Iowa
Iowa Legalizes Accessory Dwelling Units
A new law will allow property owners to build ADUs on single-family lots starting on July 1.
Iowa Outlaws Most Automated Speed Cameras
The Iowa Department of Transportation has rejected a majority of applications to continue speed camera programs in cities across the state based on a new state law that requires state-issued permits for automated traffic enforcement.
Study: Bike Lanes, Traffic Calming Don’t Impact First Responders
Despite common concerns that narrower traffic lanes and bike infrastructure can slow emergency response, response times in one study didn’t change.
States Are Banning Guaranteed Income Programs
Four states now have laws in place that prevent cities and counties from creating or continuing guaranteed income programs, and several more have tried or are trying.
Des Moines Plans to Repurpose Downtown Parking Lots
City officials want to encourage the redevelopment of underused surface parking lots.
Iowa Towns Embrace a ‘Shrink Smart’ Approach
Population loss doesn’t have to be a harbinger of doom. Some rural communities are taking small but impactful steps to improve quality of life for their remaining residents.
Iowa City Hopes Zoning Amendments Will Increase Housing Supply, Diversity
Iowa City is planning ahead to ensure that housing supply keeps up with housing demand.
Road Funding Options: The Alternative to the Alternative
The inverse relationship between electric vehicle sales and gasoline tax revenues has caused the federal government and many states to investigate mileage fees as an alternative funding option to fuel taxes. Iowa is going a different route.
Redlined Neighborhoods Experience High Food Insecurity
A study from Des Moines found that households in historically redlined parts of town are more likely to have to seek help from food pantries.
Legislation Would Limit Solar Power Installation on Agricultural Land in Iowa
If SF 2171 wins approval in the Iowa State Legislature, solar will have a limited number of options for installation on agricultural land.
Missing Middle Housing, Form-Based Code Added to the Zoning Menu in Iowa City
The Iowa City Planning Commission approved a rezoning amendment that will allow new missing middle density and implement a form-based code for the city's South District. The city could expand the concepts as it expands the city in the future.
Pandemic Debate: Civil Liberties vs. Individual Liberties
The American Civil Liberties Union stepped into the nation's masking debate in K-12 schools on the side of parents of students with disabilities. They won the first round in the U.S. Southern District Court of Iowa. Mask mandates are permitted again.
Biden Administration Targets Five States that Ban School Mask Mandates
President Biden asked his education secretary to see what could be done about states that prohibit school districts from enacting CDC public health recommendations. Miguel Cardona responded by empowering his Office of Civil Rights to investigate.
Iowa Makes it Easier for Landlords to Reject Housing Vouchers
The state of Iowa's Republican leadership preempted local laws that prevent landlords from rejecting housing vouchers as rent payment.
Hospitals and Healthcare Workers Brace for Influx of COVID Patients
Coronavirus infections, while at record-high levels, have decreased during the past week, unlike hospitalizations, which are still surging. Public health experts expect it to get a lot worse due to the Thanksgiving holiday travel.
Election Post-Mortem: Politics Trumps Public Health
An analysis by the Associated Press found that voters in counties that are disproportionately impacted by the coronavirus were far more likely to support President Trump's reelection than voters in less-impacted counties.
Tiny House Movement Arrives in Omaha
A tiny house village has been approved for a location in Downtown Omaha. When complete, the new homes will provide stability and shelter for the formerly unhoused.
Coronavirus College Clusters Stress Town and Gown Relationship
College towns that have been observing public health guidelines and seen relatively few COVID-19 cases are now seeing infections spike as young people return to take classes. The New York Times has been tracking cases in colleges and college towns.
Coronavirus Wastewater Testing Yields Positive Results at Universities
Wastewater testing is being hailed as a success at the University of Arizona, credited for stopping a COVID outbreak. In Utah, wastewater analysis forced almost 300 students to quarantine for four days while awaiting their test results.
The Changing Geography of the Pandemic
During the pandemic's first phase in March and April, the Northeast was devastated by COVID-19. After Memorial Day, the surge was in the South and West. As cases decrease nationwide, they are now spiking in the Midwest, particularly North Dakota.
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.
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