Before a county planner can write a single word of a staff report, they often spend hours just gathering the basics—old decisions, existing laws, planning documents buried in filing systems. It’s the kind of tedious groundwork that eats up days. In Washoe[...]
Tag: Zoning & Planning
News |
Public weighs in on proposed energy storage facility in Burke County
A proposal now before Burke County commissioners could bring a major piece of energy infrastructure just outside Columbus. A company tied to a nearby wind farm wants to build a large battery storage facility designed to hold power until it’s needed most,[...]
Commentary |
Our built environment is exacerbating the loneliness crisis
Nearly half of American adults say they sometimes or always feel alone. One contributor you might not expect: zoning laws. Post-war land use planning spread everything apart—work here, school there, shopping somewhere else—then built roads that make it dangerous to do anything[...]
Curio |
What Would It Take to Approve a Housing Permit in 24 Hours?
When I met with a planner from High River, Alberta, one recommendation from the Strong Towns Housing Toolkit stopped her short: issue a housing permit in 24 hours. She tilted her head, reread the line, and asked: What would that even look[...]
News |
McKenzie County P&Z denies permit for solar farm project
McKenzie County leaders sided firmly with local landowners this week, unanimously rejecting a permit for the proposed Cattle Creek Solar Farm. The decision followed a petition with nearly 400 signatures and hours of testimony from ranchers worried about losing grazing land, fire[...]
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Curio |
On This Day | The Old Zoning Method (And What We Should Think About Returning To)
Witham’s addition was designated as residential where multiple housing units are permitted. All the rest was designated AA zone, or residential where sewer and water may not be available yet. [...]Read More... from On This Day | The Old Zoning Method (And[...]
News |
Area producers share concerns over proposed Pierce County pig farm
A proposal for a large-scale pig farm in Pierce County has stirred up a familiar debate in North Dakota: how to grow livestock production without sacrificing water, air, or local trust. The plan calls for a 9,300-head facility between Cando and Wolford,[...]
Curio |
How a Board Game Exposed Barriers to Local Investment & Inspired Change
Imagine this: you own a thriving art supply store in Savannah, Georgia. Across the street sits a vacant building, an eyesore that’s been empty for years. The community wants it revived, and you see the perfect opportunity: turning it into a neighborhood[...]
Commentary |
How Small Zoning Code Changes Can Unlock Big Opportunity
For over 20 years, Norman, Oklahoma, debated the role of parking in its zoning code. Like many cities, it struggled to make comprehensive changes, facing political resistance, technical hurdles, and community concerns. After years of debate that led to inaction, city officials[...]
Curio |
How a 30-Minute Appointment Can Open the Door for Local Investment
For many would-be builders, the first hurdle isn’t money or land — it’s the maze of paperwork standing between a good idea and a shovel in the ground. Zoning codes, permitting rules, and staff expectations often turn small, community-minded projects into nonstarters.[...]
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Curio |
Florida county turns to AI to trim zoning review process
In Florida’s Hernando County, artificial intelligence is doing the paperwork—faster. A new AI system called SwiftGov has helped cut zoning review times for single-family homes from 30 days to just two, saving the county an estimated $1 million. Developed by Swiftbuild.ai, the[...]
Curio |
When Cities Right-Size the Rules, People Step Up: Tallahassee’s ADU Story
In Tallahassee, a few frustrated residents sparked a housing reform that cities everywhere could learn from. Burdened by rules that made backyard cottages nearly impossible to build, they asked the city to rethink its code — and this time, leaders actually listened.[...]
Curio |
Ohio to fast-track energy at former coal mines and brownfields
Ohio’s energy future is at a crossroads — and the battleground is old coal mines and brownfields. Lawmakers designed House Bill 15 to open these sites for renewable development, but a tangle of local restrictions still stands in the way. One-third of[...]
News |
With CAFOs, ND residents ponder quality of life impacts
Some North Dakota communities are becoming more familiar with the rush to consider farms linked to industrial agriculture. Residents assisting with pushback describe the possibility of towns no longer looking the same if projects go through. North Dakota currently has nearly one-hundred[...]
Curio |
On This Day | Zoning Goes Rural
The Ward county commissioners, responding to a request from the Minot city council, plan to ask the Ward county legislative delegation to the state legislative assembly in January to push through a new law [...]Read More... from On This Day | Zoning[...]
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Curio |
‘Car Brain’ Is Making the US Unhealthy and Dangerous. EVs Won’t Fix It.
Here’s what’s actually in the water we’re all swimming in: cars. They kill over a million people annually, fuel climate change, wreck ecosystems, and make our neighborhoods worse places to live. Yet most of us barely notice. Three new books argue it’s[...]