On Monday morning the River City newspaper contains a story on the new phenomenon of internet sweepstakes parlors – how they operate, how they may be technically different from video poker, and their proliferation around the state. Towards the end … Read more
The mayor is finishing lunch with a couple of friends at the diner downtown. Just as she is about to dig into the best banana pudding in the state, an irate constituent barges in. Reaching the mayor’s booth, the red-faced … Read more
The town council is holding a hearing on a special use permit application that would allow a small shopping center. The proposed site is on a major road and is adjacent to an existing residential neighborhood. At the hearing detailed … Read more
The city council is holding a public hearing on a petition to rezone a parcel of land that fronts a highway leading into town. The owner has asked that the zoning be changed from a low-density residential district to a … Read more
Wouldn’t it be nice if local governments, developers, and neighbors could sit together, talk through controversial large development proposals, and work to reach consensus about what would be a good project for all concerned? Wouldn’t it be nice if at … Read more
A national retailer plans to locate a new big box store on a large vacant lot adjacent to an existing single-family neighborhood. The town council is holding a hearing on a special use permit application for project. The zoning ordinance … Read more
State law has always required a public hearing prior to the adoption, amendment, or repeal of a development regulation. The statutes are clear about how the hearing notice is to be provided and when it must be made. Notice of … Read more
UPDATE September 2013: The permit extension law was subsequently extended an additional year. For a review of the extension, click here. The law has now expired. For a review of the impacts of the expiration, click here. One consequence of … Read more