Selection and Passage of County Land Preservation Voter Referendum: The Role of Government

County jurisdictions in America are increasingly exercising self-government in the provision of public community services through the context of second order federalism. In states exercising this form of contemporary governance, county governments with “reformed” policy-making structures and professional management practices, have begun to rival or surpass municipalities in the delivery of local services with regional implications such as environmental protection (Benton 2002, 2003; Marando and Reeves, 1993). The voter referendum, a form of direct democracy, is an important component of county land preservation and environmental protection governmental policies. The recent growth and success of land preservation voter referendums nationwide reflects an increase in citizen participation in government and their desire to protect vacant land and its natural environment from threats of over-development, urbanization and sprawl, loss of open space and farmland, deterioration of ecosystems, and inadequate park and recreational amenities. The study’s design employs a sequential, mixed method. First, a quantitative approach employs the Heckman two-step model. It is fitted with variables for the non-random sample of 227 voter referendum counties and all non-voter referendum counties in the U.S. from 1988 to 2009. Second, the qualitative data collected from the in-depth investigation of three South Florida county case studies with twelve public administrator interviews is transformed for integration with the quantitative findings. The purpose of the qualitative method is to complement, explain and enrich the statistical analysis of county demographic, socio-economic, terrain, regional, governance and government, political preference, environmentalism, and referendum-specific factors. The research finds that government factors are significant in terms of the success of land preservation voter referendums; more specifically, the presence of self-government authority (home rule charter), a reformed structure (county administrator/manager or elected executive), and environmental interest groups. In addition, this study concludes that successful counties are often located coastal, exhibit population and housing growth, and have older and more educated citizens who vote democratic in presidential elections. The analysis of case study documents and public administrator interviews finds that pragmatic considerations of timing, local politics and networking of regional stakeholders are also important features of success. Further research is suggested utilizing additional public participation, local government and public administration factors.

Analysis of Land Use Change as a Method of Predicting Water Demands in an Urbanizing Environment: Redland, Miami-Dade County, Florida

The fluctuation in water demand in the Redland community of Miami-Dade County was examined using land use data from 2001 and 2011 and water estimation techniques provided by local and state agencies. The data was converted to 30 m mosaicked raster grids that indicated land use change, and associated water demand measured in gallons per day per acre. The results indicate that, first, despite an increase in population, water demand decreased overall in Redland from 2001 to 2011. Second, conversion of agricultural lands to residential lands actually caused a decrease in water demand in most cases while acquisition of farmland by public agencies also caused a sharp decline. Third, conversion of row crops and groves to nurseries was substantial and resulted in a significant increase in water demand in all such areas converted. Finally, estimating water demand based on land use, rather than population, is a more accurate approach.

Maxine Faye Boomgarden and Iowa Civil Rights Commission vs. Hardin County Veterans' Commission Board and Hardin County Board of Supervisors, 1991

Case report from the Civil Rights Commission. Maxine Faye Boomgarden and Iowa Civil Rights Commission vs. Hardin County Veterans' Commission Board and Hardin County Board of Supervisors.

RAGBRAI Learn about the Land; Day 5, July 2008

Today, after you descend into the valley of the Iowa River north of Marengo, the route turns east on county road F15 and approaches the historic Amana Society. Settled in the late 1850s by German immigrants of the Community of True Inspiration, the new arrivals utilized the local timber and stone resources to construct their buildings. During these early years several stone quarries were opened in the hills along the north wall of the Iowa River valley near East, Middle, and West Amana. Riders will pass close to one of these old quarries 0.7 miles west of West Amana. The stone taken from these quarries is beautiful quartz-rich sandstone that is cemented by light brown to orange tinged iron oxide. This stone was used in the construction of many buildings in Amana.

Iowa County Precipitation Estimates, 2008

Report produced by the The Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Climatology Bureau.

County Precipitation Estimates, January 2008

Report produced by the The Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Climatology Bureau.

Iowa County Precipitation Estimates, Departure from Normal 2008

Report produced by the The Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Climatology Bureau.

Iowa County Precipitation Estimates, Departure from Normal 2008

Report produced by the The Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Climatology Bureau.

Iowa Preliminary County Precipitation Estimates, July 2009

Report produced by the The Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Climatology Bureau.

Iowa Preliminary County Precipitation Estimates, July 2009

Report produced by the The Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Climatology Bureau.

County Precipitation Estimates, October 2001

Report produced by the The Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Climatology Bureau. The Iowa Crops and Weather report released by the USDA National Agricultural Statistical Service.

County Precipitation Estimates, November 2001

Report produced by the The Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Climatology Bureau. The Iowa Crops and Weather report released by the USDA National Agricultural Statistical Service.

County Precipitation Estimates, December 2001

Report produced by the The Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Climatology Bureau. The Iowa Crops and Weather report released by the USDA National Agricultural Statistical Service.

County Snowfall Estimates, November 2001

Report produced by the The Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Climatology Bureau. The Iowa Crops and Weather report released by the USDA National Agricultural Statistical Service.

County Snowfall Estimates, December 2001

Report produced by the The Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Climatology Bureau. The Iowa Crops and Weather report released by the USDA National Agricultural Statistical Service.