Community Compass library

Look it up before the meeting

Plain-language explanations and real questions from residents, volunteers, and local officials about zoning, codes, housing, neighborhoods, organizations, and local economies. Laws and programs change and vary by place, so confirm anything time-sensitive with your local office or the current official source.

Environment, transportation & sustainabilityClear search

Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
1960s Suburb Needs Refreshing
Visitor Question: Our 1960s suburb used to be the envy of the city. Our reputation was of great homogeneous neighborhoods, a wonderful place to raise a
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Active participation of students in Park Clean Up
Last Reviewed: June 14, 2024 Visitor Question: With rapid development and urbanization most cities are unable to cope with the clean up of the areas.
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Advantages and disadvantages of felt need approach
Visitor Question: What are five advantages and five disadvantages of the felt need approach? Editors' Reply: We don't know whether we can give you five
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Aims and Objectives of Community Development
Last Updated: May 31, 2024 Visitor Question: What are the basic aims and objectives of community development? Editors' Reply: The aims of community development
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
An Alley Clean Up with a Purpose!
Last Reviewed: June 14, 2024 Website Visitor Wrote: I think a wonderful alley clean-up project would be to make it green! A friend of mine recently did
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Apartment Dumpster Area Problem
Visitor Question: Should apartment dumpster areas be enclosed for safety and health reasons? If you rent and requested an enclosure be done and still
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Are cities part of a watershed?
What exactly is a watershed? Are cities part of it, or does the city absorb too much water. Editors' Reply: In a word, yes. A watershed is simply
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Are very large cities better?
Visitor Question: What are the consequences that we can expect if we continue to allow and encourage larger and larger cities to be built? I think cities
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Ask a Neighborhood Work or Community Development Question
Ask a community development question and receive answers from editors and maybe site visitors. All community and economic development topics are welcome.
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Ask Your Questions About Community Environmental Issues Right Here
When you ask questions about community environmental issues at the neighborhood level, we can tailor a non-technical answer to your specific situation.
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Auto Repair Business vs. Boat Repair Business
Visitor Question: Our ordinances limit a boat repair business much more than auto repair. I'm just wondering what the rationale is behind that? I am looking
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Beautification Projects cost money and North Carolina provides Special Funding or Grants
Visitor Question: Are grants provided by a State, such as North Carolina, required to be paid back in any way or fashion? How do I find the information
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Being harassed by the city
Visitor Question: My dad's property is in violation. It has been more than two years since we got the first letter. Today, we got the second administrative
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Best way to identify community needs quickly
Visitor Question: I am volunteering to help a local church reach out to its surrounding community and open its doors and 40,000 square feet of unused space
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Buffer requirements
Reviewed: June 12, 2024 Visitor Question: My question is how to interpret the term abuts in a zoning ordinance. Our ordinance says this. Where a commercial
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Building whatever I want
Visitor Question: If I own a property with no deed restrictions, could I build whatever I want on the property? Or if it was a yurt in Florida would that
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Business in a subdivision
Visitor Question I live in a Texas rural area, three miles from Pleasanton. I have called every county department for answers, and no one knows the answer.
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Business model for a Community Development Center with ICT and entrepreneurial courses
Visitor Question: I am having a challenge of coming up with a social business model canvas to understand how the business at a center that has already
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Can Bed and Breakfast Become Group Home?
Visitor Question: In a non-zoned area, can a property with multiple buildings being used as a bed and breakfast be sold as a residential property for a
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Can emphasizing historic events lead to town revitalization?
Visitor Question: Our community is a little bit divided over how much we want to call attention to certain historic events that occurred at different places
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Can our board president take on a responsibility without anyone knowing about it
Visitor Question: What happened in our neighborhood is very disappointing to me. It seems like our neighborhood association's board president told the
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Can we force contractors to keep down the dust?
Published: September 28, 2024 Visitor Question: I live on a busy road. The city has decided it wants to upgrade the street. Considering the number of
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Career Paths for Addressing Urban Sprawl
Visitor Question: I was wondering if you might be able to advise. After spending a number of years in retail, I'm looking into changing careers to something
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Changing the Name of a Town
Visitor Question: What are the steps in the process of changing the name of a town? Our town and its attending unincorporated areas sharing the same zip
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
City moratorium on development
Visitor Question:Is it legal for a city to have a moratorium on development? Our medium-sized city has discussed this a little bit in an open meeting of
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
City of Delray Beach Alleyway Cleanup Project
Last Reviewed: June 14, 2024 Visitor Writes: The City of Delray Beach Public Works Department (Streets & Storm Water Divisions) completed our alleyway
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
City Sign Regulations Too Tough on New Business
Visitor Question: Our city has refused to allow us to even apply for a permit for a flag to advertise our business. They have railroaded us into 8 months
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Clean Your Streams Day 21
Last Reviewed: June 14, 2024 Visitor Story: In September 2017, Partners for Clean Streams hosted the 21st Annual Clean Your Streams Day in Northwest Ohio.
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Closed Business Now an Eyesore
Visitor Question: We have a permanently closed business in our downtown whose owner refuses to sell. He is using it as an online liquidation sale location
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Combining subdivided lots
Visitor Question: I am considering purchasing a 16 acre piece of property. It has already been divided into smaller lots. Can some of the lots be put back
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Community Clean Up Projects Helping Individuals
I would love to start a community based program where we help other residents with their yard work or other projects. The people I would like to benefit
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Community Development tradeoffs
Visitor Question: What happens when conflicts arise between the policy makers and some of the community members, such as the community thinking jobs is
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Condo Complex in a PUD Zone
Visitor Question: Good Morning, I am an Appraiser working on an assignment within a condominium complex that is located in a zoned PUD district. The condo
Guide · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Confronting the Causes of Urban Sprawl
Causes of urban sprawl include an appetite for larger private houses and insensitivity to the consequences. Weak regional controls add to the problem.
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Creative Ways for Park Clean Up!
Last Reviewed: June 14, 2024 Website Visitor Wrote: Too many people visit parks and other outdoor locations and do not practice a leave no trace philosophy.
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Definition of Economic Development Corporation
Visitor Question: What is an economic development corporation? Is that the same thing as a community development corporation? Editors Say: Generally
Guide · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Definition of Urban Sprawl Relates to Urban Land Use
A definition of urban sprawl, explanation and definition of sprawl in smaller towns, and statistics and charts start to tell the story all about sprawl.
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Design Standards versus Performance Standards
Visitor Question: If design standards and performance standards appear in the same division of a development code, can both be used to bring a code violation
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Developer Extending Our Neighborhood
Note: When a developer proposes to extend a neighborhood and submits a plan that is quite different from the original subdivision proposal, all sorts
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Developer's Plan not filed
Visitor Question: I purchased a new home in a new seven-phase development, and in hindsight, I never received a Developer's Plan. And, to my dismay, no
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Difference between open space and preserve
Reviewed: June 12, 2024 Visitor Question: What is the difference between open space and a nature preserve? We have what the neighbors call a preserve
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Down Town Vacant Lot Clean Up
Last Reviewed: June 14, 2024 Visitor Question: I live in Detroit Michigan and we have different groups of volunteers to try and clean the streets of Detroit.
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
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
Guide · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Effects of Urban Sprawl: Costs, Health, Environment
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.
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Empty parking lot at a big strip center
Visitor Question: When you stop and look at it, a huge strip center near my house is really ugly. Mostly my husband and I don't pay attention, but one
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Environmental impact of large reflective solar panels
Visitor Question: Currently the world is trying to move away from conventional sources of energy. For that, a better option seems to be solar energy. The
Guide · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Environmental Justice Is A Matter of Fair Distribution
Learn how neighborhoods, planning commissions, and communities can further environmental justice among economic, racial, and ethnic groups.
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Essential Steps in Strategic Planning for Communities
Visitor Question: What are the most important steps in a strategic planning process for a community? Is it necessary to do a SWOT analysis? Editors'
Guide · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Exploring the Definition of Sustainable Development
The definition of sustainable development can be applied at the town or neighborhood scale.
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Felt needs community development theory
Visitor Question: What is felt needs theory in community development? Editors Reply: Felt needs is an idea about a change that is considered necessary
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Fewer homeowners and tenants are keeping up homes
Visitor Question: I live in Spokane, WA. I am new here and find this city has a lot of people who are neglecting their landscapes and houses in once very
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Finding a Manufacturer of small community event artifacts?
I was recently asked to serve as a volunteer on the Recreation Advisory Board (5 board members) in our small rural community of 1900 people. Someone came
Guide · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Flood Prevention Basics for Communities: What Can You Control?
True flood prevention relies on a watershed approach. In the meantime, this page explains terms and suggests effective local steps to reduce damage.
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Formerly Boarded Up House Found New Life
Last Reviewed: June 14, 2024 Editors Note: We had to change our site visitor's original title for this piece, due to some technicalities about the way
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Grandfather Clause Permitting Outdoor Storage of Fertilizers
Visitor Question: The business next to mine is claiming they can store Milorganite, fertilizers and the like outside under tarps because of a grandfather
Guide · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Green Communities Address Livability, Climate Change
Green communities contribute to sustainability by addressing climate change impacts, energy savings, water pollution, transportation, and development patterns.
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
High Cost of Flood Insurance Is Ruining Our Neighborhood
Reviewed: May 31, 2024 Visitor Question: The cost of flood insurance has just about tripled in the last year around where I live. We did have a destructive
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
How a neighborhood association can build a coalition
Visitor Question: Our neighborhood association does not seem to be getting very far with city hall. We want them to pay more attention to our issues. Some
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
How can a community improve a neighborhood
Visitor Question: What are some ways in which a community can get involved in improving a neighborhood? Editors' Reply: Juan, you ask a question we just
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
How Can We Prevent Catastrophic Flooding?
Visitor Question: I'm finding what happened in Asheville, North Carolina in Hurricane Helene to be truly horrifying. As a minor official in my home community,
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
How can we reduce minor traffic accidents in the neighborhood?
Visitor Question: The craziest thing is happening around here. In the last couple of years we are having way too many fender benders in our neighborhood.
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
How community can evaluate their parks
Visitor Question: We need to know what to look for when evaluating our neighbourhood parks? What should we look for. Editors' Reply: We think neighborhood
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
How do you give a neighborhood character?
Visitor Question: Our neighborhood seems plain. What can we do about it? Editors' Reply: We elaborate on both neighborhood character and small town character
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
How do you shop around for green technology and energy savings?
I am curious to hear how people who visit this site go about finding the right company to work with for embracing renewable energy sources (solar, wind,
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
How is community development a process
Visitor Question: Someone recently commented to me that community development is a process and that I need to be patient. I find that frustrating because
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
How is neighborhood stability related to personal health
March 20, 2025 Visitor Question: Lately our city has been making a lot of noise about how come our black residents don't have as good of health outcomes
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
How registering empty properties helps curb appeal
Visitor Question: Our community has a number of abandoned and dilapidated buildings that need to be taken down or repaired. Please tell me about the article
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
How to become an urban planning consultant
Visitor Question:How does one go about becoming an urban planning consultant? Are there any educational or licensing requirements? Editors' Reply: We
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
How to deal with a business that is never open
Visitor Question: We are a little township still with 3,000 people in Crockett, Ca.94525 (bay area). There is a business name removed in the center of
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
How to establish a historical designation of your neighborhood
Visitor Question: In searching for ways to improve established neighborhoods - would it be possible to call a neighborhood historic if it was only started
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
How to regulate food trucks
Visitor Question: I am on the City Council in a nice suburban community with some office parks. Recently food trucks have been parking at lunch time outside
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
How to renew interest in a neighborhood association
Visitor Question: Our neighborhood used to have a very active neighborhood association, and I think we need to have one again. The incorporation papers
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Illegal Dumping: A (not) Love Story
Last Reviewed: June 14, 2024 Website Visitor Writes: Having the unfortunate duties of looking over trash from a municipal aspect involves a lot of difficult
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Impact of drilling large wells on neighboring properties
Our township has just rezoned a rural area to allow high-density residential for an area where existing home are on acre lots. All of our wells are fed
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Indigenous Culture and Community Development
How would you apply the concepts of indigenous culture to community development? Editors Reply: Thanks for that question. First, let's define indigenous
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Innovative Ideas to Unite a Community
Visitor Question: Our community has become really divided. We had a political scandal involving very bad behavior by our mayor. He was forced to resign,
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Is a church parking lot a common area
Visitor Question: Our condo association wanted to have an event on a large church parking lot that is really central to our residents. The church refused.
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Is a gate a fence
Visitor Question: We purchased a one acre home lot. In our deed it states no fence across the 20' pipeline easement on the back of my property. If a 20'
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Is business community development consultant a good option
Visitor Question: Hi there. I have completed my degree in community development studies some 4 years back. However I have not managed as yet to find suitable
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Is Urban Sprawl a Problem
Visitor Question: Do you consider this a problem? Why or why not? What are you doing to help solve or prevent this problem? Do you have any suggestions
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Locked Out of Home in Probate
Visitor Question: My house is in probate, and the electric and water were turned off. I live in an old historic home. They won't allow me to live there
Guide · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Making Urban Sprawl Solutions More Popular
Building an unlikely coalition to support urban sprawl solutions bolsters political will to avoid short-term thinking and embrace vibrant, cohesive metro areas.
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Membership superstore to benefit the community
Visitor Question: I am from Pakistan, and I want to solve my community's problems. I want to open a superstore and have community people buy everything
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Minor Grandchild Inherits Abandoned House
Visitor Question: My son has been deceased for two years. His daughter is a minor. The minor's mom is my deceased son's ex-wife. She (the ex-wife) first
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Monitoring Community Development
Visitor Question: How do you monitor and evaluate a strategy for community development? Editors Reply: Thank you for a great question. We think that
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Most influential factors in neighborhood attachment
Visitor Question: An article about beatification said that beauty is one of the three most influential factors in neighborhood attachment. What are the
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Name of town should be changed
Visitor Question: The name of our town, Depue, Illinois, needs to be changed. This town is a beautiful place and has a beautiful lake that is named after
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Neighbor harassment
Visitor Question: Our daughter lives in a house we own. She received a violation complaint about items on her porch. These items were buckets and so forth
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Neighbor Tree Trimming Issue
Visitor Question: I am trying to purchase my home. Branches from a tree behind my house have grown over the roof of my house. Please tell me how I can
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Non-functioning HOA
Visitor Question: In the State of Ohio, the developer has deeded the common properties to the HOA. Included in the common properties is a vacant lot to
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Nothing for older kids to do
Visitor Question: I looked at your community improvement ideas, but our problem is something different. We need something for the kids to do. Once they
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Nuisance rental property
Visitor Question: I have contacted both the landlord and City Council about a tenant that lives near me. The tenant engages in drug activities, violence
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Objection to neighbors variance
Visitor Question: I live in a small town in New Jersey. The town is only a mile wide and long. New people bought a home next to ours; it is on a corner
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Old building needs love
Visitor Question: We have a beautification fund in our town that started as a result of junk cars sitting on abandoned lots. Almost the whole town (about
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Opposition to Code Violation Reporting
Reviewed: May 31, 2024 Visitor Question: For over thirty years, a few activists in our neighborhood have gotten good results from systematically reporting
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Park Cleanup: It Starts With One Peace, Inc. We Are Changing The World!
Last Reviewed: June 14, 2024 Website Visitor Wrote: We have 3 simple Rules at It Starts With One Peace: 1. Turn the Water OFF while brushing your teeth.
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Persuading city to care about vacant multi family building
Reviewed: June 17, 2024 Visitor Question: I live in a state with a libertarian tradition, and one ugly result of this is my city does nothing to enforce
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Pool Violation Allowed to Continue
Visitor Question: My neighbor had his pool cage destroyed by Hurricane Irma and has not rebuilt it. He has received a violation and a notice to appear.
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Project Management Cycle in Community Development
Visitor Question: How should local communities manage projects using a results based approach? Editors Reply: For the benefit of other visitors, we
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Promise to Planning Board Not Kept
Visitor Question: What recourse do I have if a developer agreed in a planning board public meeting to make a deed restriction on clearing of buffer in
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Read the Cleanups Questions and Stories from Other Places to Help You Plan
Let others know about how you organized a cleanup, what worked and didn't. If you have a question about this kind of project, ask it here.
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Reciprocal easements
Visitor Asks: If reciprocal easements are on the plat of a single family development and some owners don't want their easement and have the board vote
Guide · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Regenerative Design Encourages Us to Think Beyond Environmental Sustainability
The emerging field of regenerative design, a perspective of restoring the earth instead of merely maintaining what we have, is explored in an interview.
Guide · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Regional Competitiveness Impacts Your Local Economy
Communities often ignore regional competitiveness, a major factor in how successful economically they will be without major interventions.
Guide · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Regional Governance Structure Impacts Quality of Life for Neighborhoods
Learn how regional governance, the quality of the decision making in a metro area, influences what happens in your neighborhood.
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Relationship of human health to the environment
Reviewed: June 17, 2024 Visitor Question:Are people healthy if the environment is healthier? Editors' Reply: A healthy environment tends to lead to healthier
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Renter involvement in the neighborhood
Visitor Question: We seem to have a great deal of difficulty in involving any renters in our neighborhood association and meetings. They are always welcome,
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Restoring an historic "town square"
Visitor Question: I live in an urban city that annexed an area of the county many years ago that, for a short while, was an independent town. It was created
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Restrictions for land conservation
Visitor Question: I'm selling a small piece of property which has a house on it. I'm also planning to deed a 2-acre piece of land to my sister. I am
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Retention Pond Ownership and Maintenance
I live in a subdivision in Cobb County Georgia. The subdivision contains 2 lakes. The HOA and Covenants were established in 1989. Up to 2007 the lakes
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Role of Community Development Organizations in Conflict Resolution
Visitor Question: What are the causes of conflict and what is the role of community development organisations in their resolution? Editors Reply: The
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Role of food pantries in community development
Visitor Question: All of the recent publicity about the important contributions that food pantries make to our communities has me wondering about whether
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Role of planning in built subdivisions
Visitor Question: I am finding it to be very confusing why the city planning department has anything to do with our neighborhood organization. They seem
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Saw the New Page about Recycling Buildings
Visitor Question: I was doing a search and I found the page about recycling buildings. I guess it is new because when I was doing a paper about this topic
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Searching for Measurement Scales, Questionnaires, and Surveys for a Thesis
Visitor Question: I am a student in the process of writing my thesis. My topic is Sense of Community and Community Development. I am in search of an instrument,
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Serial Pest in the Neighborhood
Visitor Question: We have a member of our community who has a slight mental disability, but more behavioral problems, who constantly abuses people. The
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Should only residents of the Village sign petition
Visitor Question: We live on a lake where about 50% of the houses around the lake are in one Village and the other 50% are in another Village. One of
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Significance of Strong Institutions in Governance
Visitor Question: What is the significance of institutions and institutional checks in local governance processes? Editors Reply: Institutions lend the
Guide · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Small Town Sprawl Is Costly Too
Small town sprawl often occurs as highway development dilutes historic downtowns and urban land uses make rural inroads. Learn what smaller cities can do.
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Start a Community Based Non Profit Organization
Visitor Question: Is an organization limited to one scope? I want our community to have a day care for single and working parents, a land bank (not sure
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Steps in a community diagnosis project
Visitor Question: What are the steps in starting a community diagnosis project? Our neighborhood group wants to start an assessment and diagnosis of conditions
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Subdivision sells small park to create revenue to improve large park
Visitor Question: My subdivision owns a small park (1 acre) and a large park (6 acres). We have limited revenue. My question is what requirements would
Guide · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Suburban Sprawl, Its Causes, and Its Effects on Your Area
Suburban sprawl can devastate urban, suburban, and rural areas. Effects of this development pattern on your community's issues and economics are wide ranging.
Guide · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Sustainable Development Practices for Communities
Discover sustainable development practices that you can implement at the local level to benefit your community and its residents.
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Sustainable development presentation to local government and developers
Visitor Question: Do y'all have a presentation outline for someone to present to local government officials to get them interested in the topics of sustainable
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Taking Possession of Abandoned House
My mother had got married to this guy and she passed away. He has abandoned the house. How do I go about getting back into my home? Editors Reply: The
Guide · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Too much trash in and near the creek
March 18, 2025 Visitor Question: A group I'm involved with plans to try to clean out a little creek that runs right through the park in my neighborhood.
Guide · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Transfer of Development Rights Can Preserve Farmland and Natural Areas
A transfer of development rights from agricultural land to more urban land is a fair, private transaction that helps prevent sprawl. We discuss pros and cons.
Guide · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Transit and Sprawl Interactions Depend on Existing Urban Form of a City
This page provides 6 discussion questions about relationships between transit and sprawl, to encourage dialogue about how the two interact in your city.
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Transit Expansion or Better Transit Operation
Visitor Question: Some people in our metro area are grappling with the question of whether it is better to expand our light rail system's length or spend
Guide · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Transit Oriented Development Attracts Business, Residents
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.
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Truck parking at residence
Visitor Question: My family and I have lived in a neighborhood with no HOA in Atlanta, Georgia for 3.5 years. My husband is a truck driver and has always
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Unit above me caused water leak in my bathroom
Visitor Question:The unit above me has caused a fifth water leak in my master bathroom. I reported it to code enforcement. They gave her three days to
Guide · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Urban Sprawl and Public Health: How They Are Related
Urban sprawl and public health are intertwined because dispersed development patterns discourage exercise, while aggravating air pollution.
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Violent Extremism and Terrorism as Hindrance to Community Development
Visitor Question: What are the impacts of violent extremism and terrorism from a community development perspective? Editors' Reflection: Thank you for
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Volume of runoff water
Visitor Question: When land is developed, what is the maximum area of inpermeable surface allowed for a given area of land? A developer bought an old
Guide · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Water Conservation at the Community Level
Water conservation at the community level can save on energy needed for purification and delivery. Use drama and humor to inspire enthusiasm for this issue.
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
What a Community Development Program Actually Does
Visitor Question: What is the main function of the community development? And what does community development program actually do to further develop the
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
What Are Consistency Requirements in Planning
Reviewed: June 12, 2024 Visitor Question: I attended the meeting of my city's planning commission the other night. I am trying to get appointed to the
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
What are some transportation strategies for the disabled
Visitor Question: What are some of the best ways for communities to address the transportation needs of people who are disabled, or differently abled?
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
What is a CDFI
Reviewed: May 31, 2024 Visitor Question: I heard that a CDFI can be important in neighborhood revitalization. What is that anyway? Must have something
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
What Is a Flag Lot
Last Updated: August 8, 2020 Visitor Asked: Like some other people said on here, I'm new to the zoning board in the last six months. Last night someone
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
What is a successor developer
Reviewed: June 12, 2024 Visitor Question: What exactly is a successor developer? We heard that the developer of our subdivision is looking for one. Our
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
What qualifies a church as a Faith Based Community Development Center?
Visitor Question: What qualifies a church as a Faith Based Community Development Center? Outside of the entities listed below, is there anything else?
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
What should we do about an ugly bioswale?
Published: April 19, 2024 Visitor Question: Our town wanted to have some better flood control along a creek that is ordinarily very small. The problem
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Where to Find Easement Information
Last Updated: August 29, 2020 In this article we explain how to find a description and probably a diagram of a driveway easement. Your county courthouse
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Who Is a Community Developer
Site Visitor Asks These Questions: 1. what is community 2. development means what in community 3. what is community planning 4. U.N definition for community
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Why do community development projects fail
Visitor Question: I was just wondering why community development projects funded by our taxpayer dollars sometimes seem to fail miserably. What are the
Guide · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Why Stormwater Runoff Determines Water Quality
Stormwater runoff delivers most pollutants found in streams and rivers. Here we discuss BMPs that could improve water quality and lessen erosion and flooding.
Visitor question · Environment, transportation & sustainability
Why won't people come to our community development meetings?
Visitor Question: When you ask people what is best about our little suburb close to the city, often they say it's the variety of people. When poked a little

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Original guidance from A Good Community: How to Make and Keep It, owned and edited by Nancy Thompson (formerly Useful Community Development), shared with permission. Community Compass notes and updates are our own and have not been reviewed by Nancy Thompson.