California
Global Warming Legislation Could Have A Positive Economic Impact
While the California Chamber of Commerce has targeted the Global Warming Solutions Act as a "job killer", predicting higher gas and electricity prices, a new report from UC Berkeley concludes that the legislation could boost the state's economy.
L.A.'s New Historic Preservation Chief
The Planning Report features a candid interview with Ken Bernstein, chief of Los Angeles' newly-created Planning Department's Office of Historic Preservation.
Fresno Mayor And City Council Disagree On Global Warming Agreement
The City Council of Fresno, California, endorsed the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement on July 18th to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but the city's Mayor has stated he won't sign off on the proposal.
California Considers Global Warming Solutions Act
California, the world's eight largest economy, is considering measures to address global change.
Saving The World's First Motel
Can the world's first motel in San Luis Obispo, dilapidated and surrounded by chain link and barbed wire, be restored to better reflect its historic plaque and Spanish-style architecture?
San Francisco Seeing A Shift To The Suburbs
A new census survey offers a startling look at the de-population of older cities in the San Francisco Bay Area, especially among African Americans, as the flight to the more affordable, outer East Bay communities continues.
Do Voter Initiatives Improve Public Infrastructure Investment?
Recent research on the initiative process questions the efficiency and effectiveness of direct voter involvement in public infrastructure investment.
Do Speed Bumps Increase Traffic Safety?
Randall O'Toole and Kathleen Calongne examine the findings from a recent report that suggests that speed humps make streets 50 to 60 percent safer for children, and reach a different conclusion.
Chicago Is San Francisco's Kind Of Town
Mayor Gavin Newsom wants more for the City of San Francisco. After a recent trip to Chicago, the mayor has hopes of bringing some of that city's character out to the West coast. He says Chicago should be the model for what San Francisco could be.
Cities To Swap Cash For Meeting Housing Requirements
A Bay Area county will be the first in the region to take advantage of a new state law that allows cities to swap meeting state-mandated, affordable housing requirements for cash donations to cities which build affordable housing within same county.
The Limitations Of Hybrid Buses
Elk Grove, CA has one of the nation's fastest growing and cleanest bus systems, but has experienced a form of "hybrid melt-down" as a result of using the hybrid buses for regional rather than local trips.
The Potential Of Ocean Power
Neal Peirce writes about the potential of harnessing tidal energy.
Grading The Best Traffic Solutions For Los Angeles?
Almost everyone complains about the traffic in Los Angeles. The city holds the dubious honor of being the most congested and polluted region in the country. UCLA urban planning professor and blogger Randall Crane grades wide range of solutions.
California Fuel Tax Proposal Called Into Question
The proposed measure, which would raise taxes on petrol to fund conservation and alternative energy efforts, is under fire due to benefits it would provide one of its major backers.
When Life Doesn't Imitate Art
As television uses more and more suburban settings, viewers should ask how closely do the on-screen places resemble reality.
Global Warming Bill Represents A Quandary For Shwarzenegger
Having just signed an historic environmental accord with PM Blair, CA Gov. Schwarzenegger will soon face a bill that ties him to his rhetoric - the first bill in the nation to cap greenhouse gas emissions, that has been targeted by Big Business.
Property Rights Votes Face Six States
Libertarians are pushing ballot initiatives in six Western states to vastly reduce the government's power to regulate land uses. The initiatives seek to limit regulatory takings of land by requiring the government to compensate owners for any losses.
Upscale Suburban City Looks At Options For Creating Affordable Housing
Planning commissioners from Santa Clarita, California, have recent visited several Southern California cities with affordable housing ordinances in hopes of gaining insight for a possible inclusionary housing ordinance.
California's Failed Attempts With Alternative Fuels
The state's efforts to wean itself from petroleum since the 1979 oil shock have not produced a shift away from gasoline powered cars, though regulations have proven successful in improving air quality.
Heat Wave A Brutal Test For LEED Platinum Rated Building
Software maker Adobe Systems' headquarters, the first building ever to receive a platinum rating from the U.S. Green Building Council, was pushed to the breaking point during the recent heat wave.
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
