The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

<p>The new form of the shopping mall -- lifestyle centers -- are fulfilling the original destiny of the American mall by "re-creating the essence of urban life", writes Virginia Postrel in a Los Angeles Times opinion.</p>

December 11 - The Los Angeles Times

<p>Close to half of Iraq's fragile marshlands have been restored after being drained by Saddam Hussein.</p>

December 11 - Seed Magazine

<p>Buyers from other parts of the country are threatening to snap up the supply of homes before they can get to storm victims.</p>

December 11 - The Clarion-Ledger

<p>The "housing bubble" isn't the only threat facing the U.S. economy: the problem is compounded by the securitization of risky mortgages on international money markets -- which are going to be in trouble as defaults increase.</p>

December 11 - Money Week

<p>A growing number of exclusive gated communities in remote areas, dubbed "The New Ruralism", is raising eyebrows among planners, environmentalists, and local residents.</p>

December 11 - Utne Reader

<p>In California, the largest river restoration project in the West has begun as water formerly directed from the Owens River to the Los Angeles Aqueduct is rerouted along 62 miles of its original path to Owens Lake in Central California.</p>

December 11 - The Los Angeles Times

<p>A special election in Lakewood, Colorado, asks voters to decide if the city should trade 22 acres of public parkland with 22 acres of less-than pristine land owned by a developer. Opponents fear the traded parkland would immediately be developed.</p>

December 11 - Denver Westword

<p>A developer with big plans for a mixed-use complex has offered the City of Anaheim, California, $150 million dollars for land that the NFL has been scouting for a new franchise stadium.</p>

December 11 - KTLA5

FEATURE

As part of a monthly series, we present a summary and analysis of some of the most interesting news to appear on Planetizen over the month of November 2006. This is the transcript of an audio segment that originally aired on the nationally syndicated radio program "Smart City".

December 11 - Nate Berg

FEATURE

Disaster recovery expert Robert B. Olshansky reports on the latest planning effort in New Orleans.

December 11 - Robert B. Olshansky

<p>While plans for three BRT lines are in the works, a shortage of transit funds is threatening to keep them from becoming reality -- at least any time soon.</p>

December 11 - Minnesota Public Radio

<p>While the redevelopment of contaminated sites has come a long way, challenges remain for cities and developers working on brownfields.</p>

December 11 - Public Management Magazine

<p>Lester Brown is a farmer turned environmentalist, and a MacArthur genius. When he questions the use of corn to fuel automobiles as opposed to feeding the world's growing population, people listen. He pushes other technologies to fight global warming.</p>

December 10 - The Washington Post

<p>The U.S. Senate recently approved legislation seeking to create a national drought policy to improve drought preparedness, mitigation and response efforts. It is estimated that drought conditions have a $6 billion economic impact annually.</p>

December 10 - New Mexico Business Weekly

<p>The city's planning director, along with several other department heads, challenge a proposal from the city council to require developers to set aside affordable units.</p>

December 10 - The Baltimore Sun

A innovative training program in Boston is helping people get better jobs cleaning up the environment.

December 10 - The Boston Globe

<p>Outgoing Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown's plan to add 10,000 residents to its downtown hasn't succeeded in its original goal -- to boost the city's revenue from sales taxes.</p>

December 10 - Berkeley Planet

<p>A block of neighborhood-minded Baltimore residents has pressured the city's zoning board to reject a plan to create a community service center nearby that offers job training and AIDS counseling, despite the area's need for economic investment.</p>

December 10 - The Baltimore Sun

<p>Sen. James M. Inhofe (R-OK) blames the media for hyping coverage of climate change.</p>

December 9 - The Los Angeles Times

<p>Cities across the country are making plans to encourage more people to bike to work.</p>

December 9 - Christian Madera