California
'Rural Sprawl' Increases Fire Threat In Sierras
Increasing development in California's Sierra Nevada Mountains is adding significantly to the area's fire risk. Some are calling for more scrutiny in the approval of further development in the fire-prone area.
One Week Lost To Traffic Nationally, Two In L.A., O.C.
Los Angeles and Orange counties are once again home to the longest amounts of time drivers waste in traffic congestion, at 72 hours per year. Nationally, the average amount of time lost to traffic congestion is 38 hours -- nearly a full week's work.
Progress Slow For San Diego's 'City of Villages' Plan
The city's lauded framework plan for implementing smart growth practices has failed to deliver on its promises, say some residents and experts.
Preservationists Eye Bukowski's Bungalow
Literary fans and preservationists push for the recognition and historic designation of a Los Angeles bungalow once occupied by poet and novelist Charles Bukowski. The property is currently up for sale and threatened with demolition.
A Power Grab For San Diego Planners?
A proposal to combine the planning and development services departments could give San Diego's planning director the power to plan for the long-term -- or perhaps lead to more political scandal.
Density Isn't New For Los Angeles
Forgotten in the ongoing debate about new high-density development is the city's long history of multi-family and mixed-use housing.
San Francisco Buses May Nab Double-Parkers
Motorists beware - if you double-park in a transit-only lane in San Francisco next year, that bus behind you could take your photo resulting in a $250 citation, if AB 101 is signed by Governor Schwarzenegger.
Pasadena: The Great Planning Success Story
In a ranking of California's best and worst mid-sized city downtowns, California Planning & Development Report concluded that Pasadena's reputation is well-earned. Many say the transformation has been miraculous -- and it continues today.
Late-Session Bill May Make L.A. Entertainment Complex Eligible For Housing Funds
A controversial bill approved at the end of the California State Senate's regular session may allow developers of a massive entertainment development in downtown Los Angeles to compete for millions of dollars in affordable housing funds.
Housing Versus Jobs and Tax Revenue In San Jose
Planners in San Jose, California, say the massive conversion of industrial lands is eroding the city's jobs and tax Base. Housing developers disagree.
L.A. May Place Moratorium On Fast Food
The Los Angeles City Council will consider a moratorium on fast-food restaurants in South L.A., a part of the city with high rates of obesity and below-average access to grocery stores.
Traffic At Heart Of 'Urbanophobia' In Redeveloping L.A.
As downtown Los Angeles undergoes a massive redevelopment, the major concern is not whether it will be another New York, nor if its public spaces will improve, but rather how much worse traffic will get, writes Sam Hall Kaplan.
In Shaky San Francisco, Don't Get Too High
When selecting a design for San Francisco's new Transbay Terminal, planners and the public should be cautious of building too high in a seismically-active city, writes Harold Gilliam.
Controversial Legislation Tackles Land Use, Transportation, Regional Planning, & Global Warming
In what is arguably the most important environmental bill in California since last year's Global Warming Solutions Act, SB 375 attempts to reduce global warming by addressing land use and transportation through better regional planning.
Sacramento's Green Ambitions
With ambitious environmentally-conscious building requirements and the cooperation of the state government, the California Capitol city Sacramento is looking to edge past Chicago as the nation's greenest city.
Judge Calls For Reduced Water Pumping In California
A ruling in California is expected to greatly reduce the amount of water the state can pump from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta -- a water source for nearly half the state's residents and much of its farmland.
60 Million Californians? Maybe Not
Despite estimates that the state of California's population will grow to 60 million by 2050, Wendell Cox argues that growth in the state is slowing.
Suburbs Support New City Creation For Political Leverage
Small city public officials in the Sacramento area are using public money to support a bid to turn an unincorporated plot of land into a new city -- a move they hope will help to distribute regional planning power more equitably to smaller towns.
Changing The Car Culture Of Los Angeles
City planners -- hoping to get reluctant Angelenos out of their cars -- have put forth a proposal that would waive all parking requirements for developers whose buildings offered suitable transportation alternatives.
State Senator Discusses Transportation Budget Cuts
Same cuts of transportation spending, different voter-approved initiative. State Senator Alan Lowenthal surveys California's transportation challenges amid a budget impasse and questions about bridge safety.
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
