Government / Politics
Residency Requirements Struck Down
A state supreme court ruling will prevent the city of Cleveland from requiring its employees to live within the city limits. City leaders fear neighborhoods will decline, while some firefighters and other city employees say they'll stick around.
Say Goodbye to Rest Stops
The state-supported rest stop, an American institution since 1956, is dying off. The rise of roadside retail and declining government coffers are to blame, says GOOD Magazine.
Riding the Rails to CNU
A contingent of California New Urbanists arranged a special trip on Amtrak's California Zephyr in two vintage railcars to the Congress for New Urbanism in Denver. High-level discussion ensued.
How Difficult is Consensus?
The Los Angeles City Planning Commission delayed a vote on several proposed amendments to the city's cultural heritage ordinance because of a lack of consensus among the speakers.
Reinventing America's Cities: Discovering Opportunities by Challenging Biases
Dr. Aseem Inam takes writers on urbanism and architecture to task for spreading stereotypes about "third world cities", particularly when used to generalize about urban form.
Transit's Big Dig Begins In Jersey
New Jersey Transit has broken ground on what may be the nation's most costly transit project: a commuter rail tunnel under the Hudson River to a new Penn Station Expansion that, to the chagrin of transit advocates, will not connect to Penn Station.
Toughest Recyclers In the West (Or Anywhere)?
The city of San Francisco approves a plan to require composting and recycling citywide by this fall, with fines kicking in within two years.
Friday Funny: Elected to the House, But Abandoned Her Own
Congresswoman Laura Richardson has gotten on the nerves of her Sacramento neighbors, mainly because she's never around. As a result, her home has gone untended and turned into a blight on the neighborhood.
Smart Grid for a Smart City
Amsterdam has taken its smart grid live, installing solar panels and 300 electric car recharging stations throughout the city.
Incentivizing Pedestrian Areas Near Houston's Light Rail
City officials in Houston are set to consider plans to incentivize broad pedestrian walkways near existing and planned light rail stations within the city.
Dog Walkers, Unite!
Boulder's open space planners are calling for the intervention of different interest groups, including dog lovers, equestrians and hikers, to set rules for the city's most popular trails.
Mobile Homes: Common Source of Legal Disputes
Though they are still striving for social tolerance, mobile homes have managed to achieve a certain legal acceptance.
Big Possibilities, Big Dangers
A new growth management law in Florida is both good news and bad news, says Jane Healy of the Orlando Sentinel.
City Twitters
The City of Santee is using Twitter and Facebook to protest a planned prison expansion on nearby county land.
Caltrain: Fees Raised, Service Cut
Caltrain officials are planning to cut midday service by half, raise parking fees by 50 percent, and charge more for the monthly Go Pass.
End Of The Infrastructure Privatization Craze
It was hailed as the solution to America's infrastructure spending deficit, but the influx of private funds has come to halt along with the failure of banks and the huge investment from the Recovery Act. Plus, many schemes aroused taxpayers wrath.
Transportation Reauthorization Battles Ahead - Funding & Revenue Split
The transportation reauthorization bill will be hotly debated this fall on at least two fronts - finding a sustainable funding source and apportioning the revenues. The 18.4 cent gas tax, its funding source, declined 33% due to inflation since 1993.
Master Plan Derailed by Error
Officials of Bridgeport admitted that the city's Master Plan of Conservation and Development was improperly adopted last year.
Biden Plugs CA High-Speed Rail For Funding
Notwithstanding a $24.3 billion state budget deficit, CA is well-positioned to receive at least 10% of the Recovery Act funding for high speed rail, says Biden. Two corridors in southern and northern CA have been identified for funding.
Troubled Landmarks Rule in Chicago Could Upset Preservation Across U.S.
Chicago's historic landmarks ordinance is being challenged in the courts and is expected to be ruled unconstitutional. Blair Kamin discusses the impact the rule change could have on historic preservation in Chicago and beyond.
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Ada County Highway District
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
