California
New Governor Moves Into Mixed-Use
California's Governor-elect Jerry Brown will be living part-time in the first modern mixed use project in Sacramento. Jerry's new neighborhood has a WalkScore of 95 and is walkable to the Capitol building.
S.F. to Shutter Lone Fossil Fuel Power Plant
After years of debate, San Francisco plans to close the diesel- and natural gas-burning Potrero Hill Plant, one of the dirtiest facilities in California, by January 1, reports John Coté.
Ohio and Wisconsin's HSR Loss is California's Gain
By refusing federal stimulus funds for high speed rail projects in their states, incoming Republican governors in Midwest gifted California over $600 million in new funding for the state's planned 800-mile network, says the Fresno Bee.
Status Quo Sprawl Lives On in Fresno
The approval of a massive shopping center in Fresno, California, highlights the city's inability to move beyond its sprawl-centric tendencies, according to this piece from The Fresno Bee.
The Walkable City of Death
San Francisco, one of the nation's most walkable cities, has one of the country's highest rates of pedestrian deaths.
Downtown L.A. Stadium Plans Fall Flat
Proposed designs for a possible football stadium in downtown L.A. leave a lot to be desired -- both architecturally and urbanistically, according to this review.
Signage Issues Resolved, Skyscrapers Get Approved in L.A.
Previous renderings of the building proposed for the two-tower, 42-story building on L.A.'s Wilshire Blvd. showed almost the entire structure wrapped in advertising. With a more modest space for signage, the project gets the thumbs-up.
The Tension Between Density and Place
Looking at a battle earlier this year over a proposed 430-ft. high skyscraper in San Francisco, John Parman says the problem with dense buildings is that they need to work with the surrounding place types.
Troubles Persist in California's Delta
The process of re-designing California's Delta to protect endangered species, feed the state's farms and serve freshwater to its residents has become further complicated.
Tolls Incite San Francisco Peninsula Border War
The mere possibility that a SF County Transportation Authority study could result in a 'border' charge (congestion toll) to drive into SF from San Mateo County has the latter floating their own competing toll for motorists entering San Mateo County.
City's Fate Rests On Airport's Revival
Officials in Ontario, CA, contend that LA/Ontario Airport would be a major driver of development -- if it wasn't mismanaged by an airport authority controlled by the City of Los Angeles.
Susan Straight's New Novel Depicts A Vision of LA Rarely Explored
Susan Straight's new novel draws on her experiences of growing downtown LA and its surroundings to create an image of a neighborhood 'reeking of cheap liquor and hurt.'
Ugly L.A. Deserves a Makeover
Los Angeles is ugly. But it doesn't have to be, argues Sam Lubell.
Connecting Job Centers With Transit in L.A.
Sirinya Tritipeskul delves into the data and creates maps that illustrate clearly where the job centers are in Los Angeles and where new transit plans will connect them to the region.
LA Finally Approves Dedicated Bus Lanes Along Wilshire Boulevard
The Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority finally approved the construction of 7.7 miles of bus lanes along Wilshire Boulevard, with the exception of a one mile stretch in Westwood known as 'Condo Canyon.'
LaHood Announces New HSR Winners & Losers
The loser list is short and no surprise: The governor-elects of OH and WI had campaigned against HSR projects in their states-they got their wish. The recipients of the redirected $1.2 billion were the surprise,with CA, FL, and WA being the happiest.
Predictions for California Planning in 2011
Paul Shigley of the California Planning and Development Report offers three predictions on what the state can expect to see in 2011 in terms of urban planning and development.
A Photographic Tour of a Foreclosure Hotbed
Modesto, California has one of the highest rates of foreclosure in the U.S. This collection of photography documents the city's abandoned homes.
Calthorpe's Saltworks: Is it Smart Growth?
The Redwood City Saltworks development designed by Peter Calthorpe has taken a lot of flack from environmentalists -- and rightfully so, says John Parman, in particular for its susceptibility to potentially rising bay waters from global warming.
NIMBYs and Politicians Are Behind Your Bad Cellphone Reception
In San Francisco, Bernal Hill residents with dubious claims of health risks from microwave antennas have persuaded their supervisor to kill a wireless service providers plan to add to an already existing antenna, says Todd Lappin.
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
