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MRSC FOCUS › Focus - May 2002
 

Note: Some of the information on this archival Web page may no longer be current.

Focus - May 2002

What's New

Get a quick update on the latest additions to our Web site.

U.S. Supreme Court Decides Temporary Land Use Moratorium not a Per Se Takings

On April 23, the U.S. Supreme Court, with three dissenting votes, decided in a major property rights case, Tahoe-Sierra Preservation Council, Inc. v. Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (Adobe Acrobat Document560 KB), that a temporary moratorium on land development does not amount to an unconstitutional taking of private property that requires compensation by the government, unless the particular circumstances warrant it. The court found in this case, a 32-month moratorium issued by a regional planning agency in Nevada while it studied the impact of development on Lake Tahoe and devised a strategy for environmentally sound growth, that the circumstances did not warrant compensation to affected property owners. (April 24)

Effective Communication - Clark County Close Up

Each month Clark County's employee newsletter profiles a particular county service or department and includes a personal profile of one of its employees. The county also posts the "close up" stories on their Web site. The profiles offer a way for employees to become better acquainted and for citizens to learn about county services from the perspective of the employees who provide them. (May 1)

Subdivision Exemption for Wireless Antenna Facilities

SB 6578 (Chapter 44, Laws of 2002) has amended RCW 58.17.040 to exempt leases of land for wireless antenna facilities from subdivision requirements. The new legislation becomes effective June13, 2002. (May 1)

Kent Police Department to Parents: Are You Prom Aware?

Spring proms are fast approaching! For teens, prom triggers thoughts of graduation, summer vacation or a night to remember. For parents, prom may signify safety concerns. Kent's police department has a Web page with prom night safety tips for parents. (May 1)

Draft Model Critical Areas Ordinance Available

The Washington State Office of Community Development has a draft model critical areas ordinance available for review. This model serves as a guidance document to assist cities and counties in updating critical areas regulations. Comments are requested by April 26, 2002 and may be sent to Chris Parsons at OCD Growth Management Program - chrisp@cted.wa.gov. (April 18)

The Rise and Fall of American Youth Violence

A new report from the Urban Institute, "The Rise and Fall of American Youth Violence: 1980 - 2000," (Adobe Acrobat Document322 KB) examines crime statistics over the past 20 years and concludes that while young people helped to generate the growth in violence before 1994, they contributed an even more disproportionate share to the decline in violence after 1994 and that most of the recent decline in violent crime has been due to falling rates of violent crime among the young. (May 1)

Community and Economic Development Toolbox

The Community and Economic Development Toolbox, a new Web site from Cornell and Penn State universities, contains resources on community planning, benchmarking, development issues, government policies, and Economic development. Each tool within the toolbox follows a similar approach: first defining a problem or issue, describing methods for analyzing the problem, discussion on how the information can be used in community development programs, and providing a list of resources for more detailed information. (May 1)

Open Space Protection and Growth Management

A new Brookings Center on Urban and Metropolitan Policy report, "Open Space Protection: Conservation Meets Growth Management," (Adobe Acrobat Document2.26 MB) provides an overview of the nature, quantity and objectives of open space programs in the U.S. and, utilizing existing literature, begins to speculate how they may affect the shape and form of metropolitan areas. (May 1)

Urbanicity Web Site Offers Global Perspective

Urbanicity, developed in partnership with the United Nations Habitat Best Practices and Local Leadership Programme, contains a comprehensive listing of Web sites for more than 17,000 world cities, an online magazine devoted to urban issues and a best practices database. (May 1)

2002-2003 Directory of Washington City and Town Officials

The 2002-2003 Directory of Washington City and Town Officials is back from the printer and has been mailed to Washington cities and towns. Others may purchase a copy by sending us an order form (Adobe Acrobat Document78 KB) with payment (pre-payment required). (April 3)

Web Sightings - Fire Services

This month we're featuring fire services and fire prevention sites. Here are some of our favorites:

(May 1)

Inquiry of the Week

This week's "Inquiry of the Week":

What may be disclosed publicly concerning what was discussed in executive session?

[Previous inquiries of the week]

Washington City/County History Quiz

Settlers first came to the future site of this city in response to government granted homesteads. Nearby mills found this location provided easy access for cutting and transporting timber. In 1891 work crews began clearing land to build an industrial boomtown supported by wealthy East Coast investors who expected this spot to be where the Great Northern Railroad would terminate. The city, named for the son of investor Charles Colby, was incorporated in 1893. By design most of its waterfront was set aside for industry that included lumber and shingle mills, iron works, shipbuilders, fisheries, and canneries. By World War I, the lumber-shingle trade dominated the city, and by the 1920s, it was an established regional and international waterfront port. Lumber-shingle products eventually gave way to papermaking, and as the timber Economy began to wane, the city welcomed a shift to the aerospace industry. What city is it? And the answer is ~drum roll~ ... (May 1)

Selected New MRSC Library Materials

Browse through a selected list of new MRSC Library materials (listed by subject). The list includes new library books, videos, articles, government publications, and more.

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