The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
California, More States Facing Enormous Budget Shortfalls
The State of California missed a midnight deadline for a budget solution, and may have to issue IOUs. But they're not the only states facing imminent budget crises.
Towns Transitioning To Peak Oil Future
The Transition Town movement has spread to 150 towns in 14 countries. David Bollier of <em>On The Commons</em> takes a look at how these towns are making the shift towards locally-produced food and reduction in energy use.
Decline in Decline of Housing Market
Yale economist Robert Schiller believes that the housing market is showing signs of improvement. "At this point, people are thinking the fall is over," says Schiller.
EPA OKs California's Plan to Regulate Emissions
The Environmental Protection Agency has reversed a decision by the Bush Administration that will allow California to create its own set of vehicle emissions standards.
Majority of Stimulus Spent on Roads
States are spending the vast majority of federal stimulus money on building or repairing roads and highways, according to a new study.
Climate Change's Barometer Has No Climate Change Plan
The Florida Keys are likely the most vulnerable places to sea-level rise in America. Despite this danger, officials there have set no plans for counteracting or dealing with climate change.
8 Republicans Bucking the Party on Climate Change and Transit
Reps. Mack (CA), Kirk (IL) and Reichert (WA) are among a small group of Republicans who voted for the recent climate change bill. It turns out these eight are also supporters of transit. Streetsblog makes the connection.
A Tour of America's Nuclear History
The Hanford Nuclear Reservation is called the nation's most contaminated place, with pits containing nuclear waste like plutonium. It's also a historic site in terms of America's dabblings with nuclear weaponry, and now it's open for tours.
Growing Fast and Riding the Momentum
The U.S. Census Bureau recently released a list of the fastest-growing cities, in terms of population growth. Those on the list are hoping their growth will pull them through the recession.
Bikes Overtaking Pedestrians in Vancouver
In this video from the City of Vancouver, planners give a tour of the city's system of bike lanes. Bicycling is the fastest growing means of transportation in the city, and cars have actually declined.
Can Zoo Design Apply to People?
Geoff Manaugh of BLDGBLOG looks at plans for a zoo in France made up of simulated environments, and wonders why we don't build simulated environments for humans.
New Power Grid Would Slice Through Rural Areas
Expanding America's power grid to connect wind and solar power plants to the urban areas they fuel will require thousands of miles of transmission lines. Most of it will be built in rural areas where locals are not likely to be very welcoming.
6,000 Parking Spots, 20,000 Cars
That's the ratio on summer weekends downtown in Newport, Rhode Island. A coalition of local businesses, advocates and city officials are brainstorming solutions.
BLOG POST
London's Big Stadium Gamble
<p> The Olympics can be awesome for cities. Or they can be devastating. Rarely they're both, and most often they are an economic drain caused by over-investment in facilities with limited long-term usability. So when London's plans for a 2012 Summer Olympics stadium that would reduce from 80,000 seats during the games to a more realistically usable 25,000 seats after, Olympics experts, city officials and taxpayers rejoiced. But <a href="http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard-olympics/article-23711886-details/Olympic+legacy+chief:+Keep+80,000-seat+stadium+for+World+Cup+bid/article.do" target="_blank" title="Olympic legacy chief: Keep 80,000-seat stadium for World Cup bid - London Evening Standard">recent news</a> has turned that rejoice to disgust.<br />
Should We Plan Cities To Be Temporary?
Eoin O'Carroll, writing in the Christian Science Monitor, notes the plans to bulldoze neighborhoods in decaying American cities and wonders if all this waste couldn't be avoided in the future by building more pre-fab houses.
Land Use Clash Involves "Every Piece of Law You Can Think Of"
An amusement ride business in the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake is the center of controversy involving public space, environmental protection, and noise pollution.
Mississippi River Dams Doom Gulf Marshes
Marsh loss in the Gulf region is being exacerbated beyond repair by dams along the Mississippi River, according to a recent study.
Rainwater Collection Rules Evolving in the West
Two new laws in Colorado make legal the formerly prohibited act of collecting rainwater. Other states aren't so lenient.
London's Temporary Olympic Stadium Could Go Permanent
Officials in London are changing their minds about the main stadium being built for the 2012 Summer Olympics, which was intended to be a semi-temporary structure. Now they want it to be permanent.
A Different Kind of New York Street Conversion 100 Years Ago
While New York City is currently taking space away from automobiles and giving it to pedestrians and cyclists, the New York City of 100 years ago was doing exactly the opposite. And it was a popular idea.
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Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
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Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
