News

Accessory dwelling units – Coming to a neighborhood near you?

Published on September 9, 2022
With interest in urban living on the rise, more communities are considering amending local regulations to allow accessory dwelling units in traditional neighborhoods.
Zoning and condominiums

Published on September 1, 2022
Does the zoning ordinance prohibit condominiums if they are not listed as a use?
Zoning district, tax assessor classifications not the same thing

Published on September 1, 2022
Some improperly use tax assessor classifications as an indicator of zoning district, but they are not the same and one should never base zoning decisions on property tax classifications.
Fostering community, encouraging healthy lifestyles and strengthening food security in northwest Detroit

Published on August 31, 2022
The Detroit Partnership for Food, Learning and Innovation celebrates new growth and capacity building in 2022.
Building successful communities of every size

Published on August 26, 2022
MSU Extension's Citizen Planner Program is a proven solution providing a unique platform for learning the fundamentals of planning and zoning.
Proving a practical difficulty for a dimensional variance request

Published on August 24, 2022
While inherently rigid, there are mechanisms in zoning to allow for flexibility.
Circuit court review of ZBA decisions

Published on August 24, 2022
When your zoning board of appeals is not the last stop on the road to a zoning ordinance determination.
How to handle appeals of administrative decisions

Published on August 19, 2022
The zoning board of appeals is the only entity authorized to hear appeals on the administration and enforcement of the zoning ordinance at the local level. When doing so, careful considerations must be made.
Considering the flow of food in pack shed design

Published on August 9, 2022
Early in the process of planning a pack shed, think how food moves from harvest until it leaves the care of the operation. Tracing the flow of food helps pinpoint potential sources of contamination that might not otherwise be apparent.
Education pays in lower unemployment rates and higher wages

Published on July 27, 2022
With additional educational attainment comes higher wages and lower unemployment; however, some fields of training are more lucrative than others, and research should be done to ensure that a prospective field can offer the lifestyle one desires.
Flint Food Summit

Published on July 1, 2022
The Flint Leverage Points Project gathered for the Flint Food Summit on June 30, 2022.
Agrilinks Policy Month Blog Roundup

Published on May 10, 2022
PRCI participated in Agrilinks Policy Month with seven blog posts on recent research
Jake Ferris (1930-2022), Agricultural Market and Price Analyst

Published on April 21, 2022
Professor Emeritus John “Jake” Ferris passed away on March 9, 2022. He is remembered as colleague, teacher, mentor, national expert on commodity price analysis, proud Spartan, and generous donor to the next generation of MSU agribusiness managers.
How should members of a public body handle the approval of meeting minutes if they were absent?

Published on April 8, 2022
What should members of a public body do when it comes time to vote to approve minutes of a meeting that they were not present at?
Meet Assistant Professor Craig Carpenter

Published on March 14, 2022
Dr. Craig Carpenter in the Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics is using his expertise in regional economic development to promote economic opportunities and to educate others on Michigan’s history of economic inequality.