BUILDING MORATORIA: STRATEGIES AND TOOLS FOR GOVERNING BODIES

摘要

Governing bodies often are faced with difficult decisions. Few may be as difficult as imposing building mora-toria in the face of water shortages. Yet there are times when a moratorium is not only legally justifiable, but also practically necessary. Governing bodies' primary duties are to ensure the safety and security of citizens and to ensure the historical and expected levels of service for basic needs such as water at a reasonably affordable cost. It is also the duty of elected officials to set policy, plan, and communicate effectively with stakeholders about possible water shortages well before the possibility of spigots running dry becomes reality. Moratoria are tools to aid governing bodies in balancing these duties. This article discusses the general legal requirements for moratoria and strategies for enacting and managing a moratorium.