California
OP-ED: Make "High-Speed" Rail Speedier
Train writer Christian Wolmar argues that the best application for high speed rail funds would be to upgrade the Washington D.C. to Boston, 150 mph Acela line to true, high speed rail status and used as a showcase for American rail technology.
Can Urban Design Alleviate the Need for Cops?
A look at public space as a "community living room" and the role of police within the context of Los Angeles.
The Meaning of Authenticity
Architecture critic John King reads Sharon Zukin's new book "Naked City: The Death and Life of Authentic Urban Spaces" and ruminates on the meaning of authenticity in his own hometown, San Francisco.
West Oakland: Upscaling Neighborhood, or Reviving Industrial Hub?
West Oakland's days as an industrial center are long gone, but city officials have a vision of rebuilding it as a clean energy mecca. Problem is, many locals have their own vision of upscaling the neighborhood with local eateries and condos.
Zoning for Food Trucks
Food trucks are hot in Los Angeles, but local restaurateurs are understandably upset by the surprise competition. Mobile vendors have banded together and established a "gourmet food lot" downtown as a sort of solution.
Putting Good Energy with the Bad
Facing resistance when siting green energy projects like wind turbines, energy companies are considering brownfields like the Leviathan Mine in California's Alpine County.
Do California's Environmental Regulations Harm Business, or Drive Innovation?
Bill Fulton takes a rational approach to determining whether California's strict environmental regulations are a burdensome expense to business or if they drive them to innovate and succeed.
O.C. Homeowners Sued for Removing Lawn
In Orange, California, city codes require that front yards be 40% landscaping. After considerately adding drought-resistant plants and bark to save water, the city sued an Orange couple.
San Diego Looks At Density to Meet Projected Housing Demand
With population estimates adding an additional 1.2 million people to the San Diego region in the next 40 years, planners say the region will need nearly 400,000 additional housing units to meet the demand.
In Land Of Hi-Tech, Why Do Newspapers Flourish?
Palo Alto is where Silicon Valley started, yet locals eagerly pick up the Daily Post, the Daily News, as well as read PaloAlto-Online. The New York Times investigates why print media flourishes here while regional and national papers struggle.
Arrest Made as L.A. Cracks Down on Illegal Billboards
In an unprecedented move, L.A. City Attorney Carmen Trutanich has placed a business owner under arrest for posting an illegal "supergraphic" billboard.
A Successful "Blue-Green Alliance" At Port Of LA
The single largest source of air pollution in Southern California are the Ports of LA and Long Beach. Environmentalists, environmental justice advocates, and Teamsters are working together to replace offending diesel drayage trucks.
Fighting Against Cheap Parking
This post from GOOD looks at a bill from California state senator Alan Lowenthal that seeks to incentivize cities into reforming their parking rules.
Bay Area Naval Base Approved for Neighborhood Conversion
A former Naval weapons station in Concord, California will be converted into a new, 12,000-home neighborhood.
Parks on Top of L.A. Freeways
Los Angeles is crazy for "cap parks": basically, putting roofs over sections of freeway and building a park on top. The added benefit? Reconnecting neighborhoods riven asunder by the freeway in the first place.
As Dealerships Empty Out, Cities Look at Options for Reuse
As the auto industry evolves, the vast car lots that sprung up in many California towns over the past few decades are falling out of use. Cities are looking at new ways to reuse these spaces.
The Historic Costs of Going Green
Preservationists say a new California law that requires new construction to meet stringent green building standards could encourage demolition of historically significant buildings.
Gunfire Detection System Aids Plane Crash Investigation
A gunfire detection tool used by the city of Palo Alto will be used in the investigation into a plane crash that killed three local auto executives.
Infamous Watts Public Housing, Reimagined
The Jordan Downs public housing complex in Watts, California is a perfect example of the failed projects of built mid-century. A new proposal would tear down the towers in favor of a mix of building styles connecting to the surrounding area.
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
