The Social Functions of NIMBYism

25 August 2008 - 5:00am
Matthew J. Kiefer assesses NIMBYism in full flower, describing not just its agonies but also its value in democratizing land use planning decisions. He concludes with some constructive advice on how to make the most of this painful but inescapable feature of the development landscape.

The Planetizen News Brief

21 August 2008 - 5:00am

5:40 minutes (5.24 MB)

A weekly rundown of some of the most interesting and important news and issues, airing every week on the nationally-syndicated radio program "Smart City". Read, download or listen to this week's News Brief, which looks at Beijing's Olympic economic hopes going bust, car bans getting green and red lights, and neighbors teaming up to slow down speeders.

California High Speed Rail Proposal Heading to Ballot

27 August 2008 - 2:00pm
Sacramento Bee
Rapidly approaching a ballot deadline, CA Gov. Schwarzenegger caved in his pledge to veto any bills sent to him prior to receiving a budget by signing a bill that modernizes the 2002 high speed rail bond. Prop 1A will now appear on the Nov. ballot.

Public Sculpture is Getting Better

27 August 2008 - 1:00pm
The New York Times
After an experimental phase of earthworks and video installations, public art is on the rise. And, a New York Times art critic reports, the quality is looking up.

Dramatic Dining on Broadway's New Esplanade

27 August 2008 - 12:00pm
New York Times
Cafe seating overlooking New York's Broadway traffic is popular in spite of safety concerns.

California's New Smart Growth Law Isn't So New

27 August 2008 - 11:00am
California Planning & Development Report
Bill Fulton says that California's new smart growth and climate change law doesn't really contain any new ideas, and it's unlikely to make a huge difference in California's growth patterns all by itself.

Last Call for Bar Cars

27 August 2008 - 10:00am
Chicago Tribune
Chicago's Metro is closing down its rolling taverns- not for reasons of temperance, but because they need the room for the growing number of rail commuters.

Something New Inside Failed Big Boxes

27 August 2008 - 10:00am
USA Today
When big boxes go under, they leave big holes. Communities across America are coming up with some creative ways to reuse the huge spaces left behind when big box retailers move out.

The Zero-Waste Park

27 August 2008 - 9:00am
WorldChanging
Eric Lombardi, a waste-management guru, has drawn up a fanciful plan for an "eco-cycle, zero waste park" which reimagines the dump as a composting, recycling, and educating facility.

Fighting Blight, Cities Become Realtors

27 August 2008 - 8:00am
The New York Times
Boston, Minneapolis and San Diego are flipping houses in an effort to prevent neighborhood blight- a strategy that appears to be working.

Beijing Sees Brighter Future Than Athens

27 August 2008 - 7:00am
Yahoo Sports
As the Olympics leave town, Beijing appears to be in a much better position to benefit from the games than previous Summer Olympic host Athens.

Urban Farms Flourish in Oakland

27 August 2008 - 6:00am
Wall St. Journal
In industrial West Oakland, backyard farming is flourishing, with more than 80 farms sprouting up with organic produce and a local bent.

Retooling the Exurbs for Global Warming

27 August 2008 - 5:00am
Ann Arbor News
Scientists at the University of Michigan are studying ways to replant exurbs in order to capture more atmosphere-warming carbon dioxide.

Redefining Poverty

26 August 2008 - 2:00pm
The Christian Science Monitor
New York City is changing the way poverty in the city is defined, while the Federal government is considering a bill to do the same. Planetizen Assistant Editor Nate Berg reports in The Christian Science Monitor.

Treechitecture

26 August 2008 - 1:00pm
Popular Science
Civic amenities, public spaces, and even housing could one day be formed by living trees. Researchers are looking into this new idea.

Extreme Commuting: A 23-Mile Run

26 August 2008 - 12:00pm
Wall St. Journal
Gas prices are driving a select few die-hards to trade in their cars for running shoes.

Lance Armstrong is #1 in Austin

26 August 2008 - 11:00am
Austin American-Statesman
Champion cyclist Lance Armstrong tops a list of heavy water users in a city trying hard to conserve while meeting rising demand during a drought and steady or rapid population growth.

Beijing's Temporary Clean Air Policies May Stick

26 August 2008 - 10:00am
China Daily
With some of the its cleanest air in decades, Beijing is warming up to some of the pollution-cutting regulations officials have enacted during the Olympics. Some may become permanent.

Biden Bodes Well for Rail

26 August 2008 - 9:00am
Daily Kos
Transit supporters may have reason to rejoice in the selection of Sen. Joe Biden as Obama's V.P. pick.

The Future of the Electric Car

26 August 2008 - 8:00am
Wired
Shai Agassi, who's not quite the household name T. Boone Pickens is, has an even more radical plan to end the planet's oil addiction.
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