MRSC Insight Blog

Posts by Carol Tobin

Planning Consultant Carol Tobin Retires

January 13, 2015 by Carol Tobin
Category:

This is the end of an era for planning consultants at MRSC. At the end of January, I am following Sue Enger into retirement. This is a bittersweet time for me, as I have truly enjoyed working with local governments in Washington and with the fine, dedicated staff at MRSC for more than 20 years.

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A Surge in Oil and Coal Transportation in the Northwest Raises Environmental Concerns

October 24, 2014 by Carol Tobin
Category: Oil and Coal

The development of hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” has led to a surge in oil production in the U.S. Because the expansion of oil production has outpaced the expansion of the nation’s pipeline system, much of the new oil is moved by train. According to...

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Airbnb: Regulation of Internet-Based Businesses

August 25, 2014 by Carol Tobin
Category: Licensing and Regulation , Tourism , Business Licenses and Taxes

It’s always something. Cities and counties have been grappling recently with the regulation of rideshare services such as Uber, Lyft, and Sidecar, that have been competing for business with taxis and limousine services.

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The Greening of Main Street

June 16, 2014 by Carol Tobin
Category: Development Types

Downtown Walla Walla. Courtesy of Downtown Walla Walla Foundation.
With the recent publication of Older, Smaller, Better: Measuring how the character of buildings and blocks influences urban vitality,...

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Sea Level Rise: A Challenge for Washington’s Coastal Communities

April 28, 2014 by Carol Tobin
Category: Climate Change

Coastal communities throughout the world face significant challenges with rising sea levels. Increases in atmospheric temperatures cause ocean water to expand and land ice to melt. Rising sea levels coupled with ...

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Made in Washington: Encouraging Local Industries

March 10, 2014 by Carol Tobin
Category: Strategies and Programs

Contrary to popular opinion, the U.S. is still the top manufacturing nation in the world. And there is renewed interest here in local industries, driven by the rising...

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Affordable Housing: Where Do We Go From Here?

January 15, 2014 by Carol Tobin
Category: Housing

In December 2013, the National League of Cities issued a report identifying ten critical imperatives facing U.S. cities. One of these critical imperatives...