Writing in the Los Angeles Times, Bob Pool profiles a project by Urban Planner James Rojas, who's constructed an 80-square-foot scale model of Long Beach that residents and business owners can tinker with to illustrate their own vision of the city.
"The process is more than child's play, Rojas says. Over the years he has created 43 scale models to stimulate public interest in things such as restoration of the Los Angeles River shoreline."
"It's a great exhibit," said Alan Huyhn, a private planning consultant from Culver City who has seen the Long Beach model. "Urban planning can be intimidating. People don't always go to city planning workshops because they think they won't understand the process or it will be boring."
FULL STORY: In Long Beach exhibit, urban planning is art and play
California Colleges Debate Letting Students Sleep in Cars
Long Beach City College offers a Safe Parking Program to enrolled students who need a safe place to spend the night. Other schools are skeptical.
Long Beach Has Installed Nearly 100 Traffic Circles
They range from large traffic circles that reduce congestion to small neighborhood roundabouts designed to slow local traffic.
LA Metro Board Approves New 710 Freeway Plan
The newest plan for the 710 corridor claims it will not displace any residents.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Waymo Gets Permission to Map SF’s Market Street
If allowed to operate on the traffic-restricted street, Waymo’s autonomous taxis would have a leg up over ride-hailing competitors — and counter the city’s efforts to grow bike and pedestrian on the thoroughfare.
Parklet Symposium Highlights the Success of Shared Spaces
Parklets got a boost during the Covid-19 pandemic, when the concept was translated to outdoor dining programs that offered restaurants a lifeline during the shutdown.
Federal Homelessness Agency Places Entire Staff on Leave
The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness is the only federal agency dedicated to preventing and ending homelessness.
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.
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Smith Gee Studio
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