The Death Of Creative Spaces

Overplanning leads to sterile developments and subdivisions that lack creativity.

1 minute read

June 27, 2003, 11:00 AM PDT

By Chris Steins @planetizen


"...Euclidean zoning results in sterile places, yet the separation of uses and adherence to arbitrary dimensional requirements continues to have a negative sociological effect on our neighborhoods. If a lack of regulatory review causes underplanning then an overzealous regulatory construct will cause overplanning, and it appears that either extreme causes an unsatisfactory result... I believe many citizens understand both underplanning and overplanning, and can easily spot the phenomena. Planners are perhaps the only professionals aptly suited to be guardians of a balanced development review process, and we should promote regulations that are flexible and encourage creativity."

Thanks to Chris Steins

Friday, June 27, 2003 in American Planning Association

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