Oregon
The Disproportionate Costs of Resort Developments
A new report out of Oregon suggests that the fiscal costs of successful resort developments significantly outweigh their benefits -- and taxpayers are burdened with the tab. Erik Kancler of Central Oregon LandWatch explains.
Flexibility and Integrity
Portland urban designer Arun Jain has released his Urban Design Framework, a vision that requires planners to give themselves more leeway "without giving up core values."
Portland Region Tries to Decide What to Develop, What to Preserve
Officials from three counties in the Portland region are trying to work together to decide where to locate regional urban reserves of land for future development and rural reserves for preservation.
Unincorporated Area Residents Fight City Control
Members of a citizen group in Bull Mountain, an incorporated area in Washington County, Oregon, are at odds with an agreement that would allow cities to provide all urban services and dictate urban growth boundaries.
Tent Cities As 'Informal Urbanism'
High Country News reports on Fresno's infamous Taco Flat in this 4-pager. Seattle's Nickelsville and Portland's Dignity Village are held up as better examples of squatter settlements. Architecture and 'informal urbanism' of tent cities is examined.
The New Oregon Wilderness
Oregon has just received a wilderness designation on more than 200,000 acres of land. Environmentalists are welcoming the move, which they hope will protect sensitive lands from development and misuse.
The Next 30 Years of Portland Transit
Portland's Metro authority is mapping out the region's transit plans for the next 30 years, and the public is getting involved.
Growth Estimates Predict 300,000 More Households in Portland Region by 2030
Population estimates mean that the Portland region will need about 300,000 additional homes by 2030. Where they should all go is up for debate.
Krieger: Bike Registrations Improve Bike Safety
BikePortland.com editor Jonathan Maus interviews Rep. Wayne Krieger about his legislation requiring cyclists to register their bicycles.
Congestion Control Demanded for New 12-Lane Bridge
The mayors of Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington have come to an agreement about the size of a new bridge that will connect the two cities -- but on the condition that a bistate commission be set up to control congestion through tolling.
Don't Fear the VMT Fee
The Christian Science Monitor editorializes in support of the VMT fee replacing the gas tax just as the latest federal transportation financing commission report recommends, as Oregon Governor Kulongoski hopes to do, and as some will do in Europe.
As Gas Prices Drop, VMT Rises
Sightline's Clark Williams-Derry looks at low gas prices, a down economy, and vehicle-miles-traveled, noting that the precipitous declines in VMT have halted, and suspects it may plateau.
A Crowded Future for the Pacific Northwest
Population growth estimates foresee the equivalent of an additional 15 Seattles concentrating in the Pacific Northwest over the next one hundred years. How the region handles this growth is up for debate, but with a distinct sense of urgency.
Population Growth Still An Issue
Population growth, and its impact on land use, should not be overlooked, argues environmental writer John Feeney, who's set up a conference of scientists to examine the issue. This article looks at how population growth is affecting Oregon.
Subsidize Green Neighborhoods, Not Green Cars
DC writer Alec Dubro questions the pursuit of the green car, concluding we should cease its financial support. Though people may prefer the car culture, it would make more sense to pursue a ‘post car future’, citing Portland’s compact neighborhoods.
Magnetic Bus Idea To Test In Oregon
Transit officials in Eugene, Oregon, have announced plans to install a test route for a magnet-guided bus technology.
New Commuters Hit the Rails Today in Metro Portland
Portland's new Westside Express Service officially opens today, carrying passengers from Beaverton to Wilsonville. The Oregonian calls it, "a punch of hard-rolling rust-and-grease."
Concerns Over Tolls and Sprawl May Determine Bridge Width
Plans for a new bridge over the Columbia River in Oregon have local officials in a debate over lanes, tolls and sprawl.
A Historic District, In Name
This piece from Preservation magazine looks at how historic districts in Portland fall short in preventing incompatible uses.
Review Calls for Oregon Land Use System Reworking
A new review of Oregon's land use system calls for a reworking of the state's policies to allow counties and regions to make more focused and appropriate decisions.
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
