James Brasuell, AICP is the former editorial director of Planetizen and is now a senior public affairs specialist at the Southern California Association of Governments. James managed all editorial content and direction for Planetizen from 2014 to 2023, and was promoted from manging editor to editorial director in 2021. After a first career as a class five white water river guide in Trinity County in Northern California, James started his career in Los Angeles as a volunteer at a risk reduction center in Skid Row. Prior to joining Planetizen, James worked at the Cal Poly Pomona College of Environmental Design, as an editor at Curbed LA, as editor of The Planning Report, and as a freelance contributor for The Architect’s Newspaper, the Urban Land Institute – Los Angeles Chapter, FORM, KCET, and the California Planning & Development Report.
Pasadena Ditches 'Level of Service' Review for Multi-Modal Measurements
Pasadena got out in front of the state of California this week by replacing "level of service" with a more holistic, less car-centric, set of standards for review under the California Environmental Quality Act.

Study Ties Bike Infrastructure to Increased Active Commutes
A study led by researchers from the University of North Carolina finds a connection between bike-friendly infrastructure investments and positive public health outcomes.
Los Angeles Considering Diagonal Crosswalks
With a plan to add diagonal crosswalks at several intersections in Los Angeles on the table, will the recent shift toward pedestrian friendly streets be enough to make the idea stick?
Competitors File Suit Over San Francisco's Airbnb Legislation
The already controversial law enabling Airbnb in San Francisco will head to court, as a competitor believes the city has granted Airbnb an unfair advantage.

U.S. Water Use Hits 45-Year Low
Recent data from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) shows that the country is using less water even as its population grows.