: Michael LoGrande.
High Speed Rail Jobs: Many Temporary, Few Permanent
The planned high speed rail connection between Victorville, California and Las Vegas is expected to create 50,000 temporary jobs. Only 700 will become permanent.
From Housing Developer to Landlord
Homebuilders in recession-struck Bakersfield, California, have turned into landlords, renting their units while they wait for the housing market to rebound.
The Suburban Cycle of Life
Adam Meyer describes his parents' and grandparents' experiences growing up in the San Gabriel valley of east Los Angeles and charts the changes that have taken place since they first moved there in the 1950s.
Bus Advocates Argue Rail Focused Planning Reduces Overall Transit Ridership in L.A.
Dan Weikel of the L.A. Times suggests that the focus on rail transit at the expense of buses has pushed general transit ridership down in general.
How Accurate Are California's HSR Ridership Figures?
When she read over the ridership estimates behind California's HSR plans, Elizabeth Alexis was expecting to have "obscure arguments over the standard deviations," but instead found glaringly obvious "math" mistakes.
LA and New York in 2030
Newsweek picks the brains of architects to offer these visions of what the cities of New York and Los Angeles will look like in 2030.
The Street Food Revolution
Shawna Dawson of this weekend's LA Street Food Fest says that the food truck phenomenon is "just at the tip of the iceberg."
Several CA Cities On "Least Educated Cities" List
The Huffington Post uses numbers from The Brookings Institution to look at the ten cities with the lowest percentage of bachelor's degrees in the nation. Half of them are in California.
Could China Fund L.A. Transit?
With the notion of a national infrastructure bank dead for now and Wall Street reluctant to invest in infrastructure projects, Joel Epstein argues that Chinese investment in L.A.'s 30/10 Transportation and Jobs Initiative is worth considering.
Can BART Afford It's Expansions?
The Bay Area's 104-mile heavy rail system, BART, is planning major expansions. But many transit supporters, rather than cheering the new service and ridership the extensions would produce, are sounding alarms.
Providing Services for Mixed-Use Buildings "Expensive"
Former Mayor of South Pasadena, CA Mike Montgomery is fighting new mixed-use development because he says "The cost of public safety and services exceeds the revenue generated."
Outsourced City
The City of Maywood, California has completely outsourced all of its civic services and turned local officials into contract workers. Though some worried the city would crumble, it's actually taken a turn for the better.
Former Naval Base Could Become City Property
A decommissioned Naval base in Concord, California, may be falling into the hands of the city -- a prospect few thought possible.
Reintegrating the Los Angeles River
The Los Angeles River has long been forgotten by many of the city's residents and officials. GOOD's Alissa Walker takes a look at some plans to reintegrate the river into the city.
Are Marijuana Dispensaries "Stores"?
In tiny Myrtletown, California, the Hummingbird Healing Center is arguing that it doesn't need a conditional use permit to sell weed. The county does not agree.
New Park to Bloom Under Bay Bridge
Where the Bay Bridge touches down in San Francisco, a new plan is in the works to turn a motley collection of underused spaces into a vibrant park.
Friday Funny: Mooning Salute to Amtrak
A bet in the town of Laguna Nigel, CA lead to a 30-year tradition of dropping trou and letting it all hang out for passing Amtrak trains.
Whither City Planning In Los Angeles?
With the retirement of City Planning Director Gail Goldberg and ongoing budget problems gutting the department, a group of planners, developers, politicians, and advocates add their voices to the discussion on the future of planning in L.A.
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
