California

Is Congestion Pricing Worth The Price?

With Los Angeles now planning to install HOT lanes, a pair of recent articles in the L.A. Times question whether congestion pricing is a way to help the rich at the expense of the poor, or a practical solution to traffic congestion and its ills.

May 1, 2008 - The Los Angeles Times

Governor Looks to Slice Park With Power Line

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is pushing forward with plans to run a power line through the middle of one of the state's parks -- much to the chagrin of environmentalists.

April 30, 2008 - The Los Angeles Times

NYC's Loss May Be LA's Gain

With New York City's congestion pricing proposal effectively dead, DOT Secretary Peters indicated that the city had forfeited its $350 million grant, and gave other cities the chance to apply. Now Los Angles may grab over $200 million for transit.

April 28, 2008 - The Los Angeles Times

The Next Steps Toward A Sustainable Sacramento

The Sacramento region has become a national model for smart growth planning. But what, asks Bill Fulton, will it take to make the region sustainable for decades to come?

April 28, 2008 - California Planning & Development Report

Urban Railyard Finds New Life As Wetland Park

A former bus and rail yard in park-poor South Los Angeles will be converted into an "urban wetland park".

April 27, 2008 - The Los Angeles Times

L.A. Offered Funding, With Toll Road Ultimatum

The federal government is tempting officials in Los Angeles County with more than $200 million in transportation funding -- but only if the county converts some highway lanes to congestion pricing toll lanes.

April 25, 2008 - The Los Angeles Times

More Californians Losing Their Homes

The latest figures show that more than 500 California households have gone into foreclosure each day in the first quarter of 2008.

April 24, 2008 - LA Times Blog: LA Land

San Francisco Teaches Charleston About Preserving Lesser-Known Areas

Though more than a hundred years newer, the city of San Francisco has a lot to teach cities like Charleston about preserving their less-than-iconic historic areas.

April 24, 2008 - The Post and Courier

San Francisco's Bay Area Growth May Change With Climate

Officials forecast need to adapt development model: to retreat from some areas, build in others, and reduce reliance on cars.

April 22, 2008 - The San Francisco Chronicle

A Battle Over Building Heights

In anti-growth Santa Barbara, preservationists and smart growth advocates have forged a compromise that will permit taller buildings for developments that include affordable housing.

April 19, 2008 - The Santa Barbara Independent

Bay Area TODs Helping To Cut Emissions

New transit towns around the Bay Area's BART stations are attracting residents who value the convenience and savings of a walkable community and nearby transit.

April 19, 2008 - The San Francisco Chronicle

You Can't Escape Sprawl

With sprawl proceeding largely unchecked in North California, residents who fled the city for more rural areas now find that urbanization has encroached their once sleepy communities.

April 18, 2008 - The San Francisco Chronicle

San Francisco Aims To Give Parking A Technological Makeover

Variable parking rates and online parking availability are features of a pilot program meant to increase convenience and cut congestion on the road.

April 17, 2008 - The San Francisco Chronicle

Market Woes Stifle 'Great Park' Progress

Three years after Irvine, California's "Great Park" was approved, development of the planned public spaces, homes and businesses has struggled to move forward. The housing crisis is being blamed for the lack of action.

April 17, 2008 - The Los Angeles Times

Preserving a California Ghost Town

This article from Discover takes a tour of Bodie, California, a gold-mining mountain ghost town, where the entire city is in a state of "arrested decay".

April 16, 2008 - Discover

Los Angeles Taco Trucks in Trouble

Mobile taco trucks in Los Angeles may face tougher fines for parking in any one place for too long if proposed restrictions are passed by the county.

April 16, 2008 - The Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Official Takes Up Anti-Density Cause

Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky has becoming increasingly outspoken against the city's new density bonus, saying it goes against the will of residents and will contribute to the destruction of stable neighborhoods.

April 14, 2008 - Los Angeles

A Holistic Approach To Planning For Traffic Impacts

Instead of requiring developers to complete traffic studies for individual projects, one Northern California city has commissioned a comprehensive traffic study, and asked developers to help foot the bill.

April 14, 2008 - San Mateo County Times

California Bullet Train Heading to Ballot

California voters will soon vote on a $10 billion bond proposal that would fund a 220 mph bullet train running between L.A. and San Francisco.

April 14, 2008 - The Christian Science Monitor

California's Growth Debate Continues Amidst Housing Slowdown

Sacramento Bee's political columnist Dan Walters discusses the California growth debate amidst the temporary development lull and questions whether the state is ready to embrace smart growth, despite recognizing that it reduces global warming.

April 11, 2008 - The Sacramento Bee

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.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.