California

Green meadow with water running through and trees on either side in Yosemite National Park.

Yosemite Meadow Undergoing Major Restoration

Rangeland recently acquired from private owners is being restored to a more natural state thanks to a purchase by the Trust for Public Land.

June 17, 2024 - San Francisco Chronicle

Concrete walkway with landscaping, decorative tiles, and picnic tables in a Los Angeles County park.

Wish Granted: Former Brownfield Transformed to New Park

Wishing Tree Park in West Carson, California officially opened last month, replacing a brownfield site with a much-needed green space for recreation and respite.

June 14, 2024 - Urbanize LA

Group of people sitting in circle of chairs at counseling session.

California Lawmakers Seek to Fund Sober Housing

A 2016 law prohibits state-funded supportive housing from mandating sobriety, but supporters of a proposed bill say a new approach is needed in light of the opioid crisis.

June 13, 2024 - Governing

Gravel walkway along lake at Earvin Magic Johnson Park in Los Angeles County.

‘Parks After Dark’ Helps LA County Communities Thrive

Los Angeles County's popular Parks After Dark program continues to serve communities in need and offer multiple important benefits, as documented in a recent UCLA study.

June 13, 2024 - UCLA Newsroom

Walkway at San Gabriel River Park.

From Duck Farm to Parkland

The opening of the San Gabriel River Park expands access to green spaces for residents in the San Gabriel Valley, especially for Avocado Heights and other park-poor communities in the area.

June 12, 2024 - San Gabriel Valley Tribune

Oak tree with golden hour sun coming through its leaves on a hill in the San Gabriel Mountains in Southern California.

Southern California’s Oak Trees are Under Threat

Goldspotted oak borers (GSOB) are invasive pests that are harming and killing oak trees across San Diego, Riverside, Orange, and Los Angeles counties.

June 12, 2024 - Los Angeles Times

Close-up of natural gas stove burner with blue flames.

Berkeley Voters to Decide on Building Gas Tax

The city could tax large buildings that use gas in lieu of enacting a law that would have banned gas-powered buildings altogether.

June 12, 2024 - Smart Cities Dive

Coyote resting (and yawning) on top of wall covered in morning glories, Huntington Beach, Orange County, California.

California Bill Would Make Wildlife Connectivity Part of General Plans

The ‘Room to Roam Act’ would require cities and counties to consider local habitats and the impact of development on wildlife corridors and connectivity.

June 11, 2024 - Nossaman LLP

Empty corridor at North Hollywood Metro station with orange and white tiles in North Hollywood, California.

LA Metro Fare Enforcement Faces Backlash

The agency hopes cracking down on fare evasion will improve safety on the system, but riders aren’t so sure.

June 11, 2024 - L.A. Taco

Two-level stack of shipping containers blocking off People's Park in Berkeley, California.

California Supreme Court Rules in Favor of People's Park Housing

The decision paves the way for a controversial student housing development.

June 10, 2024 - Los Angeles Times

Aerial view of massive Los Angeles freeway interchange.

Audit: Caltrans Ignored Red Flags Before Freeway Fire

A lax inspection schedule contributed to the hazardous conditions that led to the massive blaze that shut down Interstate 10 in Los Angeles last year.

June 10, 2024 - Spectrum News 1

Aerial view of downtown Seattle, Washington.

Top 5 US Cities for Office-to-Residential Conversions

As more and more cities look to adapt vacant office buildings into homes, a new analysis from Urban Institute says some cities will benefit more than others.

June 7, 2024 - Urban Wire

Antioch, California

California Lawmakers Withdraw Connect Bay Area Act

The proposal would have merged the Bay Area’s 27 transit agencies into one regional entity.

June 6, 2024 - Streetsblog San Francisco

Rendering of protected bike lanes on Hollywood Boulevard in 'Thai Town' area of Los Angeles.

New Bike Lanes Coming to Hollywood Boulevard

Los Angeles is adding 3.6 miles of new protected bike lanes in East Hollywood.

June 4, 2024 - Urbanize Los Angeles

Satalite image of a bright green lake surrounded by brownish-green land

California’s Largest Natural Lake Turns Green With … Algae

A potentially toxic algal bloom has turned Clear Lake in Northern California bright green, fed by increased runoff from human activity.

June 4, 2024 - Los Angeles Times

Field of yellow mustard in flower with Yolo Causeway elevated highway in background with truck passing by.

Caltrans Sued Over I-80 Expansion Plan

Environmental groups argue that the agency purposely split the project into two phases to obscure the true impact of expanded road capacity.

June 3, 2024 - Streetsblog California

Road with traffic near Lake Tahoe, California with pine tree forest on either side.

Lake Tahoe Leans on Microtransit to Address Traffic

On-demand transit is helping make transportation around the resort area more convenient, but the region still lacks connectivity via a fixed-route bus system.

June 3, 2024 - SF Gate

Green painted bike and pedestrian trail with view of San Francisco Bay.

California Legislature Issues Revised Budget Proposal

The new plan rejects some of Gov. Newsom’s proposed cuts to active transportation funding.

June 2, 2024 - Streetsblog California

 The west tunnel entrance to the Oceanside Water Pollution Control Plant in March 2020 with O and A letters missing in Oceanside.

San Francisco Takes on EPA in Supreme Court Case

The Court has agreed to hear an appeal challenging federal water pollution regulations.

May 30, 2024 - San Francisco Chronicle

BART heavy rail train on elevated track pulling into Concord, CA station with cloudy sky and trees in background.

Bay Area Transit Projects Awarded $18 Million

The funding supports eight ‘near-term’ projects slated for completion within the next one to three years.

May 29, 2024 - Contra Costa Herald

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Websites

The best of the Internet—since 2002.

Top Apps

Planning apps for a brave new world.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

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.