Cultural Development and City Neighborhoods (August 26)
A new Policy Brief from The Urban Institute, Cultural Development and City Neighborhoods, examines four characteristics of city cultural policy that affect cultural development and cultural life in neighborhoods.

The Ruins of the Unsustainable: Searching for Answers to the Suburbs (August 26)
The suburbs have long been unsustainable, and now they are becoming ruins. What are the solutions for this new frontier? More from World Changing.

Data-Driven Approaches to Crime and Traffic Safety (August 26)
The use of timely and accurate localized data to drive law enforcement operations toward more efficient and effective resource deployment is the benchmark for 21st-century policing. More from The Police Chief.

Financial Lockdown (August 26)
Large projects and small in big cities and rural towns are on hold because of the lockdown in the bond insurance market. More from American City & County.

What Would Get Americans Biking to Work? (August 26)
Surveys have shown that the leading deterrent to potential bicycle commuters is lack of a safe, secure parking spot on the other end. More from Slate.

Could the Recovery Act Help Reinvent Government? (August 26)
If you think the Obama administration’s $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is just one big government boondoggle, check out some top regional implementation strategies. More from Citiwire.

Green at City Scale (August 26)
As part of an evolving “eco-district” policy, Portland city leaders aim to move beyond the design of individual structures to focus on greening entire neighborhoods. More from Governing.

City Dictionary.com Sheds Light on Unique Local Language, Culture (August 26)
When in Rome, do as the Romans do … and when in Milwaukee, ask for a bubbler by name. More from MuniNet Guide.

Guidebook for Managing Small Airports (August 26)
A new report from the Transportation Research Board, Guidebook for Managing Small Airports, is designed to help operators and managers of small airports find resources and identify techniques that they may apply to meet their responsibilities.

Proposed Deal With County Gives City Smart Growth (August 26)
Smart urban growth development is linked with rural land protection under a visionary partnership agreement between the City of Bellevue and King County. More from Alliance for Innovation.

Survey on WA Dept. of Commerce Priorities (August 13)
The Washington State Department of Commerce (formerly the Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development) requests your participation in a brief survey (10 minutes or less) to guide the future direction of the agency, which is charged with helping to grow and improve jobs in Washington.

It’s Time to Wake up the Sleeping Giants (August 12)
Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) are ideally suited to the regional realities of today’s metropolitan areas and to the task of shaping future growth in multi-jurisdictional communities. More from Citiwire.

National Broadband Plan (August 12)
NATOA, the National League of Cities, King County, and other groups and communities have joint comments in FCC proceedings involving the development of a national broadband plan. This document explains the significant issues; there are numerous articles available on the web if you wish to keep up to date as the broadband plan is developed.

Smart City - Walking the Walk (August 12)
Smart City talks to economist Joe Cortright of Impresa Consulting about a new study titled "Walking the Walk" that shows how homes in more walkable neighborhoods are more valuable than those in more car-dependent neighborhoods. More from Smart City.

U.S. Secret Service’s Computer Forensic Training for State and Local Agencies (August 12)
The U.S. Secret Service's Electronic Crimes State and Local Program provides state and local enforcement partners with computer forensics training and hands-on experience with electronic-crimes investigations. More from The Police Chief.

Brookings Report on the Landscape of Recession (August 12)
A new report from Brookings, Landscape of Recession: Unemployment and Safety Net Services Across Urban and Suburban America, measures recent changes in unemployment and the demand for safety net services, providing a first look at the impact of the current recession on the cities and suburbs of the country’s major metro areas. More from Brookings.

Taking Reservations at the Jail (August 12)
An online system is dramatically improving the process for inmate visitations. More from Governing.

Planning to Retire? Maybe Not. (August 12)
The economic downturn is prompting public sector employees to reevaluate their retirement plans. More from American City & County.

TOD: A Vehicle for Great Streets and Great Sidewalks (August 12)
Transit Oriented Development (TOD) represents not only an opportunity to put density near transit, but possibly as importantly, to remake the public realm creating a city of great streets and great sidewalks. More from the Urbran Land Institute.

Fiscal Impact Statement for Initiative 1033 (August 12)
The State Office of Financial Management (OFM) recently released the Fiscal Impact Statement for Initiative 1033 estimating impacts on state, city and county governments through calendar year 2015. For more information, see MRSC's new Initiative 1033 page.

Local Government Mantra: Help Businesses, Shop Local (August 12)
For localities that want businesses to stay in place, especially when the economy is struggling, local leaders must make it more cost effective for businesses to open their doors in the first place. More from Public Management.

The Costliest Ride (August 05)
Transportation service for the disabled can be a budget-buster. Cities are looking at a variety of new approaches. More from Governing.

Saving the Nest Egg (August 05)
It’s time to restore balance to the funding of pension plans. More from Governing.

Biking and Walking: Our Secret Weapon? (August 05)
Biking and walking proponents say it’s time for the federal government to focus less on new and expanded highways, and far more on safe pathways and “complete streets” for our towns and cities. More from Citiwire.

The Experience Strategy (August 05)
Before selling a solution, a leader needs to ‘sell the problem.’ That’s best done when managers themselves experience what's wrong. More from Governing.

Downtown Central-Cities as Hubs of Civic Connection (August 05)
Downtown central-cities seem poised to reclaim some of their prominence as magnets of culture and social connection. More from New Geography.

Don't Be So Square (August 05)
Why American drivers should learn to love the roundabout. More from Slate.

Web Sightings - Solar and Wind Power (August 05)
Alternative renewable power resources have become increasingly attractive solutions to meeting our energy needs. Local governments are involved in permitting of alternative energy facilities, including small rooftop wind and solar systems, as well as in building energy-efficient city and county facilities.

Alternative Renewable Power Resources – General

• Land Use Planning and Zoning for Alternative Energy Facilities, MRSC Web page
• Washington Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency - DSIRE Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency, North Carolina Solar Center and the Interstate Renewable Energy Council and funded by the U.S. Department of Energy
• “Planning and Zoning for Renewable Energy,” PAS Essential Info Packet, Feb. 2008
• Renewable Resources, Oregon

Solar

• Solar Energy Facilities, MRSC Web page
• Solar Energy and Technology Program, U.S. Department of Energy
• American Solar Energy Society and Solar Energy Washington
• The George Washington University Solar Energy Institute, Research and Resources

Wind

• Wind Energy, MRSC Web page
• Windustry, Wind Resources - Includes topics such as such as contracts and easements, legal considerations, permitting, and zoning
• Wind Energy Ordinance Process for Local Government, Chad Martin et al., Purdue University, June 2009
• Small Wind Siting and Zoning Study: Development of Siting Guidelines and a Model Zoning By-Law for Small Wind Turbines, developed for the Canada Wind Energy Association, Revised September 2006
• Wind Energy Model Ordinance Options, Prepared by: Katherine Daniels, NY Planning Federation for New York State Energy Research & Development Authority, October 2005

Eyes Wide Open, A Practical Guide to Business Retention (August 05)
More than ever before, a sound, systematic business retention program should be the foundation of every community's economic development strategy. More from Public Management.

Which Cities Will, and Won’t, Recover the Fastest (August 05)
While some cities are poised for a quick rebound, others face a slog to recovery that could take years. More from Forbes.