The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
SoCal City Defies State, Extending Homeless Shelter Ban
The Norwalk City Council voted to extend a ban on shelter facilities days after receiving a warning from state officials that the ban violates state housing laws.
Sacramento’s Traffic Safety Crisis Could Be Declared a Public Emergency
Street safety advocates are calling for a stronger declaration that would focus on road design and equity.
Madrid Uses Transit System for Parcel Delivery to Cut Emissions
A new pilot program uses trains to deliver packages at off-peak hours, lowering emissions from trucks.
Commercial Buildings, Parking Lots Offer Significant Potential for Solar Energy
Massive swaths of flat rooftops, garages, and surface parking lots go underutilized. They could be producing renewable energy.
Can Zoning Reform Save Pittsburgh’s Affordable Housing?
With home sale prices growing faster than anywhere in the country, the Steel City could enact major reforms to boost density and lower housing costs.
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Economic Impacts of Zoning for Cannabis Businesses
Discover the economic impacts of zoning for cannabis businesses, including how these regulations affect local economies, influence real estate values, and shape community development.
Thousands of Affordable Housing Units Planned Near New Haven Train Station
The proposal could breathe new life into a long-neglected area near a heavily trafficked Amtrak station.
Judge Sides With Oil Companies Over LA Drilling Ban
The decision invalidates a law that would have eliminated oil drilling in the city over the next 20 years. A proposed state law could still let cities regulate extraction.
San Francisco Could Ban Overnight RV Parking
Advocates say the proposal would further destabilize the lives of people forced to live in their vehicles.
‘Week Without Driving’ Challenge: Are You Up For It?
The Week Without Driving challenge, scheduled Sept. 30 to Oct. 6 this year, encourages motorists, particularly policy makers and planning practitioners, to experience the challenges facing nondrivers in automobile-dependent communities.
Postponed Milwaukee BRT Project at Least a Decade Away
The county’s transit system won’t pursue a second rapid bus line due to financial constraints.
DOJ: ‘Nuisance’ Evictions Could Break Federal Law
Ordinances that allow landlords to evict tenants for nuisance complaints or alleged criminal activity may run afoul of federal protections, the DOJ warns.
Data Center Emissions Far Outpace Tech Company Claims
In-house data centers owned by several major tech companies likely produce over six times as many greenhouse gas emissions as their owners estimate.
Green Schoolyards Offer Respite From Urban Heat
More schools are transforming asphalt-covered playgrounds into shady oases that help reduce temperatures and absorb emissions.
MBTA to Electrify its First Commuter Rail Line
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority will electrify the 9 mile Fairmount Line, the shortest of their 12 commuter rail lines, using battery-electric multiple units. The first BEMU trains are projected to be operating in early 2028.
Historic LA Filming Complex Could Get $1B Makeover
A revised plan for a revamped ‘Television City’ in mid-city Los Angeles was endorsed by the City Planning Commission, but faces more hurdles before full City Council approval.
California Bill Clarifies ‘Builder’s Remedy’
New laws eliminate the murky, ‘free-for all’ approach to the policy, letting developers continue to build new housing projects under stricter guidelines.
Study Reveals Los Angeles a Hotspot for Insect Diversity
A study reveals that L.A. is a surprising hotspot for insect and spider biodiversity, with diversity driven more by proximity to mountains and stable temperatures than by land value.
Farmworker Housing Program Excludes Many Agricultural Workers
Income restrictions make some farmworkers ineligible for workforce housing, but affordable rural housing remains largely out of reach.
St. Louis Zeroing in on Safe Streets
The city is creating its first Department of Transportation and using hundreds of millions in federal funding to launch road safety projects.
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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.
