Daily Planning News


Census stress hits Broward

Sun-Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Florida), November 6
There's too much at stake to go uncounted. That was the message Thursday at Census Expo at Tree Tops Park in Davie, where officials from Broward County, the federal census and local organizations

State lawmakers unlikely to rescue mass transit

The Times (Munster, Indiana), November 5
Nov. 5--A day after voters trashed a proposal to create a Regional Transportation District, local train and bus boosters said they will continue to push for mass transit funding -- but probably not

Judge throws out L.A. deal for digitizing billboards

Associated Press Financial Wire, November 5
A judge overturned a settlement allowing major outdoor advertising companies to convert more than 800 billboards in Los Angeles into digital displays, but declined to revoke permits already granted

Idaho Supreme Court takes on CAFO ordinance challenge

Times-News (Twin Falls, Idaho), November 5
Nov. 5--The line between state and local regulations for confined-animal feeding operations can blur at times. But the Idaho Supreme Court could redefine that line following Wednesday's hearing Twin

Illinois, Chicago work their magic to lure more first-time buyers

Chicago Tribune, November 6
With first-time buyers fueling the housing market, the state of Illinois and Chicago aren't willing to let go of that potential homeowner, regardless of what happens with the first-time buyer's tax

Free foreclosure workshop

Sun-Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Florida), November 5
Questions keep coming in from folks worried about falling into foreclosure. Just like with anything else, you fear most what you don't understand.

Market for office space about to feel more pain

Chicago Tribune, November 6
After spending more than a year in suspended animation, the commercial real estate industry is expected to hit bottom in 2010 with a wrenching thud. Owners of business properties such as office

Group claims property-rights in danger with comprehensive plan

The Wenatchee World (Washington), November 5
Nov. 5--OKANOGAN -- About 850 Okanogan County residents came to a Tuesday night meeting organized by a group that claims property rights are in danger if the county's draft comprehensive plan is

Tattoo shop draws a protest

Jackson County Floridan, Marianna, Fla., November 5
Nov. 5--The new tattoo establishment off Lafayette Street in Marianna opened on Halloween, and at least one neighbor thought it was a holiday prank when she saw the banner advertising it. Dot

Tourism touted as city's new industry

The Daily Courier (Connelsville, Pennsylvania), November 5
Nov. 5--Connellsville, rooted in industry, has a new industry: tourism. James Pashek and Sara Thompson, with Pashek Associates, Pittsburgh, outlined a Gateway to Gateway Master Plan for the city to

Commuters gritting and bearing it

The Philadelphia Inquirer, November 6
As the SEPTA strike gummed up the city works for a third infuriating day, Philadelphia commuters persevered yesterday, proving their resilience, their patience, and (let's be honest) their

Will east side miss out on BRAC opportunity?

San Antonio Express-News, November 5
It's a glorious, sun-splashed morning on Hays Street. At its corner with South Gevers, City Councilwoman Ivy Taylor, surrounded by neighborhood residents, cuts a blue ribbon to mark the "unveiling"

Free conference covers neighborhood law

The Santa Fe New Mexican (New Mexico), November 5
A free crash course in complicated city land-use rules, housing programs, building codes, neighborhood planning, annexation and other Santa Fe local government issues is offered today and Friday by

'Red tape' preventing razing of blighted properties

The News-Item (Shamokin, Pennsylvania), November 5
Nov. 5--SHAMOKIN -- City council is still working to tear down two large double homes that have been eyesores in a prominent location in the city for many years.

Sutter supervisors debate solar vs. farmlands

Appeal-Democrat (Marysville, California), November 5
Nov. 5--Sutter County leaders appear prepared to warm to the arrival of solar energy farms -- but not at the cost of prime farmland. The county is reviewing its zoning laws in hopes of deciding

Company defies city's shutdown order

Portland Press Herald (Maine), November 5
Pike Industries is hauling crushed stone from its quarry on Spring Street in Westbrook, which the city says violates a shutdown order it issued to the company in July. Pike says the city doesn't

Change is good, city planners tell residents

San Antonio Express-News, November 5
It's not just another San Antonio bedroom community, it's Shavano Park. That's the message city planners want to get across. "Hi, I'm Shavano Park. I might be in the middle of town, but I'm a neat,

Energy deal breaths life into downtown development

Lubbock Avalanche-Journal (Texas), November 5
Nov. 5--Wednesday's announcement that Lubbock Power & Light will acquire Xcel Energy's in-city customers brings life to the city's downtown redevelopment hopes.

Atlanta historic sites on 'in peril' list

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, November 5
Preservationists fear for Morris Brown College and Herndon Plaza, headquarters of the Atlanta Life Insurance Co. for six decades. Both Atlanta sites were included on the Georgia Trust for Historic

Transit tension

The Capital Times (Madison, Wisconsin), November 4
In some ways, the Dane County Board's vote on creating a regional transit authority is one of the longest and shortest journeys for a piece of legislation in the county's recent history. After

Beach voters okay growth referendums

St. Petersburg Times (Florida), November 4
Voters gave their government a vote of confidence Tuesday in approving four referendum questions dealing with growth and development. Nearly 35 percent of the city's registered 7,114 voters cast

City council okays historic measure

The Fort Morgan Times (Colorado), November 4
Nov. 4--After nearly having to delay again the initial approval of a historic preservation ordinance Tuesday, the Fort Morgan City Council ultimately voted unanimously in favor of what had become a

Planners won't back new class of zoning

Athens Banner-Herald (Georgia), November 4
Nov. 4--WINTERVILLE -- The Winterville Planning and Zoning Commission voted Monday night to recommend that the city council not adopt a new zoning class that would allow assisted-living communities.

Opinion: Teardown trend threatens Guilford

New Haven Register (Connecticut), November 4
Nov. 4--Town's character altered for worse by huge homes on tiny shoreline lots. A revision in Guilford's zoning regulations should put a damper on builders putting grotesquely oversized homes on

Opinion: County's mass transit system is in crisis

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Wisconsin), November 4
One can understand the frustration of Milwaukee County Treasurer Daniel Diliberti without agreeing with his suggestion that the county tell the state that it is getting out of the mass transit

Moratorium on massage, tattoo and tanning businesses

The Press Enterprise (Riverside, CA.), November 4
Calimesa has enacted a temporary moratorium on new massage, tattoo, body-piercing and tanning establishments. The moratorium, unanimously approved Monday night by the Calimesa City Council, is for

Urban farms: A fertile idea

The Washington Times, November 4
Across our city landscapes, an age-old idea is redefining community develop ment. From Detroit to Durham, N.C., the concept of "urban farming" is becoming common among urban planners and social

Proposal put forward to simplify city zoning code

The Virginian-Pilot(Norfolk, VA.), November 4
By Jen McCaffery The Virginian-Pilot PORTSMOUTH Developers and builders looking to work in this city deal with more than 200 pages of city code - most of it telling them what they can't do.

Philadelphia strike slams commuters

USA TODAY, November 4
Bus and subway drivers in Philadelphia said that until their union gets what it wants, they'll continue a strike that left more than 900,000 riders scrambling to get to work Tuesday.

HUD audits find $220M to go to at-risk agencies

USA TODAY, November 4
WASHINGTON -- The government is sending millions of dollars in stimulus aid to communities and housing agencies that federal watchdogs have concluded are unable to spend it appropriately, increasing

Fifteen public art trains go on display

The Times-Tribune (Corbin, Kentucky), November 3
Nov. 3--Fifteen poly-resin trains went on public display Saturday during the unveiling of the city's long-awaited public art project titled "Monuments of Art, Spirit & Heritage." "This is a project

Pawn shop idea stirs debate

The Hutchinson News (Kansas), November 4
Nov. 4--MCPHERSON -- Owners of Patriot Pawn and Firearms Co. LLC operate a retail storefront on Newton's Main Street and want to open a second store next year on Main Street in McPherson. "We're all

Hispanics urged to make census count

Chicago Tribune, November 4
Census Day is still five months away, but communities throughout the Chicago area, hoping for a larger share of federal dollars tied to the decennial population survey, are scrambling to get

For commuters, a day that went from bad to worse

The Philadelphia Inquirer, November 4
The impact of SEPTA's predawn strike started out bad and only got worse. Early-morning travelers, many trying to get to jobs in the suburbs, were stranded at bus and subway stations, left to work

Costa Mesa considering fairgrounds purchase

Orange County Register (California), November 3
The city is considering whether to join a group of suitors interested in the 150-acre fairgrounds, which is up for sale by the state. In a closed session today, city leaders will discuss the

Boulder County asking for input on transportation plan

Daily Camera (Boulder, Colorado), November 3
Boulder County officials on Wednesday are holding a public workshop to hear ideas about the future of transportation. The workshop begins at 5 p.m. at the Boulder County Transportation Department,

County asks BLM to drop transmission route

Times-News (Twin Falls, Idaho), November 3
Nov. 3--BURLEY -- Despite opposition to the proposed cross-county Stateline Route utility corridor, Cassia County commissioners wrote to the Bureau of Land Management Monday, asking the agency to

Marijuana dispensaries on hold

The Pueblo Chieftain (Colorado), November 3
Nov. 3--City Council voted unanimously for a 90-day moratorium on the licensing of any medical marijuana dispensaries following a two-hour public hearing Monday night. The decision means the next

City seeks input on proposed preservation plan

The Free Lance-Star (Fredericksburg, Virginia), November 3
Nov. 3--Should developers have to perform archaeological studies of building sites in Fredericksburg? How should the city tighten its enforcement of building maintenance codes? These are some of the

Census-themed mailings to seniors raise worry

Sun-Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Florida), November 3
Jo-An Frent, a Tamarac retiree, received a letter this month from the National Census of Senior Citizens that claimed to be registered with Frent's "unique census identification number." Despite the

Businesses get the go-ahead to be more creative with store signs

San Jose Mercury News (California), November 2
Cupertino city leaders gave business owners the green light to be more creative with their store signs. After months of collecting feedback from the local business community, the city council voted

Will free wi-fi lure bus riders?

The Houston Chronicle, November 2
San Antonio is trying to lure riders to public transit by offering riders free Wi-Fi. A month-long pilot program being launched today will give access to riders on some VIA Metropolitan Transit

Zoning ordinance on check-cashing businesses limits moves for approval

Whittier Daily News (California), November 2
PICO RIVERA - The Planning Commission on Monday night voted unanimously for a zoning change that would permit check-cashing businesses to open no less than a half-mile apart from each other.

Boca struggles to regain its livelihood

Sun-Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Florida), November 3
Mizner Park was supposed to be downtown's savior. Opened in 1991 amid much hype and fanfare, it was held up as a model for downtown redevelopment. A previously stagnant downtown had become vibrant.

Safety campaign aims to keep Tri-Rail moving

Sun-Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Florida), November 3
Local, state and federal law enforcement officials are taking aim at potential terrorists with a new campaign to keep South Florida's Tri-Rail transit system safe.

Adult business to move to industrial zone

Sun-Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Florida), November 3
Club Eden won't have to leave town. But Davie's only all-nude strip club will have to move. Under a recent settlement, the club will have two years to leave its home on University Drive for an

Mayor calls CHA 'embarrassment'

Chattanooga Times Free Press (Tennessee), November 3
yputman@timesfreepress.com Mayor Ron Littlefield has called the Chattanooga Housing Authority "an embarrassment" to the city and said its conduct "continues to defy common sense."

New zoning law limits church expansion

The Evening Sun (Hanover, Pennsylvania), November 2
Expecting that a "typo" would soon be removed from proposed changes to the Straban Township zoning ordinance, the Rev. Marvin Stanley said he was confident that the church where he serves as pastor

Village sued over denial of pawnshop

Chicago Tribune, November 3
A Berwyn man whose plans to open a pawnshop in downtown La Grange were derailed after public outcry has filed a lawsuit against the village, its board members and the landlord of the building he was

SEPTA workers strike for morning rush hour

The Philadelphia Inquirer, November 3
SEPTA's largest union went on strike early this morning - crippling a transit system that averages more than 928,000 trips every weekday in the city. The strike came after hours of negotiation

Bay Bridge closing strains region's transportation system

San Jose Mercury News (California), November 2
The nearly weeklong shutdown of the Bay Bridge exposed the warts in our transportation system. Want to drive from Tracy to San Francisco across Highway 92? Bank on nearly three hours in the car on

Fayette, commissioner may settle family's zoning dispute lawsuit

Tribune-Review (Greensburg, Pennsylvania), November 2
Nov. 2--Fayette County has tentatively agreed to pay $150,000 to a Dunbar Township family who alleged a county commissioner used zoning laws to try to close two businesses that sit in front of a

Red Bluff Council to vote on pot ban

Red Bluff Daily News (California), November 2
Nov. 2--Marijuana could be banned in Red Bluff if the City Council passes an ordinance recommended by the planning commission to ban the cultivation of medical marijuana, collectives, cooperatives

Solar firms chase after 'stimulus' subsidies

Daily Press - Victorville (California), November 2
Nov. 2--BARSTOW --Out of about 18 solar power projects in various stages of development on land managed by the Bureau of Land Management's Barstow office, most are striving for a portion of $15

Report: U.S. risks falling behind other nations in financing clean technologies

Journal of Technology, November 3
Although significant clean-tech investments are being made in America, the United States risks losing ground to other nations - such as China and South Korea - that are pursuing aggressive

Census snapshot shows smaller cities

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, November 2
The U.S. Bureau of the Census has released the latest version of the American Community Survey demographic estimates for 2006-2008. And for the first time, this ongoing statistical portrait of

Impact of impact fees questioned

Hernando Today (Brooksville, Florida), November 1
Nov. 1--BROOKSVILLE -- The Hernando County School District could be at risk of losing more than $600,000 for the school year if a county plan to reduce impact fees is approved. However, most school

Permit parking losing out in the streets

Chicago Tribune, November 1
When Elliott Small, a 23-year-old real estate consultant, moved to Chicago's Wrigleyville area last fall to be near his office and favorite night life, he was hopeful that his $25 parking permit

Bay Bridge span closed until declared safe

The San Francisco Chronicle (California), November 1
Workers finally began testing a patch on the closed Bay Bridge on Saturday night after days of struggling to fix a cracked piece of steel. The progress means there is a glimmer of hope that the

Supes may overhaul construction appeals

The San Francisco Chronicle (California), November 2
Justin Hughes and his wife, expecting twins in February 2008, thought their plans to expand their Potrero Hill home would sail through after none of their neighbors came to meetings about the

Opinion: No desire for streetcars

The Philadelphia Inquirer, November 2
A plan to restore trolley service along East Market Street to link Center City with the Delaware River waterfront seems problematic on several fronts. Beyond the danger of snarling downtown traffic,

San Francisco construction not expected to grow for years after rebound

The San Francisco Chronicle (California), November 2
San Francisco has seen its share of building booms and busts, but the construction drought that has persisted in the city since 2008 may signal a fundamentally altered market in which growth does

Recession to recovery: Can St. Louis get ahead?

St. Louis Post-Dispatch (Missouri), November 1
It appears the Great Recession is over. Now what? With the news last week that the nation's economy grew by 3.5 percent - the latest in a string of good signs on the economic front - thoughts are

Why the census counts

Reading Eagle (Pennsylvania), November 1
Nov. 1--BERKS COUNTY RESIDENTS, organizations and municipal governments missed out on an estimated $59,866,000 in federal funding over the past decade. That's because the population was undercounted

Winter Park City seeks historic status for downtown

Orlando Sentinel (Florida), November 1
WINTER PARK -- The City Commission has agreed to nominate downtown Winter Park for the National Register of Historic Places. If the application is successful, owners of buildings classified as

BART running trains all night during Bay Bridge closure

Monterey County Herald (California), November 1
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) The Bay Area Rapid Transit Agency will provide 24-hour train service because of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge closure.

Who shapes the city?

Policy Review,
Who Shapes the City? ANTHONY FLINT. Wrestling With Moses. RANDOM HOUSE. 231 PAGES. $27.00. PERHAPS it is fitting, given modern urban planning's erratic history, that its first major tract was

Architects honor Olympian effort

Chicago Tribune, October 30
In an appropriately timed recognition of city planners, Chicago's architects on Friday night will honor several high-profile urban design projects, including the master plan for the city's

Senator asks FEMA to relax its policy

The Hawk Eye (Burlington, Iowa), October 29
Oct. 29--The Federal Emergency Management Agency delivered some much-appreciated news last week in that it was extending its temporary housing program. The cheer was diminished upon learning this

Newbies push BART to ridership record

The San Francisco Chronicle (California), October 30
Its trains packed with people unable to cross the Bay Bridge, BART set a one-day ridership record Wednesday and expected to hit a new high again Thursday, transit system officials said.

Growth surge linked to cars, housing

The Washington Times, October 30
Economic growth roared back at a 3.5 percent pace in the summer quarter, thanks to two powerful but relatively inexpensive stimulus measures targeted at consumers. But the vast majority of the $787

Opinion: Help on easing blight

Buffalo News (New York), October 29
Mr. Donovan, tear down this house. And this one. And this one. And that one over there. That's the message federal Housing Secretary Shaun Donovan should take with him from his visit to Buffalo last

Homeowner must remove a portion of his deck

The Derry News (New Hampshire), October 29
Oct. 29--LONDONDERRY -- The Scobie Pond homeowner who built his house too close to his neighbor's property can keep his foundation, but will have to tear down a deck.

Silos are allowed to stay

The Bulletin (Bend, Oregon), October 29
Oct. 29--When construction began in 1996 on the Bend Parkway, proponents promised an efficient way to speed traffic through the city as well as eye-popping views of the Cascades as the parkway cut

City plans to rewrite tree policy

Herald-Times (Bloomington, Indiana), October 28
Oct. 28--Bloomington city officials plan to rewrite a recent change in city policy that requires property owners to get permission before removing trees. And until the change to the Unified

Chicago reverting to evils of wreck-first past

Chicago Tribune, October 29
Chicago is a gorgeous city, with a knock-your-eyes-out skyline and a dazzling lakefront, but it also has a savage streak. On Wednesday, that streak was on display for all to see. City-hired

Resignation is mood of day over hellish commute

The San Francisco Chronicle (California), October 29
If Wednesday's plodding traffic and stuffed BART trains amounted to a glimpse into life without the Bay Bridge, there are tens of thousands of people who hope the span reopens quickly. The abrupt

Communities in area hurt by economy, census shows

Akron Beacon Journal (Ohio), October 28
Oct. 28--Tough economic times are taking a toll on household incomes and home values in the area's most affluent communities, according to a new census report. Hudson's median family income dropped

Showroom owners question boundaries

High Point Enterprise (North Carolina), October 28
Oct. 28--HIGH POINT -- It isn't the concept of a Market Overlay District that bothers some showroom owners who spoke in opposition of the district at Tuesday night's High Point Planning and Zoning

Historic measures surprise some on council

The Fort Morgan Times (Colorado), October 28
Oct. 28--Two members of the Fort Morgan City Council expressed surprise at Tuesday's special meeting that the council was even considering two alternative proposals dealing with historic

Radio-controlled planes free to fly on farm

New Haven Register, October 28
The White Hills Eagles Radio Control Club can continue to take flight at Stern's Farm, but with minor modifications geared to minimize disturbances on neighbors. The Planning and Zoning Commission

Foes want pet store chain on tight leash

The San Francisco Chronicle (California), October 29
It's a pet food smack-down. When the Planning Commission meets next Thursday to consider a conditional use permit for a new Pet Food Express store in the Marina, the hearing will hit on issues

Preservation study rejected

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS, October 28
HIGHLAND PARK - Some concerned Highland Park residents vowed Tuesday to keep pushing Town Hall to slow the pace of residential teardowns. Their resolve remains, despite a Highland Park Town Council

Impact fee reduction may include commercial

Hernando Today (Brooksville, Florida), October 28
Oct. 28--BROOKSVILLE -- To jumpstart the economy even more, county commissioners Tuesday voted 5-0 to expand its impact fee reduction plan from solely residential to add commercial and industrial

Curio House ends 10-year journey to the Cape

Cape Cod Times (Hyannis, Massachesetts), October 28
Oct. 28--BOURNE -- As it chugged over the Bourne Bridge yesterday on the backs of three tractor-trailers, The Curio House lived up to its name, creating a curiosity factor in the afternoon traffic.

Supervisors puzzle over how to handle motorcycle track complaints

Bristol Herald Courier (Virginia), October 28
Oct. 28--ABINGDON, Va. -- The Washington County Board of Supervisors discussed noise ordinances, zoning and business permits Tuesday in trying to resolve conflict over a motorcycle racing track on

Apartment certification advances

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Wisconsin), October 28
By TOM DAYKIN A proposed Milwaukee ordinance that would require apartment buildings in certain neighborhoods to be certified by building inspectors before they can be rented was recommended for

An era ends in U.S. architecture

The International Herald Tribune, October 28
FULL TEXT No doubt many saw the recent opening of Dallas's imposing new performing arts center as a welcome sign of civic confidence during hard times. But it also signaled a closing. A dynamic

Cities use inclusionary zoning as housing costs climb

IPS - Inter Press Service, October 27
With most U.S. cities facing a severe shortage of affordable housing, more and more are beginning to turn to so-called inclusionary zoning (IZ). As a type of land-use regulation, IZ may sound a bit

Denver lands solar plant

The Denver Post, October 27
SMA Solar Technology AG, the world's largest maker of solar inverters, said Monday that it will locate its first manufacturing plant outside of Germany in Denver. SMA expects to employ about 300

Orange Co. lacks money to buy, tend sensitive land

Orlando Sentinel (Florida), October 28
Orange County may not be able to purchase more environmentally sensitive land -- property now used to preserve wildlife corridors and watersheds for future generations -- for years because of the

Commission balks at new rule on removing trees

Herald-Times (Bloomington, Indiana), October 27
Oct. 27--With a 5-3 vote Monday night, the Bloomington Plan Commission neither approved nor rejected the entire package of amendments to the city's Unified Development Ordinance, as sent to them by

County talks setback requirements, but takes no action again

The Hays Daily News (Kansas), October 27
Oct. 27--After months of information gathering, Ellis County commissioners revisited proposed changes to the county's zoning regulations during Monday's meeting. However, they still took no action

Residents say sidewalks are dead ends

Erie Times-News (Pennsylvania), October 27
Oct. 27--On rural Schultz Road in Millcreek Township, one 100-foot-long concrete sidewalk abruptly ends at a tree. Another 100-foot-long sidewalk stops amid grass and weeds, with a gully south of

Windmill rules remain unresolved

Beaver County Times (Pennsylvania), October 27
Oct. 27--MONACA -- Chuck Thomas still has a windmill lying in his backyard. And he doesn't have much of an idea when he'll know whether he'll be able to put it up.

Holding back the Atlantic may hurt ecosystems

The Philadelphia Inquirer, October 28
Rising sea levels along the Atlantic coast - including tidal waters like the Delaware River as far north as Morrisville - will require increasingly ambitious shore protection that may be impossible

Bay Bridge fix fails

The San Francisco Chronicle (California), October 28
Three pieces of an emergency repair to the Bay Bridge's cantilever section made over Labor Day weekend snapped and crashed onto the upper deck of the span late Tuesday afternoon, striking three

Atlanta scrambles to spend $30 million in unspent federal aid

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, October 28
Rather than send back more than $30 million in unspent federal aid, Atlanta officials have pushed through more than 50 last-minute deals with service agencies who hope to spend like crazy before the

State park opens in 2011

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, October 28
Ground has been broken on the long-planned Chattahoochee Bend State Park in northwest Coweta County. When it opens in summer 2011, the 3,000-acre green space will be the fifth-largest among 64 state

High-rise loan would carry 'significant risk,' city comptroller says

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Wisconsin), October 27
By TOM DAYKIN A proposal for the City of Milwaukee to lend $9.3 million for construction of the Moderne high-rise carries "significant risk" that commercial lenders are unwilling to take, according