California
Toilet to Tap to Farm
Farmers in the Monterey Bay area of California have been feeding their artichoke plants with recycled urban wastewater. And they've been doing it safely for years.
California's Debate Over What Constitutes Renewable Energy
The goal is to increase California's use of clean, renewable sources of electricity so as to meet the state's climate protection goal. Two bills are being debated that will require that 33% of electricity sources be composed of renewables by 2020.
Preservationists Fighting for Century Plaza Hotel
The Los Angeles Conservancy has been building a coalition to preserve the Century Plaza Hotel after developers announced plans to replace the hotel with new mixed use development.
Leaving San Francisco
Think "Leaving Las Vegas" starring Nicholas Cage, except the 'actors' here are the real thing - 'chronic inebriates' costing the city about $13 million annually in ambulance costs alone. It's not necessarily a 'homelessness' problem.
Regions Cooperating to Make Use of Stimulus Funds
Neal Peirce looks at a few examples where regions have pooled their powers to utilize ARRA stimulus funds to create programs and jumpstart regional efforts.
L.A. Officials Call For Speedier Subway Expansion
Scheduled for completion in 2036, a 12.5 mile extension of Los Angeles' subway is progressing too slowly for some officials. That includes the city's mayor, who is hoping to pick up the pace.
Stimulus is Funding the Status Quo in California
While high speed rail and smart grid technology were used to sell the idea of the economic stimulus package, the majority of stimulus money in California is being spent on routine projects, according to new figures.
Water Cops
Los Angeles' Department of Water and Power's enforcement officers have received mixed reviews, but have found overall success with tighter water-use restrictions implemented this year.
Off the TOD Path
Bill Fulton consults on a boulevard in Los Angeles, and concludes that sometimes the dense, mixed-use approach is too heavy-handed, particularly when transit is lacking.
Clunkers Program Works Better For Purchasing SUVs & Trucks
While much attention has been lavished on fuel sippers like the Ford Focus, Toyota Corolla, and Honda Insight as the most popular models purchased with CARS.Gov credits, it turns out there is another list showing SUVs and trucks in the top ten.
Solar Bus Shelters Debut
San Francisco has begun installing 1,200 new bus shelters that incorporate a solar array on the roof to power an LED display showing bus arrival times.
The Shifting Tide of Public and Private Space
In Malibu, CA, private property extends to the high tide waterline, where public land begins. An unofficial group of "urban rangers" is giving tours and dance performances along that line to explore the absurdity.
Building Communities With Legos and Plastic Bottles
GOOD Magazine follows planner James Rojas as he engages a community in the act of planning in his own particular fashion, using everyday objects and building blocks.
Finding a Home for California's Renewable Energy Transmission Lines
A new report from an interdisciplinary group of officials and advocates outlines where new energy transmission lines are needed in California, where they should be sited, and how best the state can transition to a renewable energy future.
Home on the Runway
More than 100 trailers and RVs sit in a parking lot at Los Angeles International Airport, creating an odd community of airline pilots and mechanics.
BART Employees On Strike This Monday
The Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Board of Directors voted yesterday to enforce a one-year contract for the unionized transit workers- a contract the workers had rejected earlier in the week. BART employees plan to walk off the job Monday morning.
Losing Business Because of Pay Parking? Charge More!
Parking guru Don Shoup was invited to speak in Santa Rosa as an expert on parking policies. Though the city is the only one in Sonoma County to charge for parking (to the chagrin of downtown merchants), it is considering building a 545-space garage.
Huge Redevelopment Project Coming to Sacramento
12,000 new homes could be coming to Sacramento over the next two decades -- part of a $5.3 billion redevelopment focused on the city's historic railyards.
Farms Finding "New Roots" in Cities
On abandoned lots and in backyards across the country, urban land is being turned over to agriculture as a means of improving food security.
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
