Latest news with #CityPlanning
Indian Express
03-06-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
Ahmedabad civic body plans Urban House to bring three key departments under one roof
With the aim to bring three departments of urban governance – Urban Development, City Planning, and Estate Department – under one roof, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) is planning to set up a new building, 'Urban House', in the city. To come up on the road from NCC Circle to Nagari Hospital in Navrangpura Ward of the West Zone, the building with two basements, ground floor plus 10 floors, and a garden, will house the central office of the Building Plan Approval System (BPSP) Department, City Planning along with the office of the Town Planning officers. 'It has been planned to build a storage-record room, training centre, GIS cell, server room, cafeteria, terrace garden-canteen, and offices of high-ranking officials. Parking for a total of 140 four-wheelers and 1,184 two-wheelers has been planned in two basements. The estimated cost of construction of the said building will be Rs 96 crore,' AMC stated in an official statement issued Tuesday. Estimated to be complete in two-and-a-half years, the green building rating is aimed for 'Platinum' grade as per the rating of Indian Green Building Council (IGBC). It is envisaged to include features like solar generation, water conservation, energy saving, indoor environment quality, use of certified green building materials, waste-water reuse among others. 'Delegations frequently visit Ahmedabad city to learn about the urbanisation process… plans have also been made to create conference rooms with advanced WiFi facilities in this Urban House (for them). Thus, there is no doubt that this 'Urban House' will become a model for the city in the future, as all the processes related to urbanisation will be available at one place. Thus, there will be a comprehensive system to provide urban facilities to the citizens,' AMC further added. The Urban House has also been planned keeping in mind the development of Ahmedabad city, which is expected to accelerate in the coming years, and the citizens will be provided with necessary facilities such as town planning, development maps, construction and development permissions, allocation of municipal plots at one place, the AMC said. Further, the AMC stated, 'Due to the modern 'Urban House' where all the information and work can be done from one place, the citizens will get a lot of benefit… all the departments will get a single-window arrangement… A facility has been included in the plan so that the staff can get training on matters related to estate, town development and city planning departments.'
Axios
21-05-2025
- Axios
Cleveland traffic deaths rise despite street safety push
More than 600 cyclists and pedestrians were struck by cars in Cleveland in 2024, per a new report from the advocacy organization Bike Cleveland. Why it matters: Fatal car crashes have risen steadily, even as the city pursues policies to make streets safer. Catch up quick: Cleveland launched the Vision Zero initiative in 2022, which aims to eliminate traffic fatalities by 2032. And this year, the city announced Cleveland Moves, a five-year mobility plan to make streets more accommodating for non-drivers. It included a pledge to build at least 50 miles of protected bike lanes in the next three years. Yes, but: Bike Cleveland says the escalating fatal crashes and pedestrian collisions demonstrate the urgent need to redesign streets. "These crashes are not accidents," the report argues, "they're the tragic and preventable result of streets that fail to keep people safe." Zoom in: The group compiled data from the city's 911 calls and the state's crash reports, acknowledging the totals are likely an undercount. The collisions were broken down by location and type. Overall, 75 people were killed in Cleveland traffic crashes in 2024, up from 59 in 2023 and 43 in 2022. Fifteen of the fatalities were pedestrians or cyclists. By the numbers: Ward 3 (Downtown, Ohio City, Tremont) saw more collisions involving cyclists and pedestrians last year than any other ward, with 85 total. Wards 3 and 14 (Clark-Fulton, Stockyards) saw the most fatal crashes, with three each. Beyond ward-by-ward infrastructure recommendations, the crash report outlines priorities like creating a standalone city department of transportation. What they're saying: Bike Cleveland executive director Jacob VanSickle tells Axios the city's transportation system is fragmented, with City Planning, Capital Projects and Public Works each handling elements of design and maintenance. "This siloed structure creates inefficiencies, slows progress and dilutes accountability," he says. A dedicated department would bring these functions under one body and provide the "coordination, capacity, and leadership" needed to deliver on the city's mobility plans. Zoom out: VanSickle said Cleveland could look to Pittsburgh and Oakland, which established similar departments in the past decade. The intrigue: Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne floated the idea of a county-level transportation department on the campaign trail in 2022.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Fact Check: Stockholm officials refused to comply with US Embassy's request regarding Trump's anti-DEI policies
Claim: The U.S. Embassy in Sweden sent a letter to Stockholm's city planning department stating that U.S. State Department contractors must comply with the Trump administration's anti-diversity, equity and inclusion policies. Rating: In early May 2025, claims shared across the internet alleged the United States Embassy in Stockholm, Sweden sent an official letter to Stockholm's city planning department demanding compliance with U.S. President Donald Trump's executive orders championing "anti-discrimination laws." The letter allegedly stated that all contractors for the U.S. State Department must adhere to the administration's rollback of diversity, equity and inclusion policies. The claim spread widely on social media, with posts on Facebook (archived), Instagram (archived), X (archived) and Reddit. The popularity of the claim led to a variety of Snopes readers sending emails asking if there was any truth behind the rumor. Stockholm is latest city to refuse 'bizarre' US request to abandon diversitybyu/pilldickle2048 ineurope Indeed, claims that the U.S. Embassy in Sweden's capital city sent Stockholm's city planning department a letter stating contractors must comply with the Trump administration's anti-DEI policies are true. Neither the State Department nor the U.S. Embassy in Sweden has responded to Snopes' requests for comment, but this article will be updated if we receive a response. A press officer for the city of Stockholm provided Snopes with a copy of the document in question along with a screenshot of the email in which the embassy delivered it to the city. (City of Stockholm) The email read: CERTIFICATION REGARDING COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE FEDERAL ANTI-DISCRIMINATION LAW — 19SW8025P0594 Dear Stadsbyggnadskontoret [City Planning Office], Due to updated U.S. acquisition policies under Executive Order 14173, we kindly ask you to review and sign the attached certification form. This certification is required for all U.S. Government acquisitions, including purchase orders and all contracts for goods or services. Please return the signed form within 10 working days. Thank you for your cooperation. Best regards, U.S. Embassy Stockholm The letter itself was addressed from the Embassy of the United States of America in Stockholm, Sweden, and it opened by repeating the email's subject line. It then read, "All Department of State contractors must certify that they do not operate any programs promoting DEI that violate any applicable anti-discrimination laws and agree that such certification is material for purposes of the government's payment decision and therefore subject to the False Claims Act." It concludes with directions on how to submit the certification. (City of Stockholm) According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the False Claims Act "provides that any person who knowingly submits, or causes to submit, false claims to the government is liable for three times the government's damages plus a penalty that is linked to inflation." The press official for the city of Stockholm told Snopes via email, "The city of Stockholm will not comply with the embassy's demands or respond to the letter." In comments to The Associated Press, Stockholm's Vice Mayor for City Planning Jan Valeskog said of receiving the letter, "We were really surprised, of course. We will not sign this document at all, of course not." Valeskog also told Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter, "If the U.S. terminates its relationship with the city planning office, the embassy will have difficulty obtaining a building permit if they want to rebuild, for example. That's their headache, not ours." Trump signed Executive Order 14173 on Jan. 21, 2025. According to the text of the order, its purpose was "ending illegal discrimination and restoring merit-based opportunity." It reads in part: Illegal DEI and DEIA policies not only violate the text and spirit of our longstanding Federal civil-rights laws, they also undermine our national unity, as they deny, discredit, and undermine the traditional American values of hard work, excellence, and individual achievement in favor of an unlawful, corrosive, and pernicious identity-based spoils system. Hardworking Americans who deserve a shot at the American Dream should not be stigmatized, demeaned, or shut out of opportunities because of their race or sex. The anti-DEI policies of the Trump administration have been widely criticized, with The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights stating, "These EOs will weaken our economy, endanger our national security, and threaten our multi-racial democracy." Civil Division | The False Claims Act. 17 June 2019, "Ending Illegal Discrimination And Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity." The White House, 22 Jan. 2025, Kassam, Ashifa, and Ashifa Kassam European community affairs correspondent. "Stockholm Rejects 'Bizarre' US Letter Urging City to Scrap Diversity Initiatives." The Guardian, 8 May 2025. The Guardian, "Stockholm City Council Rejects US Embassy Demands to End DEI Programming." AP News, 9 May 2025, "Trump's Executive Orders on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Explained." The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, Accessed 9 May 2025. "USA:s ambassad kräver lydnad av Stockholms stad: "Bisarrt"." 6 May 2025,
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Come see the night lit up at Ankeny's new glow-in-the-dark trail
Nights in Ankeny are a bit more colorful now that the city's new "glow trail" is open. Visitors can walk a 425-foot offshoot of the High Trestle Trail that has glow-in-the-dark pavement. The glow trail is part of the first phase of the city's High Trestle Trail Experience Park project, a segment of the bike trail being transformed into an attraction for visitors with public art installations, interactive elements and new amenities. The park is on a section of the trail between West First Street and South Ankeny Boulevard in the Uptown area. The glow trail is located east of Walnut Street on the High Trestle Trail, south of Uptown Ankeny. A master plan called for more art installations and amenities in the coming years as the High Trestle Trail Experience Park is built out. The $1 million first phase also included native plantings, trees and new lighting. The cost included a $20,000 grant from Bravo Greater Des Moines. Details about future phases of the new experience park are to be determined and announced in the years to come. City planning documents in 2024 proposed additional work in 2026 and 2028. City spokesperson Amy Baker said a dedication for the glow trail is planned in June. Phillip Sitter covers the suburbs for the Des Moines Register. Phillip can be reached via email at psitter@ or on X at @pslifeisabeauty. Find out more about him online through the Register's staff directory. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Walk on glow-in-the-dark pavement at Ankeny's High Trestle Trail
CBS News
08-05-2025
- Climate
- CBS News
Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey issues executive order to improve the city's storm readiness
When it comes to weather-related disasters, Pittsburgh leaders say they want to be proactive, not reactive, so on Thursday, Mayor Ed Gainey announced an executive order to do just that, as we face the threat of more storms like the one that devastated the area last week. City leaders are calling that April 29 storm a wake-up call. "I don't want to be in a situation where we're not prepared. This climate change is real, and we have to make sure that we're climate resilient in every aspect of what we do," Gainey said. Jamil Bey is the director of city planning. "[It's] a vivid, and painful example of what climate change looks like when it reaches our doorsteps," Bey said. Pittsburgh families were left without electricity for more than a week, some imprisoned in their homes by downed trees and power lines, and the clean-up is still ongoing. Leaders said next time could be that much worse. It's why Gainey revealed the city's first 'All-Hazard Mitigation Plan,' made up of five key principles, from comprehensive risk assessment, using science and data, to climate resilience. "Our plan will incorporate future climate scenarios and adaptation strategies to safeguard our people and our infrastructure," Gainey said. It will also include integrative planning with the city's goals around sustainability and housing, and will take social equity into consideration, as the most vulnerable are often the hardest hit. Lastly, it will be constructed with input from the public. They'll play a primary role as Pittsburgh Fire Chief and Emergency Management Coordinator Darryl Jones leads the effort with Bey, collaborating with partners at the local, state, and federal levels, along with utility companies and experts. It will start with a 90-day review, looking into what they did well last week and what they need to improve, and how. "What would we do differently in a city that is populated, you know, to sort of secure those things? What are other cities doing? What are some best practices?" Bey said. Jones said the process won't necessarily be easy. "They're going to be like, I can't feed my kids today, and you want me to put food away for something that might happen," Jones said. It will be a work in progress, but one they said they're not going to wait to execute. "We have to make sure that the people are taken care of," Jones said. Next week, the city will be having a webinar as they review their storm response, which you can take part in. It will be on May 15 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. You can register for it here.
