The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Stockholm Adopts Congestion Charge

Voters in Stockholm, Sweden approve a measure to charge motorists a fee to drive into the city center.

September 20 - Streetsblog

What Is This Thing Called Sprawl?

The concept of sprawl and its attributes are broken down in simple terms in this Q&A with Indiana University Professor John Ottensmann.

September 20 - Journal and Courier

Community Voices Heard in L.A.

Neighborhood Councils in Los Angeles have stopped the city's elected Council from using a misleading title for a ballot initiative facing voters in November. The volunteer groups are moving closer to providing a voice for the community at City Hall.

September 20 - The Los Angeles Times

The Rebirth of Rivers

Impressed by the successful 'rebirth' of rivers like the Clyde, cities are scrutinizing waterfront redevelopment projects and adding rivers to their civic portfolios.

September 19 - Sunday Herald

Understanding First Ring Suburbs

A presentation from a recent meeting of city officials in New Jersey offers information about the direction of first-ring suburbs, many of which find themselves in the crossfire of the urban-suburban divide.

September 19 - The Brookings Institution


California Emission Law Has Its Day In Court

In U.S. District Court in Fresno on Sept. 15, a California deputy attorney general asked Judge Ishii to dismiss a suit by the auto industry that would void the state's new emission standards, applicable in 2009, that target carbon dioxide.

September 19 - AP via Los Angeles Daily News

Sprawl: History Or Myth?

A critical review of Robert Bruegmann's book 'Sprawl: A Compact History' asserts that Bruegmann's work exemplifies several common myths about sprawl.

September 19 - Social Science Research Network


Go, West? Not So Fast

The Rocky Mountain West, an area where people were content to let others do what they pleased with their land, is moving towards increasing growth controls as the region's population explodes.

September 19 - New West

Downsizing Affordable Housing

With small lots and small houses, one Florida home builder is taking an unconventional approach to developing affordable housing.

September 19 - Bradenton Herald

Cooling Cities With Green

Research shows that New York City's heat island could be mitigated by increased vegetation and green roofs.

September 19 - NASA

Inside America's Sewage System

Julie Grant of WKSU in Kent, Ohio, goes underground to find out what's wrong with our nation’s sewage systems and discover the rising costs of urban sewage system management.

September 19 - Living on Earth

Some Say LEED Is Lacking

The LEED green building standards may not be green enough, as critics voice concerns over some allowed materials and an apparent building industry influence.

September 19 - L.A. Weekly

Bush U-Turn On Global Warming Rumored

Is the Bush administration planning a dramatic reversal of its policy on global warming?

September 19 - The Independent

Beijing To Ban Cars At 2008 Olympics

To reduce traffic congestion and pollution, officials in Beijing will prohibit the use of private cars at sporting events during the 2008 Olympic Summer Games.

September 18 - International Herald Tribune

The Darkside Of Building New 'Green' Homes

The waste generated from demolition, and the large floor space of many new eco-mansions, is an environmentally unfriendly result of the new green home trend.

September 18 - LA Weekly

Suburban Subdivision Naming Guide

A conveninent tool for coming up with attractive names for suburban subdivisions.

September 18 - DenverInfill Blog

Building 'Green' Schools

If voters approve a new school construction bond, plans call for eco-friendly school buildings to begin sprouting up all over Portland, Oregon.

September 18 - The Oregonian

America the Beseiged?

Architectural securitization measures around public buildings are going from temporary fixtures to permanent ones, and most are turning once-beautiful cities into military zones. Architecture critic Blair Kamin asks, is all of this necessary?

September 18 - Capital Times (Madison)

Cities Still Reaching For The Sky

Despite the security concerns after September 11th, skyscraper construction has continued in cities around the globe.

September 18 - The Standard

Planned Tollway Causes Great Divide In Paradise

Surfers and environmentalists are waging war against the planned six-lane roadway through Trestles, considered a Southern California icon, immortalized in 'Surfin' U.S.A.'

September 18 - The Los Angeles Times

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