Tag: municipalities

When a Crisis Happens Nearby, Your Community Should be Prepared

Posted on by Taylor Kennedy

press conferenceWhen a serious incident happens in one community, it can understandably affect how people in neighboring communities think about their own public events. People start to ask questions like “Will I feel safe attending?” “Should this event be postponed or canceled?”

Community leaders should first consider whether an incident in a neighboring community could have implications for their own. That means taking a step back and considering the potential for spillover or how it could affect public perception in their own community. Leaders shouldn’t simply assume that since it happened in another community, it wouldn’t happen at theirs.

For community leaders, there are a few things to help your community be prepared:

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Should Your Community Set up a DORA?

Posted on by Abbey Jones

INTRODUCTION

There’s a phenomenon sweeping across cities throughout the United States, and its name is DORA.

DORA stands for Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area. When you first hear the term, your mind may jump to places like Bourbon Street in New Orleans, the Las Vegas Strip or Beale Street in Memphis. While those areas allow public alcohol consumption, they aren’t actually DORAs. Instead, they operate under Public Consumption or Open Container ordinances.

So, what’s the difference?

A DORA is much more structured. Rather than allowing open containers throughout an entire entertainment district, a DORA establishes a clearly defined area with specific rules governing where alcohol can be purchased, in what type of container it must be served and when it can be consumed. While that may sound restrictive, these guardrails are exactly why many communities find DORAs to be an attractive option. They provide many of the economic benefits of outdoor drinking while maintaining a greater level of control and oversight.

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Three Things to Avoid That Can Help Overcome Opposition for Your Proposed Data Center

Posted on by Brian Lee

data centerINTRODUCTION

In the past year, there has been rampant opposition to the proposed development of data centers across the country. One study found that $18 billion of data center projects were blocked, and it’s happening in both red and blue states.

Reasons for community pushback include rising electricity rates, energy and water requirements, tax breaks for developers and lack of jobs that are created, according to an article by The Harvard Gazette. In addition, opposition is becoming more and more organized.

Here is what you should avoid doing to improve the chances of overcoming NIMBYism and misinformation for your proposed data center:

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