State Preemption
Silicon Valley Town Backs Off Mountain-Lions-as-Density-Deterrent
An update for Woodside's plans to avoid a state-mandated rezoning by claiming that the entire town serves as mountain lion habitat.
A Novel Defense Against State-Mandated Density: Mountain Lions
Woodside, a small town in the South Bay Area of California, has invented a new method for resisting state-mandated zoning reforms.
The Path to Hyperdensity
The federal government has an opportunity to make a generational investment in the country's infrastructure that could fundamentally shift the way we live and move around cities.
Report: San Diego Trolley Extension Cost Double the Average for U.S. Light Rail
Experts attribute the high cost of the project to local opposition and call on state and federal leaders to give transportation agencies more authority over local jurisdictions.
New York's 'Good Cause Eviction' Bill, Explained
Here's a slightly humorous approach to a serious topic: the Good Cause Eviction law making its way through the New York State Legislature.
State Bill Could Kill Indy BRT Line
A law proposed in the Indiana state legislature would ban dedicated bus lanes and force IndyGo to cancel a planned bus rapid transit line to the city's airport.
Zoning for Marijuana: Retail Not Included
Local municipalities in New Jersey retain local control in response to a state law that legalizes marijuana businesses throughout the state.
Ambitious Zoning Reform Package Proposed in New York State Legislature
Single-family zoning, parking requirements, and minimum lot sizes are on the chopping block in Senate Bill S7574.
State Law Preempts Federal Transit Relief Funding in Idaho
Idaho state law prevents local voters from implementing the sales taxes that generate revenue to match federal funding for transportation projects, taking local and regional projects out of the running for many federal grant programs.
The Pandemic Crisis Is a Hospital Crisis
"Flatten the curve" was one of the first pandemic terms that Americans heard during the first surge. The idea was to reduce coronavirus transmission so as to prevent hospitals from becoming overwhelmed. But which curve? Case in point: Idaho.
Bend First to Comply With Oregon's Statewide Upzoning Law
Oregon made history in 2019 by being the first state to adopt statewide legislation to end single-family zoning. Now, Bend is the first city of more than 25,000 people to comply with that historic legislation.
Pandemic Debate: Civil Liberties vs. Individual Liberties
The American Civil Liberties Union stepped into the nation's masking debate in K-12 schools on the side of parents of students with disabilities. They won the first round in the U.S. Southern District Court of Iowa. Mask mandates are permitted again.
Biden Administration Targets Five States that Ban School Mask Mandates
President Biden asked his education secretary to see what could be done about states that prohibit school districts from enacting CDC public health recommendations. Miguel Cardona responded by empowering his Office of Civil Rights to investigate.
Preemption of Green Cities in Red States
State legislatures, frequently acting on behalf of corporate interests, are preempting local reforms and regulations necessary to limit the emissions that cause climate change.
Florida Judge Rules That Governor Overstepped Authority in Banning School Mask Mandates
A group of parents won the first round on Aug. 27 in a state circuit court in a dispute with the governor and state education agencies over the ability of school boards to require all students to wear masks to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Statewide Zoning Reform Proposed in Minnesota
The proposed Comprehensive Housing Affordability Act would trade development fees for zoning relief.
Supreme Court of Texas Upholds Governor's Ban on Local Mask Mandates
As the coronavirus surges in hard-hit Texas, threatening to overwhelm hospitals, the state supreme court affirmed the right of the governor to preempt local governments from enacting proven health measures to keep residents safe from infection.
Answers to 12 Questions About California Assembly Bill 1401
Assembly Bill 1401, one of the most closely-watched land use bills in the California State legislature this year, would remove parking requirements in "High Quality Transit Areas" statewide.
Rent Control Showdown in Minnesota
Republicans in the Minnesota State Legislature ditched an effort to block voters in the Twin Cities from implementing rent stabilization laws.
Connecticut Approves Statewide Zoning Reforms—Bill Awaits Governor's Signature
Advocates and political supporters are calling HB 1607 an incremental, first step, after the process of building a winning political coalition cut back some of the original ambition of the statewide zoning reform effort.
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.
Caltrans
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland
