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Posts for Guest Author

Your Comp Plan Is Not Your Strategic Plan: Here's Why That Matters

May 18, 2026  by  Una McAlinden
Category:  Guest Author ,  Comprehensive Planning-Growth Management

Your agency has just finished a comprehensive plan, so it doesn't need a strategic plan, right? Not so fast, those two plans answer fundamentally different questions and neither should be used as a substitute for the other.

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Point of Order and Appeal Are the Heart of Democracy

April 13, 2026  by  Ann G. Macfarlane
Category:  Guest Author ,  Legislative Body

What are the motions of Point of Order and Appeal in Robert’s Rules of Order, and how (or why) would a member of a council, commission, or board use these motions during a meeting of the governing body?

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Public Defense Standards Are Changing: Selecting and Contracting for Public Defense Services

March 9, 2026  by  Drew T. Pollom
Category:  Guest Author ,  Courts and Criminal Justice System

In 2024, the State Bar Association adopted revised standards related to public defense services. A 2025 Supreme Court interim order also addressed these standards. Since the standards now differ, how should a local government contract for public defense services?

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Dangerous Waste Management Program Guidance and Compliance Tips

February 12, 2026  by  Julie Nicoll ,  Stacy Fox
Category:  Guest Author ,  Environmental Laws and Regulations ,  Hazardous Materials and Substances

Dangerous waste compliance programs are often overlooked by government agencies. Learn about the basics of a dangerous waste management program, including waste designation, preparing for an inspection, and compliance tips.

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Got Waste? What to Know About the New System for Annual Dangerous Waste Reports Due March 1

January 28, 2026  by  Stacy Fox ,  Julie Nicoll
Category:  Guest Author ,  Environmental Laws and Regulations ,  Hazardous Materials and Substances

Beginning March 1, annual dangerous waste reports must be submitted on a new online platform. Learn how these changes will impact dangerous waste reporting and recordkeeping for your public agency.

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Floor Area Ratio: What It Is and How Local Governments Can Use It

December 3, 2025  by  Noal Leonetti ,  Abby Newbold
Category:  Guest Author ,  Comprehensive Planning-Growth Management ,  Housing ,  Transportation and Land Use

Regulations addressing floor area ratio (FAR) can help cities build density and give developers more options. Passed in 2025, HB 1491 requires certain cities use FAR when setting density standards near high-capacity transit stations for rail and/or bus.

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Best Foot Forward: How the State Supports Improved Pedestrian Safety

October 22, 2025  by  Lisa Pool ,  Briana Weisgerber
Category:  Guest Author ,  Cycling and Walking ,  Streets and Sidewalks ,  Traffic Regulation and Enforcement

Looking to make your local roads safer for people biking and walking? Washington State offers a variety of resources, including grant programs, to support projects that create safer roads, from speed management strategies to the construction of better crosswalks. 

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Eliminating Email Overwhelm: Practical Strategies for Real People

September 24, 2025  by  Kristina Cerise
Category:  Guest Author ,  Technology Use Policies

We all deal with too much email: from mailing lists we have subscribed to as well as those we have not. What are some quick and easy ways to handle email volume while also making sure we are responding to those critical items? 

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Building Your Bench: Succession Planning the Lake Stevens Way

September 3, 2025  by  Anya Warrington
Category:  Guest Author ,  Administration and Management

The City of Lake Stevens has been using an innovative approach to retain and support staff as part of long-term, holistic succession planning program, including offering employees short-term opportunities in leadership roles and launching a bootcamp for future leaders. 

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Public Defense Standards Are Changing: Part 2

August 28, 2025  by  Oskar Rey ,  Drew T. Pollom
Category:  Guest Author ,  Courts and Criminal Justice System ,  Court Decisions and AGO Opinions

In 2024, the Washington State Bar Association adopted revised standards related to caseload limits and other elements of public defense service. A recent state supreme court interim order impacts these standards. What do local governments need to know moving forward?

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Changing Course: Using Robert’s Rules to Alter a Prior Action

July 9, 2025  by  Ann G. Macfarlane
Category:  Guest Author ,  Legislative Body

When and how can a governing body change course on a prior action? Robert's Rules of Order offers governing bodies options for changing a previous motion or decision. Elected officials should understand these options and how to use them correctly.

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2025 Legislation Promotes the Development of Childcare Facilities

June 12, 2025  by  Lisa Pool ,  Barbara Rosen ,  Maria Tobin
Category:  Guest Author ,  Comprehensive Planning-Growth Management ,  Development Regulations and Zoning ,  Inclusive Communities ,  New Legislation and Regulations

One bill from the 2025 legislative session requires certain localities to update their local codes and make it easier for childcare facilities to be sited in a variety of zones. Another requires local governments remove minimum parking standards for these and other facilities. 

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The Connection Between Downtown Safety and Revitalization

March 5, 2025  by  Abby Newbold
Category:  Guest Author ,  Public Safety and Welfare ,  Design ,  Downtown Revitalization Series

Downtown revitalization often depends on public perceptions of safety in the downtown core. Localities can boost public safety through a variety of approaches, from local beautification projects to developing business improvement areas. 

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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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Reducing Local Street Speed Limits in Bellevue: Safety Starts on Your Street – Part 2

January 21, 2025  by  John Murphy
Category:  Guest Author ,  Streets and Sidewalks ,  Traffic Regulation and Enforcement

Following a multiyear, iterative process, the City of Bellevue lowered the default speed limit on city streets to 20 mph. How did planning staff work with the city council and other departments to coordinate such a huge effort, and what advice would they offer to others?

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Reducing Local Street Speed Limits in Bellevue: Safety Starts on Your Street – Part 1

January 13, 2025  by  John Murphy
Category:  Guest Author ,  Streets and Sidewalks ,  Traffic Regulation and Enforcement

Partly in response to concerns about speeding, Bellevue lowered the default speed limit on city streets to 20 mph, but only after a three-year process that included laying the groundwork and running pilot programs to test the efficacy of lower speed limits on public safety.

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Leases: A Critical Tool for Clean Buildings Act Compliance

November 13, 2024  by  Nicole DeNamur ,  Erik Jennings
Category:  Guest Author ,  Climate and Sustainability ,  Design

The 2019 Clean Buildings Act creates performance standards for energy and water use in buildings. Building owners, including public agencies, can leverage lease agreements to support compliance with the law, reduce risk, and delineate landlord/tenant responsibilities.

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Local Government Initiatives for Green Buildings in Washington: Policies, Codes, and Incentives

October 23, 2024  by  Inonge Mubita
Category:  Guest Author ,  Climate and Sustainability

In Washington, the buildings sector is the state's second-biggest carbon polluter behind transportation, accounting for more than a quarter of statewide greenhouse gas emissions. How are local governments encouraging the development of green buildings to reduce emissions locally?

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