April’s Must-Reads: Top 10 Articles From Last Month

From solar farms to mall revitalization, EVs to development fees, here are the stories Planetizen readers were most interested in April.

4 minute read

May 5, 2024, 5:00 AM PDT

By Mary Hammon @marykhammon


Aeriel view of white sheep grazing on green grass between rows of solar panels.

Revive Photo Media / Adobe Stock

April brought a diverse array of news from across the planning spectrum. Below we’ve compiled a list of Planetizen’s most popular content published last month. A groundbreaking solar project in Ohio, mall revitalization efforts in Pennsylvania, and bad news for California EV owners came in at the top, along with a Supreme Court Decision that tightens the screws on development fees. Parking and California’s declining population were also popular topics. Happy reading!

1. Coming Soon to Ohio: The Largest Agrivoltaic Farm in the US

The most popular article on Planetizen in April was about the approval of an ambitious solar project in Ohio that will combine energy production with crop and sheep production. Oak Run Solar, an 800MW project that will power 170,000 homes, will be built on 6,000 acres near Columbus. It’s the largest venture of its kind in the U.S. to date.

2. Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House

Next up, in a bid to revitalize underused commercial spaces, the Pennsylvania House passed a bill to incentivize mall redevelopment. If passed by the state senate, the legislation would offer tax incentives and establish a committee of real-estate, planning, and economic development experts to guide mall transformations.

3. California EV Owners To Lose Carpool Lane Privilege

California EV owners got bad news last month: Starting in September 2025, California will restrict carpool lanes to actual carpools, excluding hybrid, electric, and compressed natural gas vehicles. EV drivers have had carpool lane privilege since 1999, but extending the policy requires approval from Congress and the California legislature, which is unlikely in the current political climate.

4. U.S. Supreme Court: California's Impact Fees May Violate Takings Clause

Planetizen blogger Irvin Dawid breaks down the recent unanimous U.S. Supreme Court ruling that developers and home builders in California can challenge fees imposed by cities and counties for public improvements.

5. Depopulation Patterns Get Weird

Several California cities, including San Francisco in the number-one spot, feature on a list of “Fastest Declining Cities in the U.S.” What is driving this trend?

6. California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million

In his second blog post in this list, California's declining population is on Planetizen blogger Irvin Dawid’s mind as well. His blog post explores why the state’s lofty population projections of 40 million by 2018 have fallen short by millions.

7. Want to Reduce Traffic Congestion? Cash Out Employer-Paid Parking

Parking guru Donald Shoup weighs in on New York City’s congestion pricing plan. He says the scheme is at risk of being undermined by employer-paid parking, which substantially subsidizes driving. His proposed solution: parking cash out.

8. LA Parking Reform is Bearing Fruit

The second parking story in this month’s top 10 brings good news for advocates for reducing or eliminating parking minimums. Los Angeles County's updated minimum parking requirements, particularly near transit lines, are driving developers to propose residential projects with limited or no on-site parking. 

9. Boston Moves Zoning Reform Forward

The Boston Planning and Development Agency (BPDA) is backing citywide zoning changes. "Squares + Streets zoning" will create form-based zoning templates for neighborhoods that promote mixed use, walkability, and infill development. and denser housing near transit.

10. New Philly Fare Gates ‘Astonishingly Easy to Beat’

Last but not least, SEPTA may have a little egg on its face after reports of how easy it is to get past its new fare gates at the 69th Street station without paying. Since the gates were designed specifically to combat fare evasion, some question whether expansion to other stations is a good investment.

To stay up-to-date on the latest news and exclusive content from Planetizen, sign up for our email newsletters, including the twice-weekly Newswire and the once-a-month Planetizen Updates.

Editor’s note: Portions of this Planetizen blog post were generated using OpenAI’s language model, ChatCPT. Planetizen editors have been looking into ethical uses of AI in journalism and wanted to test it. In this post, ChatGPT was used to summarize previously published Planetizen stories, which provided text that served as a starting point and then was edited and refined further. We want to assure our readers that any policies adopted around the use of AI on Planetizen content will be grounded in transparency .


Mary Hammon

Mary is an editor and writer who is passionate about urban planning and the direct impact it has on people's lives and how we experience the world around us. Prior to joining Planetizen as editorial manager in December 2023, she spent eight years as an editor for Planning magazine, the flagship publication of the American Planning Association.

Single-family homes in a suburban neighborhood in Florida.

New Florida Law Curbs HOA Power

The legislation seeks to cut down on ‘absurd’ citations for low-level violations.

June 16, 2024 - The Guardian

Multistory apartment building under construction.

New Tennessee Law Allows No-Cost Incentives for Affordable Housing

Local governments in the Volunteer State can now offer developers incentives like increased density, lower parking requirements, and priority permitting for affordable housing projects.

June 10, 2024 - Nooga Today

Aerial view of intersection in New York City with yellow cabs and zebra crosswalks.

Planners’ Complicity in Excessive Traffic Deaths

Professor Wes Marshall’s provocatively-titled new book, "Killed by a Traffic Engineer," has stimulated fierce debates. Are his criticisms justified? Let’s examine the degree that traffic engineers contribute to avoidable traffic deaths.

June 13, 2024 - Todd Litman

Brick high-rise apartment buildings in New York City

Study: Housing Crisis is About Affordability, not Supply

New research shows that there is no overall shortage of housing units, but all U.S. metropolitan areas face a severe lack of affordable units for low-income renters.

June 18 - University of Kansas

Couple on one side of desk with banker on other side looking at paperwork.

Are Race-Based Lawsuits Affecting Community Lenders?

Shelterforce spoke with community lending leaders and experts about the current mood across the sector. What, if anything, are organizations doing to avoid becoming the next target of conservative activists?

June 18 - Shelterforce Magazine

Rendering of Glory Park in Lewisville, Texas.

New Park Promotes Community and Connectivity in Lewisville, Texas

The city of Lewisville just celebrated the opening of Glory Park/Parque la Gloria, helping to improve park access and the quality of life for residents.

June 18 - Lewisville Leader

Write for Planetizen

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.