California

Legislation Proposed to Ban Sidewalk Tolls on Golden Gate Bridge

If two assembly members from San Francisco and Marin counties have their way, pedestrians and bikers on the Golden Gate Bridge will not be tolled as if they were in a motor vehicle.

December 1, 2014 - San Francisco Chronicle

DC Nightlife

If Millennials Drive Less, it's Not All a Matter of Taste

Bill Fulton writes for CP&DR that while some Millennials may be driving less because they've chosen urban, transit-friendly lifestyles, many more young people are driving less simply because they can't afford to.

December 1, 2014 - California Planning & Development Report

BART's Oakland Airport Connector Now in Service

Depending upon which Bay Area newspaper you read, the new 3.2-mile Oakland Airport connector, an elevated, driverless tram that takes eight minutes and costs $6, is either a huge success or a $484 million boondoggle. It began service on November 22.

December 1, 2014 - San Francisco Examiner

South Park Alleys

South Park Neighborhood in Downtown Los Angeles Partners for Greener Alleys

The South Park BID and LA Sustainability Collaborative came together to organize the "Green Alleys in South Park Visioning Report," with plans to connect its next steps in sustainable action to city, development, and third-party projects.

November 30, 2014 - Jessica Lall

Bus-Friendly Signaling, Bulbouts Coming to Haight Street in San Francisco

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Authority approved a collection of changes to San Francisco's famous Haight Street. The proposal provoked political debate that expresses the complexity of multi-modal transportation planning.

November 26, 2014 - S.F. Streetsblog

Utility Customers Owe $3.3 Billion for Shuttered California Nuclear Plant

The California Public Utilities Commission has ruled on the issue of who should pay the remaining costs after a radiation leak forced an early end to California's San Onofre nuclear plant in 2012.

November 25, 2014 - Orange County Register

Key to Good Planning? Coordination

Coordination is required to get urban planning projects from concept to construction, according to Los Angeles County Planner Clement Lau.

November 25, 2014 - UrbDeZine

Bridging the Gap in the Los Angeles River Greenway

A new trail segment along the Los Angeles River breaks ground in a park-poor neighborhood as part of the countywide Los Angeles River revitalization.

November 23, 2014 - The Planning Report

Pop-Up Park Shifts Planning Attitudes in San Diego

The short-term Quartyard pop-up park in San Diego's East Village reflects the changing attitudes of the oft conservative San Diego Planning Department.

November 22, 2014 - CityLab

Inglewood Mayor Rebrands a City Once Known for Crime

James Butts is committed to turning Inglewood around, with economic investment and property development now on the rise.

November 22, 2014 - The Planning Report

Friday Eye Candy: SPUR's Urban Cartography Exhibit

Allison Arieff provides a glimpse to the San Francisco Planning and Urban Research's new exhibit featuring interesting maps of the San Francisco Bay Area.

November 21, 2014 - Medium

Los Angeles Prepares for its Next Major Earthquake

Dr. Lucy Jones advises the city known for seismic activity on how to avert economic disaster when a natural disaster inevitably strikes.

November 21, 2014 - The Planning Report

Settling the Dust in the Owens Valley

After years of feud between Los Angeles and the Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District, a more sustainable deal has been reached to eradicate the toxic dust storms plaguing Owens Valley.

November 20, 2014 - Los Angeles Times

Retail Development, Housing Units to Replace San Francisco's NFL Stadium

A new retail center planned for the location of the former home of the San Francisco 49ers will serve as a hub of activity for 12,000 housing units in the planning pipeline over the next ten to 20 years.

November 19, 2014 - SFGate

San Francisco Monopoly

Cities Dominating the Economic Recovery

The affordability crisis and congestion are just two of the signs of the dominance of cities in the economic recovery, according to an article in the Washington Post. In fact, outside of cities, it doesn't look much like a recovery at all.

November 19, 2014 - The Washington Post

Who's Right in the Informal Housing Debate?

When Los Angeles County Planner Jonathan P. Bell wrote about informal housing in the region, several commenters responded. So Bell decided to answer questions and critics.

November 18, 2014 - UrbDeZine

ng1_3717

Can a Net Zero Cottage Work in the Suburbs?

In its first year alone, Zero Cottage has produced 22 percent more energy than it consumes. But can such an urban project be replicated in a suburban setting?

November 17, 2014 - Build a Better Burb

Citing High Rate of Adoption, Los Angeles Considers Expanded Freeway Toll Lanes

The use of toll lanes on two of the Los Angeles region's freeways has proven popular enough that county transportation planners are considering expanding the system.

November 17, 2014 - The San Gabriel Valley Tribune

San Francisco Parking

An Unintended Consequence of Unbundling Parking from Housing

Transportation and affordable housing advocates advocate unbundling parking from housing to provide an incentive to own fewer vehicles while reducing housing costs and increasing supply. But should parcel taxes be applied to parking spaces?

November 17, 2014 - San Francisco Chronicle

Oakland skyline and San Francisco Bay

The Biggest Transportation Winner on the Nov. 4 Ballot

The ballot measure generating the most new transportation funds approved by voters this month was in Alameda County, Calif. Voters chose to double an existing sales tax to one percent and extend it to 2045, raising $7.8 billion over 30 years.

November 16, 2014 - Contra Costa Times

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.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.