Residential Zoning

More SB 9 Drama: L.A. County Cities Sue California
Four Southern California cities are calling SB9 unconstitutional in the fight to retain local control over zoning codes and housing density.

How Virginia Communities Are Encouraging 'Missing Middle Housing'
Local leaders hope that streamlining permit processes and eliminating restrictive zoning regulations will set the groundwork for increased production of small and mid-sized multi-family housing.

What Is Multi-Family Housing?
Often discussed in contrast with single-family zoning, multi-family housing includes buildings and complexes that house more than one household in the same property.

What Is Mixed-Use Development?
Long an urban norm, mixed-use neighborhoods fell out of favor in the United States in the automobile age as single-use zoning became common. These days, mixed-use development is back in vogue, but implementation remains a challenge.

Virginia Upzoning and Accessory Dwelling Unit Bills Killed Quickly in Committee
The Land Use subcommittee of the Virginia House of Delegates decided quickly to uphold local control of zoning.

Statewide Density Increases Proposed in Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia will consider a bill that would legalize duplexes in single-family zones throughout the state.

Accessory Dwelling Units Legalized, Finally, in San Francisco
Legislation approved this week finally brings the city of San Francisco up to date with state laws approved in 2016.

Op-Ed: SoHo and NoHo Need a Zoning Overhaul
Two SoHo residents argue that outdated zoning holds the Manhattan neighborhoods back, requiring special permits or variances for many current residential and commercial uses.

Proposed New Zoning Around the Los Angeles Expo Line
Los Angeles' proposed transit neighborhood plan for the Expo Line corridor includes minor changes, but nothing earth-shattering. Many of the line's stations remain underutilized.
Definition of Family Still Up for Debate in Hartford Zoning Case
When zoning codes separate uses, they require definitions about what constitutes each of those uses. The question in Hartford, Connecticut: Does a group of cohabiting adults fit the definition necessary to reside in a "single-family house"?

Re-Evaluating Pasadena's City of Gardens Ordinance
Practicing urbanist and USC professor Vinayak Bharne examines the legacy of a progressive zoning code over the two decades since its adoption.

Nontraditional 'Family' Questions Hartford Zoning Code
After a group of unrelated adults bought and moved into a large house in Hartford, Connecticut, they were found to be in violation of local regulations. They are asking for a broader definition of 'family.'

Single-Lot Densification Faces Zoning, Economic Challenges
Small-scale development on single lots is an alternative to the centralized mid-rise norm. But this kind of classic infilling may not be as easy as build-it-and-they-will-come.
How the U.S. Became a Unique "Nation of Homezoners”
Exceptionalism is a word often associated with the U.S., most often with foreign policy. Sonia Hirt of VPI argues that since its inception American zoning has also taken a unique form compared to European counterparts.
Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission
Code Studio
TAG Associates, Inc.
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Montrose County
Knox County
Wichita-Sedgwick County Metropolitan Area Planning Department
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.