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Useful Community Development: What's New
Here are the most recent important changes to our website, including new articles, visitor questions, and editors' answers. You'll also find links to significantly revised pages and time-sensitive or short items we want to bring to your attention. Sometimes we also add short items of interest, especially time-sensitive notes about conferences, webinars, or seasons.
Transit Oriented Development Creates Opportunity and Affordability
Transit oriented development, usually a mixed-use project adjoining and including a transit stop, reduces transportation costs and potentially housing cost while offering many economic and social benefits.
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Sitemap for useful-community-development.org
This sitemap consists of links to pages arranged by category. Visitor-generated content is not included.
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Home church with sail sign
Visitor Question: I have a neighbor that is holding church services in their home on Sundays, but now they have a large sign that looks like a sail advertising
For sale sign in motor coach
Visitor Asks: We live in a deed restricted community in Citrus County. We are allowed to store our motorhome on the lot. I have a for sale sign in the
Neighborhood Demographics Trends Foretell the Future
Understanding neighborhood demographics trends over time helps communities see where they’re headed, and plot a change of direction when needed to remain competitive with other areas.
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Effects of Urban Sprawl in Cities and Towns Explained
Remedying the effects of urban sprawl could bring new urban core investment, more walkable communities, quality open space, and lower utility and public sector costs.
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Grandfathered deed restrictions
Visitor Question: There is a 450 square foot home in a neighborhood where the homeowners association (HOA) just updated deeded restrictions on house size
Arts and Economic Development--A Great Strategy
The arts and economic development are complementary activities for your community, not only because of ticket or product sales, but also because of links to tourism, innovation, and place-making.
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Retail Attraction Especially Fruitful if Mom and Pop Stores Dominate
The best retail attraction strategies fill your business districts with just the right mix of stores to fit your community. Personal outreach and solid research are needed.
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Down zone of property without notice
Visitor Question: Must a landowner be personally notified that his property is being Down-zoned? I bought two parcels of property totaling about 120 acres
How to rezone residential property for more units
Visitor Question: I have property which includes three rentals. The buildings are very old. I would like to tear them down and build 4-5 small efficiency
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Down Zoning When Too Much Density Is Permitted
Down zoning can be a tool for good or ill. We explain affordable housing and economic development considerations.
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Reporting no hunting deed restriction violation
Visitor Question: When the Deed Restriction states that there shall be no hunting on the properties connected to the covenant what agency do you report
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Paid to rezone then city did blanket rezoning
Visitor Question: I paid to have my property zoned for a secondary suite. Then the city arbitrarily did a blanket rezone and established the same zoning
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