New York has created new zoning rules, now officially under review for approval, that combat the current zoning's sometimes impeding effect on green building.
"'This is the most comprehensive citywide initiative dealing with energy efficiency and green building in the U.S.,' said Amanda Burden, chair of the City Planning Commission. 'This is about being a greener city, providing cleaner air and water as well as saving money on utility bills.'
The city's roughly one million buildings cost $15 billion a year to power and heat and account for 80% of the city's greenhouse gas emissions. The changes will promote the installation of solar panels on rooftops, which will reduce electrical bills and carbon emissions.
Additionally, storm-water detention systems and skylights can be installed anywhere below the parapet on rooftops, regardless of building height. Wind turbines would also be allowed to rise up to 55 feet above, or up to half the height of the building, on the rooftop of commercial and industrial buildings taller than 100 feet."
FULL STORY: NYC launches push to enter green zone

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

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Social distancing requirements and changes in travel patterns prompted cities to pilot new uses for street and sidewalk space. Then it got complicated.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

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A new state law significantly limits the power of CEQA, an environmental review law that served as a powerful tool for blocking new development.

Boulder Eliminates Parking Minimums Citywide
Officials estimate the cost of building a single underground parking space at up to $100,000.

Orange County, Florida Adopts Largest US “Sprawl Repair” Code
The ‘Orange Code’ seeks to rectify decades of sprawl-inducing, car-oriented development.
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