Los Angeles
Ready and Waiting: New Law Makes Light Rail Possible in the San Fernando Valley
In another example of Los Angeles slowly unraveling itself from prior legislation that hinder its transit goals, Governor Jerry Brown signed a bill that will allow light rail construction in the San Fernando Valley.
Design Crit: LACMA's Proposal to Bridge Wilshire Boulevard Misreads Los Angeles
The proposed expansion of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art recently got a major revision—now instead of cantilevering over the La Brea Tar Pits, the building would bridge Wilshire Boulevard.
Op-Ed: No Room for Subjectivity in Los Angeles Design Guidelines
Sam Lubell outlines the good and bad of recent small lot design guidelines approved by Los Angeles.
Proposed Rail Station to Provide Future Rail Connection to LAX
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority voted to move forward with a station near LAX, proving they'd made more progress in the last 12 months than in the previous 25 years to bring transit rail to the airport.
Proposed River Bed Bike Path Would Connect Long Beach to Downtown Los Angeles
The Los Angeles City Council asked city engineers to explore an proposal that would close an 8.5-mile gap in a bike path that runs inside the Los Angeles River channel—connecting Long Beach to Downtown Los Angeles.
Is Los Angeles the Museum Capital of the United States?
Los Angeles County Planner Clement Lau continues his case for proclaiming the City of Angels as the museum capital of the United States.
A Growing Body of Knowledge Examines Unauthorized Housing in Los Angeles
An academic look at unauthorized housing in the Los Angeles area: Interview of Jacob Wegmann by Los Angeles County Planner Jonathan Bell
Mapping the Toxic Emissions of the Los Angeles Basin
Knowledge is power when it comes to environmental justice, and a group of students from UCLA has recently armed residents of Los Angeles with a mapping tool that tracks the amount of toxins emitted by local factories.
Great Streets? How about Healthy, Safe Streets?
Advocates and citizens in Boyle Heights, a historic and predominantly Latino neighborhood on the Eastside of Los Angeles, are hoping for more than economic development from the city's Great Streets initiative.

No Fix for Rundown Sidewalks and Streets in Los Angeles
The city of Los Angeles has been searching for years for a fiscal solution to the deplorable conditions of its streets and sidewalks, but a recent proposal to increase sales taxes by a half-cent to 9.5 percent is now dead.
The Death of a Bridge in Los Angeles
The demolition of the Riverside-Figueroa Bridge spanning the Los Angeles River between Elysian Valley and Cypress Park has commenced. Advocates lament a lost opportunity for open space as well as the car-centric design of the replacement span.
Los Angeles Paying Hollywood Community Plan Opponents $1.5 Million
Picking up the pieces from Los Angeles' failed attempt at implementing a community plan for Hollywood now involves paying off the lawyers who shot down the ordinance to the tune of $1.5 million.

Supply, Demand, and Affordable Housing
Bill Witte, president of Related California, one of the most active developers of residential and commercial properties on the West Coast, talks about real estate, affordable housing, and a squeezed middle class with The Planning Report.
How to Put More Kick in Urban Parks and Recreation Planning
Los Angeles County planner Clement Lau makes a case for increasing the number of fields and facilities dedicated to a sport that is growing in popularity – soccer.
Los Angeles Mayor Garcetti Picks the First 15 'Great Streets'
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced $800,000 in funding for 15 "Great Streets" to be located around the city.
The Impossibility of Updating Los Angeles’ Community Plans
Despite years of community engagement, political discussion, and planning, the city of Los Angeles has struggled to pass updated community plans, and in many neighborhoods, developments may suffer through years of litigation and bureaucracy.
Army Corps Recommends $1 Billion Overhaul of the Los Angeles River
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is slowly changing its approach to the Los Angeles River. The executive leadership of the Corps took a major step in a new direction yesterday, when it recommended a $1 billion plan to revitalize the river bed.
Meet the Historic Oddities of the Los Angeles Zoning Code's Use List
With the city of Los Angeles amidst its first comprehensive overhaul of its Zoning Code since 1946, the Planning Department's outreach efforts include a new post explaining the regulated land uses of yesteryear.

Developer Defeats Planning Expertise in Downtown Los Angeles
The Los Angeles City Council recently approved a pedestrian footbridge for a large development west of Downtown. The approval came suddenly and despite the protests of advocates, planning professionals, and the volunteer City Planning Commission.

$2.1 Billion in Federal Transit Funding for the 'Subway to the Sea' in Los Angeles
Los Angeles will receive its largest-ever federal grant, $1.25 billion, to help fund the Purple Line subway, aka the "Subway to the Sea." Also on its way is an $856 million loan from the TIFIA program.
Pagination
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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