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MRSC Insight Blog


Posts for February 2025

Using Unit Lot Subdivisions to Increase the Local Housing Supply

February 24, 2025  by  Jill Dvorkin
Category:  Housing ,  Subdivisions and Planned Developments

A 2023 state law requires unit lot subdivisions be incorporated into local short plat regulations.Cities and counties can increase the local housing by allowing landowners to divide a single parent parcel into unit lots that then can be sold to individual owners. 

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Reducing Crash Severity with Speed Limit Setting and Speed Management

February 19, 2025  by  Briana Weisgerber
Category:  Guest Author ,  Traffic Regulation and Enforcement

Many localities are interested in setting and achieving safe speeds on their roads to reduce rates of vehicle-related accidents and injuries. What are some tools and best practices agencies can follow to determine what safe system speeds look like for their communities?

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How Lakewood Addresses Homelessness After the Grants Pass Ruling

February 18, 2025  by  Heidi Wachter
Category:  Guest Author ,  Court Decisions and AGO Opinions ,  Homelessness

Using an integrated approach, Lakewood relies on both regulations and support services to address homelessness and public camping within the community with the goal of moving unhoused individuals into stable living conditions.

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Surface Mine Reclamation Program: Interaction with Local Governments

February 12, 2025  by  Rian Skov
Category:  Guest Author ,  Environmental Laws and Regulations ,  Rural Uses

Surface mines are regulated by a variety of agencies, including the local government in which a mine is located. But what happens when a mine has reached the end of its productiveness? Can the land be returned to its pre-mining state, and which agency oversees this process?

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Lending a Hand: Offering Public Employees Paid Time Off to Volunteer

February 10, 2025  by  Flannary Collins
Category:  Gift of Public Funds ,  Leave Policies ,  Personnel Policies

While good benefits can attract people to your agency, so can intangible perks, such as providing paid time off to volunteer (VTO). In order to offer paid VTO, agencies must craft a policy that clearly identifies those volunteer opportunities that qualify for the paid leave.

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Traffic Camera Use by Local Governments: Considerations, Limitations, and Pitfalls to Avoid

February 5, 2025  by  Harry Boesche
Category:  Traffic Regulation and Enforcement

Before implementing the use of traffic cameras to detect vehicle-related infractions, a local government should review the process for setting up a program, including how to use revenue associated with infractions, required reports, and how to handle material produced by cameras.

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Financial Protections for Small Jurisdictions: What Local Government Leaders Need to Know About Fraud

February 3, 2025  by  Cheryl Grant
Category:  Accounting ,  Financial Management

Fraud is damaging for any public agency but especially for small jurisdictions that already lack crucial resources. What safeguards can local leaders put in place to protect their agencies against fraud, and by extension, provide clear guidelines for agency staff?

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