The Global Warming & Energy Committee of the Sierra Club chapter in Silicon Valley decide to highlight the excessive permitting charges of some local cities... and results happen.
"A survey by the Sierra Club this fall of the permit fees that cities in the region charge residents to install solar panels on their homes already is resulting in lower fees.
In the past two weeks, at least three cities -- San Mateo, Morgan Hill and Los Altos Hills -- have moved to dramatically reduce solar fees as a result of the survey and subsequent coverage of it by the Mercury News and other news outlets."
From Executive Summary:
"This study compares the progress of 40 cities in San Mateo, Santa Clara, and San Benito counties in making PV more affordable to homeowners. The goal is to determine a reasonable ceiling for permit fees and to encourage permitting authorities to lower fees that are unreasonably high."
Thanks to Stan Van Velsor
FULL STORY: Cities slash solar permit fees
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
USDOT Revokes Approval for NYC Congestion Pricing
Despite the administration’s stated concern for the “working class,” 85 percent of Manhattan commuters use public transit to enter the city.
Tiny House Villages for Addressing Homelessness: An Interview with Yetimoni Kpeebi
One researcher's perspective on the potential of tiny homes and owner-built housing as one tool to fight the housing crisis.
Preserving Altadena’s Trees: A Community Effort to Save a Fire-Damaged Landscape
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena Green is working to preserve fire-damaged but recoverable trees, advocating for better assessment processes, educating homeowners, and protecting the community’s urban canopy from unnecessary removal.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Investigation Reveals Just How Badly California’s Homeless Shelters are Failing
Fraud, violence, death, and chaos follow a billion dollar investment in a temporary solution that is proving ineffective.
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.
Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research