For a publication based in California, we sure write a lot about Portland . I guess this isn't surprising, given Portland's iconic status as the planners' nirvana – the place where planners ' crazy ideas get implemented and actually work and make everybody happy. But there's anot

The committee advising the Air Resources Board on how to establish regional greenhouse gas emissions-reduction targets related to land use released a draft of its final report today. The Regional Targets Advisory Committee is scheduled to spend all day Tuesday, September 1, worki

I'm of two minds regarding the decision by the California Chapter of the American Planning Association – pardon me, it's called APA California now – to schedule its annual conference in the countryside. One part of me thinks it's a great idea, because I'd much rather spend time i

With less than three weeks left before the Legislature wraps up its regularly scheduled session, we're watching three things: the Highway Users Tax Account, redevelopment and the Democrats' water package.

A couple of weeks ago I had the chance to tour a short strip of York Boulevard in the Highland Park district in Los Angeles. York's tucked away near Occidental College, a mile or two east of the Pasadena Freeway and the Gold Line. The boulevard is generally narrow – from Avenue 5

Your trusty CP&DR correspondents have been writing about planning and development matters for other publications of late. I have a story in Planning magazine's latest edition about access to healthy food, while Morris Newman has a story in the August 12 edition of The New York Ti

A new report from the Centers for Disease Control says that planning may play a significant role in reducing the obesity epidemic in the United States. The report, which compiles numerous research studies and recommendations of experts, provides additional scientific backing for

Will redevelopment mean anything once the dust settles on California's budget crisis? Last month's state budget deal attempts to whack redevelopment agencies to the tune of $2.05 billion . The redevelopment agencies are suing, claiming it's an unconstitutional shift of funds. Thi

Gov. Schwarzenegger's last-minute decision to eliminate Williamson Act subventions is another example of how the state's spending decisions run counter to its greenhouse gas emissions-reduction goals. I know, the budget signed on Tuesday does not match many of the state's alleged

Many people decry the use of eminent domain by redevelopment agencies in California. I don't deny that there have been flagrant abuses of eminent domain authority over the years, but I also understand why well-meaning redevelopment officials grow frustrated with private property

How did mass transportation in urban areas wind up getting shafted by the federal stimulus bill? According to an analysis published in Thursday's New York Times , urban transit systems are set to receive far less of the $26.6 billion than are rural areas. This is hard to justify,

Many times I have attended a conference or workshop on land use and public policy that included an expert the organizers brought in from another country. While the expert could be from London, The Netherlands, China, Buenos Aires or Capetown, my private reaction was always the sa