California
Cut Here, Army Corps of Engineers
A dam near Ojai, California built in 1947 attracts almost unanimous disapproval. Getting the dam demolished though is a long and frustrating process, one an unknown graffiti artist commented on this week.
The Dutch Touch
Leah Shahum returns to San Francisco from a 7-month sabbatical in Amsterdam with a new perspective on making cities bike-friendly the Dutch way.
L.A. Suing Billboard Magnate Over Supergraphics
Michael McNeilly of SkyTag covered building sides across Los Angeles with multi-story advertisements, disregarding laws prohibiting them. The city is suing SkyTag for millions in penalties.
Three Controversial Bills To Reform CEQA
The CA Environmental Quality Act: you either love it or hate it. The 1970 law either protects the environment or stifles smart growth, depending upon your perspective. Three bills lie on Gov. Jerry Brown's desk that address different aspects of it.
Posh Hollywood 'Hood Allowed Temporary Gate to Keep Out Partiers
Solar Drive, deep in the Hollywood Hills, is a ritzy block of expensive homes. But over the past year, an empty mansion was overrun by squatters and partiers. Permission for the gate is temporary, but hikers are upset by blocked routes.
What do Californians Want From Government?
CA Speaker of the Assembly John Pérez discusses the current challenges faced by government in California, drawing particular attention to the struggle for consensus on how the State should support economic development at the local level. (VIDEO)
Planning Suffers From Malaise, Stagnation
Veteran planner Bill Fulton looks back on a quarter-century of planning in California and finds distressingly little energy or spirit.
Clean Cars May Lose Express Lane Privilege in LA
Single occupant electric vehicles retained access to carpool lanes in California, while hybrid owners lost it on July 1st.
A Gradual Approach to Improve a Busy San Francisco Street
San Francisco has made steps to avert cars from Market Street, but the next steps to alleviate congestion are vague. A gradual rollout of trial experiments to gauge a method's success seems the most likely answer, reports Rachel Gordon.
Bev. Hills Officials Lend a Hand to Struggling Bell, CA
Bell is infamous for being sucked dry by a handful of corrupt politicians. Now that the officials have been removed, Bell is struggling to find its footing. Wealthy Beverly Hills and Santa Monica have stepped up to help.
Parking Privatization Key To Arena Financing
Sacramento desperately wants to hold on to its professional basketball team, the Kings, who have threatened to leave. A just-released financing plan points to privatizing city-owned parking spaces as key to providing funding for the new arena.
New CA Attorney General Joins EJ Lawsuit On Diesel Truck Pollution
A warehouse and distribution center adjacent to a low-income community that would generate 1,500 additional daily diesel truck trips from the Ports of LA and Long Beach is the subject of an environment lawsuit that will be joined by AG Kamala Harris.
Apple's New HQ Actually Works, Says Critic
John King makes it clear - the 4-story ring iCon (or doughnut, by some) would not work in urban San Francisco, but could be quite fitting for sprawling, suburban Silicon Valley.
Downtown Stadium Will Be "Sea of Billboards"
Gov. Jerry Brown will soon be asked to sign a bill that would loosen environmental regulations on a downtown L.A. stadium, which would also be smothered in LED billboards.
Sprawl vs. Farms
Jonathan Lerner reports from Fresno, where sprawling development has clashed with agriculture, the region's bread and butter. A new regional plan hopes to preserve farmland and ease tensions.
Bank-Owned Foreclosures Cause Problems for Cities
As bank-owned homes become a source of blight and crime, cities struggle to effectively hold banks accountable for their maintenance. Large banks tend to be the worst offenders, often failing to remove trash and weeds or paying fines.
L.A. Ousts a Car Lane for Bikes
The unfathomable happened this week in Southern California when L.A. converted 2.2 miles of road into a bike lane that stretches along 7th Street from Koreatown to Downtown.
"Parklets" Pop Up in Vancouver
Transplanting the wildly popular pilot projects in NYC and SF across the northern border, the City launches VIVA Vancouver program that converts parts of eight streets into public spaces.
Berkley Dumpster House Provides Basic Essentials and Some Bling
Berkley, California man Gregory Kloehn has taken the dumpster reuse culture to a whole other level with his dumpster house, writes Zak Stone for GOOD.
All That Glitters in Provincetown, Mass.
With same-sex couples coming out in record-breaking number on the 2010 Census, West Hollywood and San Francisco are dethroned as the meccas of gay cities - at least for those who chose to settle down.
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
