California
The 250 Sq. Ft. Condo
Technically these are SROs- Single Room Occupancy units, but it's a spanking new building, cafe below, in the vibrant SoMa district, starting at only $279,000. The catch: some units are only 250 sq.ft.
Landmark Smart Growth Bill Close to Passing in CA
CA's landmark smart growth bill, SB 375, is close to passing. It aims to reduce global warming by requiring regions to devise "sustainable community strategies".
Controversial Plan To Tackle Bike 'Bumping' On Trains
Should a packed commuter train remove seats to make room for cyclists or charge to bring bikes on board during peak hours? The Caltrain line between San Francisco and Silicon Valley, the first to accommodate cyclists, is wrestling with this issue.
Mayor Shuts Down Little Girls' Produce Stand
Katie and Sabrina Lewis of Clayton, CA have inadvertently gotten tied up in a political mess of zoning and commercial uses by selling produce from their family garden at a stand in front of their house.
From Mansion to Condo
According to the New York Times, more than half of recent home sales in Los Angeles are condos, as density around transit, particularly downtown, becomes de rigeur.
Fighting Bike Lanes and Emissions in San Francisco
One vocal San Francisco man has halted progress on the city's expansive bicycle master plan, claiming that the more space allotted to bicycles, the more traffic congestion -- and greenhouse gas emissions -- there will be.
Huge Solar Power Plants Proposed in California
Solar power will get a big boost from two facilities planned for California, which will together be capable of generating 800 megawatts of power.
Mixed-Use Faces Mixed Reviews in Fullerton
In Fullerton, CA, a dense new mixed-use building is facing criticism from neighbors and residents. 'All of a sudden we get one of these mixed-use buildings, [and] it's like a fort got dropped out of the sky,' says one neighbor.
Historic Land Use Bill's Steam Could Run Out
A California bill that seeks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by controlling land use may be one of the most important land use bills in years, according to Bill Fulton. But if it passes, the progress it makes could be short lived.
Golden Gate Bridge Congestion Pricing Replaced With Parking Pricing Plan
The Feds won't agree to a $1 congestion peak bridge toll, so SF planners have proposed peak hour parking fees on corridors leading to the Golden Gate Bridge to satisfy the Urban Partnership Agreement terms to retain the $158 million grant.
The New Urbanist Racetrack
Bay Meadows Racetrack in San Mateo,CA is being transformed into 19 blocks of office buildings, dense housing, parkland and plazas.
Sprawlfighting in San Jose
San José, California, after decades of sprawl that left the region one of the least-dense cities in the state, is on track to densify their underused areas. As one planner put it, "The decision was, let's not build out anymore, let's build up."
Unlikely Partners Oppose L.A. Transit Funding Plan
In an unlikely collaboration, tax payers and the Los Angeles Bus Riders Union have joined in opposition to a proposal that would raise L.A. County sales tax a half-cent to provide funding for public transit.
L.A.'s Fast Food Ban Boosts Health and Healthy Businesses
A moratorium on new fast food restaurants in Los Angeles is seen as a way to encourage better public health, but also a way to encourage healthier businesses.
Forget Coffeehouses- Businesses Want Freeways, Labor, Energy
Manufacturing still matters, and what manufacturers want hasn't changed much. The question is whether a "new economy" state like California can compete in the old economy.
Rare Show Of Unity on Growth Legislation in CA
An unusual coalition of environmentalists, builders,and city leaders announced their support for a controversial land use and transportation bill that aims to involve the CA Air Resources Board in setting reduction targets.
Smart Growth or Smart Food?
"Locavores" hoping to promote more sustainable agriculture through urban gardening are facing a new hurdle: infill housing projects.
Flaunting Lawn and Order With Astroturf
Upkeep and Water Consumption Prompt Reviews of the Esthetics of Faux Turf
Desalination Plant Approved in California
A large water desalination plant has been approved in Southern California, where water supplies are historically low and the population is high.
Pixar Director Building Fake Treehouse Home
Peter Docter, director of the animated film 'Monsters Inc.', has submitted plans to build a series of artificial tree houses on his land in Lafayette, CA to be his family's home. The Planning Commission is currently considering the project.
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.
Eagle County Government
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
Nashville Planning Department
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
Journal of the American Planning Association
