California
Employer-Based Trip Reduction Rule Adopted By California Air District
Air pollution rules recently passed in California seek to change the way workers get to their jobs. While solo commuters won't be forced out of their cars, businesses must choose from a selection of strategies aimed to do just that.
Fighting Drought in California
Three years into a statewide drought, California officials have taken drastic steps to reduce water use in cities and farms. 60 Minutes looks at the drought and efforts to combat the water shortage.
Air Quality Rules May Hinder Densification
New air quality guidelines aimed at reducing the carbon footprint of new housing developments may turn out to hinder the approval of dense projects in California.
Treasure Island A Future Atlantis?
The City of San Francisco recently inked a deal to purchase the man-made Treasure Island sitting in its bay. But some wonder if an island threatened by rising sea levels was really such a smart buy.
New Research: Effect of Suburban TODs on Surrounding Property Values
Mention 'density' in suburban areas and the knee-jerk reaction is, "there go the property values". But is that really the case? In this study from San Jose State University, 4 suburban TODs are evaluated for their effects on nearby property values.
Improving on LEED
Bay Area non-profit TransForm has launched a new program called GreenTRIP that aims to supplement LEED requirements with a VMT calculation on each project.
A Floating Airport?
A private group is proposing a wild scheme to build a much-needed new airport for San Diego as a floating offshore platform.
'Safe Harbor' Along Sacramento River
A new program along a 222-mile stretch of the Sacramento River aims to encourage landowners to create riparian habitats without fear of being sued later if they need to remove it for crops.
Documenting The Mother Road
The California Preservation Foundation and the National Park Service are funding a cultural survey of Route 66, which could result in several new national landmarks along the old highway.
CalTrans Sued Over Disability Access, Settles for $1.1b in Fixes
Civil rights activists sued CalTrans for failing to provide wheelchair ramps across the state. In federal court yesterday, CalTrans settled with the groups, agreeing to over a billion dollars in access improvements over 30 years.
Spend More, Get Less
Is San Francisco the worst-run big city in the country? The SF Weekly argues that despite spending more per capita than any other city, SF fails to deliver on almost everything.
Parking Requirements Over-Projected
Prof. Robert Cervero at UC Berkeley studied parking needs at transit-oriented developments in the Bay Area and Portland and found that, on average, they exceeded peak demand by 25-30%.
L.A.'s Biggest Development Blunders
Los Angeles Downtown News picks the 10 Biggest Problem Projects of the Decade, including the still empty Hall of Justice and the languishing Angel's Flight.
Worst-Case Tsunami Scenario Mapped
The event of a huge earthquake off the Aleutian Islands could send a devastating tsunami towards the West coast of the U.S. Researchers have released maps of what a worst-case scenario might look like for coastal communities.
San Francisco Claims Treasure Island
The City of San Francisco has secured a deal with the U.S. Navy to purchase Treasure Island, a man-made island in the middle of San Francisco Bay. The city has broad plans to redevelop the site.
So Cal's Infrastructure A Mess, Says New Report
A new report from The Road Information Program, a D.C.-area nonprofit, documents the growing number of highway, bridge and transit systems in need of repair in Southern California and lacking the necessary funding.
Will Carpools Be Tolled in San Francisco?
The Bay Area Toll Authority is recommending carpools on the Bay Bridge be tolled, along with several other changes like different rates for off-peak hours and a steep increase on truck tolls.
Watching Water Loss Via Satellite
NASA satellites have tracked the loss of water in California's Central Valley over the past few years, and finds that drought coupled with over-irrigation are stressing the state's supplies.
Land Use and Medical Marijuana
Like many cities in California, San Diego is struggling to form a policy around the booming medical marijuana dispensaries that have popped up around the city. The first place they're starting is with land use restrictions.
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
