Government / Politics

Embattled Cape Cod Wind Farm Hits Spiritual Speedbump

After lobbying from two Native American tribes, the Nantucket Sound has been made eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places, creating a possible further delay of a proposed wind farm off the coast of Cape Cod.

January 6, 2010 - The New York Times

African 'Statue of Liberty' Angers Senegalese

A new monumental statue being built in the Senegalese capital of Dakar is seen by some as an African Statue of Liberty or Eiffel Tower. But for many of the nation's poor, it is a waste of money and an abuse of presidential power.

January 5, 2010 - NPR

Residents Upset About New FEMA Flood Maps

Flood maps redrawn by the Federal Emergency Management Agency are causing thousands of Southern California residents to buy mandatory flood insurance, even though they say flooding is rare and barely an issue.

January 5, 2010 - Los Angeles Times

Editorial Urges NYC Reattempt Congestion Pricing

Mayor Bloomberg has joined an elite group of NYC members serving three terms. In this editorial, the Times suggests key planning and environmental issues that he should address if he is to make that term successful.

January 5, 2010 - The New York Times - Opinion

French Carbon Tax Dead

France's highest court dealt an 'unexpected and embarrassing blow' to French President Nicolas Sarkozy by ruling his carbon tax, set to take effect on New Year's, unconstitutional on Dec. 30.

January 4, 2010 - The Guardian U.K.

New London's Big Gamble and Big Loss

New London, Connecticut was dealt a major blow when pharmaceutical giant Pfizer announced plans to pack up and leave the heavily city-subsidized building New London had lured the company with. Bill Fulton looks at the impact of the move.

January 4, 2010 - Governing

Urban Planning in Los Angeles, 2009

Curbed LA takes an amusing look at the urban planning proposals that bubbled up in L.A. throughout 2009.

January 3, 2010 - Curbed LA

Pushing Public-Private Partnerships in San Francisco Parks

Parks officials in San Francisco look to mimic New York City's approach to funding parks through public-private partnerships.

January 2, 2010 - San Francisco Chronicle

Bureaucratic Structures and the Collapse of Modern Society

Triple Canopy interviews architectural historian Kazys Varnelis about the importance of city data, the difficulty of building new infrastructure and how best to react to a stiflingly complex society.

January 1, 2010 - Triple Canopy

Top Planning Issues Of 2009

December 31, 2009 - Nate Berg

Europe's 'Capital of Sleep' Extends Party Hours

After being accused of being party-unfriendly, Paris and other French cities have been officially allowed to keep their dance clubs open as late as 7 a.m.

December 31, 2009 - Salon

The New Bay Bridge, In-Depth

SF Public Press and McSweeney's Panorama newspaper bring a series of in-depth reports on the construction of the new Bay Bridge, focusing on why the project has become so expensive.

December 30, 2009 - SF Public Press

Marin TOD Planning: Drop The 'D'

Marin County, long known for its environmental awareness, is concerned about anything that is "growth inducing", and that certainly includes the new SMART passenger rail system, approved by the voters in November, that will serve Sonoma and Marin.

December 30, 2009 - Marin Independent Journal

Urban Data: The Second City

Looking at the city of Chicago and how it should approach the future, John Tolva writes about the potential for tapping into city data and embracing the "second city" it creates.

December 30, 2009 - IBM's Smarter Planet blog

Ag Secretary Concerned Over Farms-to-Forests Conversion

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has ordered the revision of a forecasting model related to congressional climate legislation that makes the conversion of farmland to forests more lucrative than producing food.

December 30, 2009 - The Washington Times

Employer-Based Trip Reduction Rule Adopted By California Air District

Air pollution rules recently passed in California seek to change the way workers get to their jobs. While solo commuters won't be forced out of their cars, businesses must choose from a selection of strategies aimed to do just that.

December 30, 2009 - The Stockton Record

Denver Nudging Locals Towards Electric Cars

This piece from Grist looks at electric-vehicle infrastructure in Denver, which may be a model for other cities looking to encourage the purchase and use of electric vehicles.

December 29, 2009 - Grist

North Carolina Requests $5 Billion for High Speed Rail

North Carolina is throwing its hat into the high-speed rail funding ring, requesting $5 billion of the $8 billion in stimulus funds the federal government has pledged to high-speed rail projects. Environmental reviews are almost complete.

December 29, 2009 - Asheville Citizen-Times

Fighting Drought in California

Three years into a statewide drought, California officials have taken drastic steps to reduce water use in cities and farms. 60 Minutes looks at the drought and efforts to combat the water shortage.

December 29, 2009 - CBS

Metro Portland's Internal Growth Dilemma

The three counties in the Portland Metropolitan area are at odds about what parts of the region should and should not be protected by urban growth boundaries.

December 29, 2009 - The Oregonian

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

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