Government / Politics
Complying With New State Laws on ADUs No Easy Matter
Santa Rosa is struggling to complying with two laws passed last year to encourage construction of inlaw units to increase affordable housing. Council members are concerned that loosened restrictions would degrade neighborhood character.
PlanIt Podcast: Environmental Justice
The latest episode of the 2017 PlanIt Training Program on Comprehensive Plan Updates by the Metropolitan Council, a regional planning agency in the Twin Cities area.
New California Housing Laws Not Well Received Locally
City council members of Burlingame, a small, affluent suburb south of San Francisco, are not happy with new laws that take away their discretion to reject developments that fail to meet "neighborhood character" criteria, but meet zoning requirements.
Syracuse Tries a New Approach to Code Enforcement
A new code compliance program in Syracuse makes community engagement a priority.
The Final Days of 'Level of Service' in California's Environmental Review Process
A long-awaited draft update of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) has finally been released, and Level of Service will finally be a thing of the past in the next two to four years.
Big Push for Congestion Pricing Expected Early Next Year in New York
Ten years after former NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg's congestion pricing plan died on the state Assembly floor, expect to see a similar plan revived by Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D-N.Y.). New York Times metro reporter, Winnie Hu, explains why it never died.
Third Rail of the Housing Debate: More Density in Single-Family Neighborhoods
If California is going to address its chronic housing shortage, single-family residential neighborhoods can no longer be ruled "off limits." Opposition to a small Berkeley subdivision spawned new housing legislation and fostered the YIMBY movement.
Trump to Drastically Reduce Two National Monuments in Utah
The controversy regarding the federal protection of public lands in the American west is heading into new territory as President Trump tests the limits of presidential powers.
Army Corps: Climate Change Could Devastate Ohio River Region
The agency's report shows that inland-dwellers are just as likely as coastal types to be deeply affected by climate change.
A Proposal to Plan Regionally in the Silicon Valley
Could development fights in the home of the biggest tech companies be avoided if cities just talked to each other?
Arlington County Reduces Parking Requirements for Multi-Family Developments on Metro Corridors
In addition to reducing parking requirements to 0.2 to 0.6 spaces per unit for developments "approved by special exception," the board went a step further by requiring mitigations if developers provide more than 1.65 spaces per unit.
Baltimore Confronts Underinvestment in Communities of Color
As part of an interdepartmental effort, the city's planning department is embedding an explicit equity lens into how it considers the distribution of civic resources.
Unfortunate Lessons for City Planners From the Grenfell Tower Fire
The Grenfell Tower Fire in London took the lives of 71 people, and investigators are still searching for lessons from the tragedy. American planners shouldn't neglect these lessons, either.
In Praise of Toronto's Least Ambitious Transit Project
After decades of big, expensive plans, diverting cars from a busy streetcar route will make a bigger difference to commuters for far less money.
Making the Leap From Smart Projects to Smart Cities
Most "smart city" projects to-date are somewhat isolated and are not part of a more comprehensive network.
Report: NYC Bus System in Crisis
A new report cites decreased ridership and dismal service despite a growing need for more and better routes.
Timber Industry 'Bracing' for Soaring Demand
Building with wood is back in fashion, but lumber producers have to reckon with thorny politics and new timber-based materials that have yet to be truly defined.
Who Opposes New York's BQX Streetcar? Not Who You Think
Brooklyn and Queens need better transit, but activists say this waterfront "luxury trolley" is not the way to get it.
$13 Billion in Water Bonds Headed for the California Ballot in 2018
The legislature placed a $4.1 billion water bond on the ballot in June while a privately funded initiative hopes to qualify an $8.9 billion water bond for the November ballot. The state measure would also fund parks and trails.
How the U.S. Compares to Other Nations in Road Safety
It's not just death from gun violence where the U.S. is an outlier. The New York Times compiled traffic fatality data showing that other developed nations have greatly lower traffic death rates, which wasn't historically the case.
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.
EMC Planning Group, Inc.
Planetizen
Planetizen
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
