California

Oakland Gets a Department of Transportation
Oakland's new DOT will take a "complete streets" approach to transportation planning.

San Francisco Transit-Only Lane Controversy Heating Up
Public opinion is split on the red transit-only lanes found around San Francisco. Next week, the public will get a chance to air their grievances, or defend their territory.

First Bicycle Traffic Signals Come to Los Angeles
The traffic signals are part of the Los Angeles Street 'full-featured' protected bike lane that also includes transit stop islands and two-stage turn queue boxes. Ribbon-cutting for the cycle track, the third in the city, was held Thursday.

San Francisco Apartment Supply Catching up to Demand, If only Temporarily
If you can afford it, now would be a good time to move to San Francisco and rent in a new, high-end apartment building. Rents will still be among the highest in the country, but property owners are offering many perks.
Los Angeles City Council Approves LAX Northside Plan
340 acres of vacant property, granted by the Federal Aviation Authority in the 1970s and 1980s, has a new vision for the future.

7 'Smart Cities Challenge' Proposals
The Washington Post details each of the seven proposals competing for $40 million in the U.S. Department of Transportation's Smart Cities Challenge.

The Tough Legal Path to ADA Compliance
Next City examines the fruits of a Department of Justice effort to force cities to bring their sidewalks and other public spaces into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Why It Makes Sense for Developers to Go to the Ballot Box in California
It may seem understandable for developers to resort to the ballot box after encountering difficulty with a planning commission or city council, but in California it makes sense even for cities like Moreno Valley that are friendly to new development.

On the Bay Area's Peninsula: A Reborn Tenants' Rights Movement
A resurgent tenants' rights movement has found a home south of the traditional progressive capital of the Bay Area.

$3.5 Billion Bond Measure to Keep BART in Good Repair Approved for November
After extensive outreach, the BART Board of Director settled on the $3.5 billion sum to be on the November ballot. 'Unmet capital needs' are the target of the property tax measure.

A New 25-Year Plan for Los Angeles' Water Supply
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power has adopted a new 25-year plan that aims to drastically reduce the amount of imported water the city relies on in a given year.

Welcome to a Changed Climate: It Even Floods When it's Sunny
A new report by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration documents the increasing frequency of nuisance floods and "clear-sky flooding."

Planetizen Week in Review: June 10, 2016
A two-minute-and-thirty-five-second tour of the news and events from the week in planning.

New Promise Zones Include South Los Angeles
South L.A.'s inclusion in the Promise Zones program marks a shift in the way the federal government measures poverty.
China Railway Drops Out of L.A. to Las Vegas High-Speed Rail Project
China Railway, which had agreed to put up $100 million for XpressWest to build a 230-mile, 190 mph train from Victorville, Calif. to Las Vegas last September, withdrew from their agreement, primarily due to the inability to use their own trains.

Rail Transit: You Get What You Pay For
Seattle Transit blog compares rail investments from five cities around the country.

Bay Area Election Roundup: Wetlands, Housing, Ballot-Box Planning, Sales Tax
A regional measure to tax all property owners in the 9-county Bay Area to adapt to sea level rise passes; S.F. voters support raising the affordable housing bar; Richmond voters reject ballot-box planning; San José approves sales tax increase.

Artist to Help Los Angeles Meet Vision Zero Goal
LADOT’s first artist-in-residence will engage the city’s many subcultures, and its lively art scene, in his effort to improve pedestrian safety.

Los Angeles Metro Releases First Quality of Life Report
Metro's first Quality of Life report measures the impact of the agency's transit investments since 2008.

California’s Messy Code Hinders Housing and Climate Goals
It’s time to rewrite California’s building and planning codes for the 21st century, says architect Mark Hogan.
Pagination
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