California
Art Commission Sends Artists Back to the Drawing Board
The capper to the San Pablo Avenue Streetscape Project is to be a public art project that would line the boulevard. But the art commission in charge has rejected the artists' plans as "poorly done" and wants them to come back with a new concept.
Environmentalists and New Urbanists Battle Over Proposed Development
Plans to redevelop former salt ponds in the San Francisco Bay Area have pitted environmentalists against New Urbanists.
Other Cities Look at L.A.'s Transit Funding Plan
Los Angeles has taxed itself to raise money for transit projects, and now officials want to borrow against those future earnings to speed up projects. This article wonders if that's a model other cities can and should follow.
Can California Solve Its Budget Deficit and Save Redevelopment?
Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster and a group of local stakeholders is circulating a proposal that would help the state of California and generate revenue for local redevelopment. Is it too late for a win-win in California?
Landscape Architecture's Obscurity
L.A.'s landscape architects are relatively obscure compared to their architect counterparts. Is this obscurity the reason landscape architecture isn't as protected as architecture?
Central Valley & SF Peninsula Battle Over HSR Planning
A compromise high speed rail approach for the Peninsula to have the train use the existing Caltrain corridor without elevating or widening it may have mollified some Peninsula HSR opponents but stirred opposition by Central Valley HSR advocates.
Moving Infill from Policy to Reality
A new organization in California is advocating for reforms to make infill a more viable option for communities around the state of California. Their three talking points: redevelopment, CEQA reform, and parking requirements.
Improving Planning in San Francisco
The Wall Street Journal talks with Gabriel Metcalf, executive director of the San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Association, about where the city is heading and how it needs to change.
San Diego Folds Planning Department into Development Department
To save $1 million a year, the mayor is folding the Planning Department into the department in charge of processing building permits.
Redesigning a Car Museum to Be Less Car-Like
The Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles was built into a 1960s department store, and in the 90s the facade was fashioned to look like the grill of a vintage car. With new funds in hand, the museum wants something more "attention-grabbing".
When Removing a Freeway Becomes Mundane
As a growing number of communities study freeway removal, what if the decision was no longer controversial? In Long Beach, California, two city-owned freeways carry less traffic than some neighborhood streets. Would anyone notice if they were gone?
Cushy Seats Matter, Says BART
The San Francisco Bay Area's BART rapid transit system is being remodeled, which requires new seats. Planners are getting riders to weigh in -- literally -- on seat comfort.
How Buildings Shape Our Sense of Place
San Francisco urban design critic John King has a new book out looking at how the built environment influences culture, and how the culture influenced the buildings in return.
The Case Against Redevelopment Agencies
An article in City Journal praises Governor Jerry Brown's efforts to defund California's redevelopment agencies at a time when the state faces a $26 billion deficit. The author writes that the agencies are wasteful and ineffective.
Another CEQA Lawsuit Prevents Streetscape Improvements
The improvements involve a lane reduction for a 3 1/2 block business district in Palo Alto known as California Avenue. The four-lane street is within a "pedestrian-transit oriented district" due to a Caltrain station at the end of the avenue.
Building a Temporary Retail Center on Vacant Land
A new project is opening in San Francisco that utilizes a vacant piece of land for a temporary retail installation using shipping containers.
Return to Treasure Island
This Thursday, San Francisco's Planning Commission is expected to approve one of the most anticipated developments in the city's history: the reconstruction of the former naval base on Treasure Island into living space for 19,000 residents.
Solar Power Mandate Could Endanger Cultural/Ecological Sites
With a major push by the federal government to achieve 80% clean energy by 2035, the California Energy Commission is moving quickly to approve permits. Sensitive Native cultural sites are threatened by the speedy process, say many involved.
Getting the Smart Grid On Line
Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) has opened a new testing facility in San Ramon, California to experiment with smart grid technology. They're currently testing new systems for reducing outages.
California's Population Moves Northward
The "population center" is a statistical construct that designates the midpoint where the Northern and Southern California populations are equally balanced on either side. For the first time in a century, that midpoint has moved northward.
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
