Zoning

Neighborhood Zoning Offices Give Residents Help And Answers

12 May 2008 - 12:00pm
San Diego Union-Tribune

Following the lead of law enforcement, San Diego's code enforcement department is opening storefront offices where residents can come in with questions and complaints.

It's Not 'Zoning', But It's Zoning

6 May 2008 - 10:00am
The Houston Chronicle

This commentary argues that, though it may not be called "zoning", Houston has plenty of land use restrictions and guidelines.

More Fast Food Makes Fatter Neighborhoods

5 May 2008 - 11:00am
Los Angeles Times

High rates of obesity and diabetes are being correlated to high concentrations of fast food restaurants in neighborhoods. Some look to zoning as a solution.

Areas of Stability and Change

5 May 2008 - 10:00am
The Rocky Mountain News

Two new classifications of land in Denver -- areas of change and areas of stability -- are moving the city's redevelopment and densification plans forward.

Do Houston Residents Want Zoning?

21 April 2008 - 11:00am
Houston Chronicle

With planning likely to become a major issue in next year's mayoral campaign, a recent survey shows that most residents would support new rules -- including possibly land use zoning -- to manage the region's sprawling development.

Residents Sue Over State Density Bonus Law

10 April 2008 - 2:00pm
Los Angeles Daily News

Upset about the effect of California State Bill 1818's override of local zoning restrictions, a Los Angeles resident has sued the city to overturn its density bonus ordinance. Others may soon follow.

Looking at Houston from Vancouver

6 April 2008 - 1:00pm
Globe and Mail

A Canadian's perspective on the "planner-free" city of Houston, America's fourth most populous city.

Saving The Neighborhood, One Signature At A Time

2 April 2008 - 8:00am
The New York Times

A arcane provision in the New York City Charter that increases the threshold for a zoning change approval to a three-fourths vote of the city council may help opponents defeat a proposed rezoning of 125th Street in Harlem.

Philly's Planning Process Revamp Moving Ahead Slowly

1 April 2008 - 12:00pm
Philadelphia Inquirer

With a growing consensus for change, the challenge for the Philadelphia's leaders now is figuring out how to actually fix the city's planning and zoning system.

Los Angeles' Brawl With Sprawl

31 March 2008 - 10:00am
The Economist

Officials in Los Angeles were successful in implementing high-density growth policies to curb sprawl. However, a disconnect between culture, transportation policy, and the real estate market may have disastrous consequences.

Street Trees Are New York's Newest Accessory

28 March 2008 - 8:00am
The New York Times

A new zoning requirement passed by the New York City Planning Commission will require all new developments to plant trees along the street.

Viewing L.A.'s Density Debate From the Passenger's Seat

23 March 2008 - 5:00am
Los Angeles Times

A Los Angeles Times columnist hears about the Los Angeles density controversy and sees its implications during a recent drive around town with County Commissioner Zev Yaroslavsky.

Bringing Harlem Back

17 March 2008 - 11:00am
The Economist

New York City officials hope that a recently approved rezoning for Harlem will revive the neighborhood.

Zoning Changes Bring Good and Bad in Downtown Seattle

2 March 2008 - 10:00am
The Stranger

Zoning changes in downtown Seattle have created a more dense area, as was intended. But the zoning changes are also bringing some unintended consequences.

Beneath the Surface of L.A.'s Densification

29 February 2008 - 12:00pm
LA Weekly

This article from the LA Weekly looks at efforts by the city planning department and key politicians to increase the density of the city.

Developing A TND Ordinance

29 November 2007 - 1:35pm

When I opened my email this morning I was delighted to see that the City of Flagstaff unanimously approved a SmartCode based TND ordinance. The ordinance, created to make a recent Dover Kohl designed project called Juniper Point legal, allows a more compact, pedstrian friendly urban pattern to be established within the City. This is a crucial step in providing alternatives to business as usual sprawl development. Fortunately, more and more cities - From Jamestown, Rhode Island to Miami, Florida, to Montgomery, Alabama - are making smart growth a legal and easy choice.

Highway Zoning?

25 June 2007 - 9:38am

The Oscar-winning film The Lives of Others recalls that famous question about governments who spy on their citizens: Who will watch the watchers? (Answer: Alberto Gonzalez.) A similar, if less cloak-and-dagger question applies to planning: Who will zone the zoners? While governments use zoning to keep polluting uses away from homes, what if the biggest polluter in a city is a government use?

In most cities today, the most common polluting use is exempt from zoning: highways.

Does planning = zoning?

21 May 2007 - 9:06am

I would like to think that the overwhelming response to the question posed in the title would be a resounding, "No!"  I never gave the issue much thought before last week because frankly, I didn't really need to.  Working in a city like Philadelphia where the overwhelming percentage of proposed projects requires a zoning variance, we've trained ourselves to work within an imperfect system and make the best of what's at hand.  (It should be noted that Philadelphia is about to embark upon a process to re-vamp the zoning code, but that is for another post in the future).  More importantly, the issues faced by some neighborhoods go a lot deeper than zoning.  So why this post?