Government / Politics
Why Don't Elected Officials Take The Bus?
Los Angeles' mayor has been a tireless advocate for mass transit, but some wonder why the mayor doesn't make use of the system himself.
Voters Approve $5.7 Billion in Conservation Funds
Voters across the political spectrum approved 77% of the 128 tax and bond initiatives on ballots in 23 states last Tuesday.
Australia's Loophole For Development Of Sensitive Lands
A new bill passed by the Australian Parliament appears at first to offer protection to environmentally sensitive lands is actually little more than a carbon-trading system for land that helps development on sensitive lands overstep environmental review.
Zoning Exemption For Religious Groups Converts 'Apostles' of Animal House
In Georgetown, a student party house seeks recognition as a religious organization to get around zoning restrictions.
Extended Hours Does Little For Swiss Shopping Center
Depsite a change in local laws that let businesses stay open 90 minutes later, few businesses in the northwestern Swiss city of Basel have extended hours, worrying officials that their idea of creating the "largest shopping center in the region" has fallen short.
Salt Lake City To Require LEED For New Buildings
An ordinance has been passed in Salt Lake City, Utah, requiring builders of any commercial, condo or apartment buildings to adhere to LEED green building standards if they are funded or financed by the city.
Eminent Domain Limitations May Stand In Arizona
As voters in Arizona overwhelmingly approved a ballot initiative to restrict the government's use of eminent domain, the state's Supreme Court unanimously overturned another court's ruling that the initiative was invalid.
Court Ruling Stalls San Francisco Bike Plan
Running afoul of the state's 1970 landmark environmental law, the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), San Francisco's bike plan must undergo a full environmental review, ruled a superior court judge on Nov. 7.
Voters Clamp Down On Eminent Domain
Eight states approved new measures to restrict the use of eminent domain on November 7th -- widely seen as a reaction to the U.S. Supreme Court decision in the case of Kelo vs. New London.
Need A Holiday Gift Idea? Try Free Parking
A city in Ohio is using the lure of free parking in an effort to shoppers in the holiday mood.
NYC Affordable Housing Plan Has Unexpected Costs
A new affordable housing plan in New York City has solved some problems facing lower income residents, but has also created many woes for people who purhcased shoddy homes through the plan and have been unable to get any help from the city since.
Katrina Cottage Finds New Life
FEMA may not be utilizing the Katrina Cottage, but as an innovative solution to affordable gulf coast housing -- and beyond-- the charming 'little cottage that could' is finding new life through the private sector.
Is The Kelo Backlash Growing?
A property-rights backlash appears to be building across the country as a direct result of the Supreme Court's Kelo v. City of New London decision, writes the WSJ on their editorial page.
Record Funding For Transportation On Election Day Ballots
33 transportation-related ballot measures worth more than $55 billion face voters this election.
News Summary and Analysis - October 2006
As part of monthly series, we present a summary and analysis of some of the most interesting news to appear on Planetizen over the month of October 2006. This is the transcript of an audio segment that originally aired on the nationally syndicated radio program "Smart City".
Renewing The Great Lakes Region
A new report from the Brookings Institution looks at policy innovations that can help revive the fortunes of the nation's former industrial powerhouse.
Critiquing Philadelphia's Parcel By Parcel Approach To City Planning
Inga Saffron, the Philadelphia Inquirer's architecture critic, loathes the city's 'let's make a deal' approach to urban planning.
Toronto Moving In The Wrong Direction
This opinion piece from the Toronto Star looks at how the organizational operation of Toronto is preventing it from becoming a more urban city.
Oregonians Believe Measure 37 Was A Mistake
In 2004, Oregonians passed Measure 37, which gave zoning waivers to longtime property owners. With voters in several other states facing similar measures, a recently released poll shows that most Oregon voters now oppose Measure 37.
New Atlanta Regional Transit Board Misfiring On All Cylinders
Created nine months ago as the latest -- and perhaps last -- tool to develop regional transit in Metro Atlanta, the Transit Planning Board now struggles to even make a quorum.
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
