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I don't think there's tension between urban planning and liberalizing housing regulations. Developers today don't have any certainty because any random citizen

I don't think there's tension between urban planning and liberalizing housing regulations. Developers today don't have any certainty because any random citizen or group can challenge any development on any basis. What should happen is there should be a plan and guidelines and anyone developing within those guidelines is immune to random challenges. Look at this bullshit in Oakland for example: http://www.socketsite.com/archives/2016/08/local-coalition-challenges-redevelopment-of-a-chinatown-block.html http://www.socketsite.com/archives/2016/08/local-coalition-c... The developer plans to replace a dilapidated 2-story building with a much larger building in central Oakland, but the "local" "community" which consists of people who don't even live in that neighborhood want to extort a bunch of "community benefits" i.e. sacks full of money, or else they'll tie it up in courts forever. Here's an example of another shakedown in Oakland where the electrical workers' union will take you to court over CEQA until you've hired enough electricians to satisfy them. http://www.socketsite.com/archives/2016/05/appeal-challenges-development-of-oaklands-auto-row.html http://www.socketsite.com/archives/2016/05/appeal-challenges...

erentz 10y ago
And for example, even in this case what the developer is being blocked from building is far too low-rise for a site that is right in the middle of the downtown core grid of Oakland, and only 2-blocks from a BART station. This should be a 30+ story mixed-use tower going up.
mgbmtl 10y ago
The first item you mention seems like a governance issue that can be addressed. I'm in Canada, and there are zoning regulations and five-year development guidelines, and that's it. Promoters can ask to derogate from the plan and potentially face protest, but that's only if they derogate. I rarely hear of much protest (in Montreal, at least). If they do protest, they have to protest the city, because they're the ones who approved the project (and yes, there are the occasional corruption cases and politicians who go to jail). I don't really understand the electrical workers' union issue. Here there are provincial guidelines for safety and that's it. Construction is heavily regulated, union membership is mandatory, but it's often in the promoters' interests. The US tendency to deregulate/liberalize and let people sue each other is mind boggling sometimes.

erentz 10y ago

And for example, even in this case what the developer is being blocked from building is far too low-rise for a site that is right in the middle of the downtown core grid of Oakland, and only 2-blocks from a BART station. This should be a 30+ story mixed-use tower going up.

mgbmtl 10y ago

The first item you mention seems like a governance issue that can be addressed. I'm in Canada, and there are zoning regulations and five-year development guidelines, and that's it. Promoters can ask to derogate from the plan and potentially face protest, but that's only if they derogate. I rarely hear of much protest (in Montreal, at least). If they do protest, they have to protest the city, because they're the ones who approved the project (and yes, there are the occasional corruption cases and politicians who go to jail). I don't really understand the electrical workers' union issue. Here there are provincial guidelines for safety and that's it. Construction is heavily regulated, union membership is mandatory, but it's often in the promoters' interests. The US tendency to deregulate/liberalize and let people sue each other is mind boggling sometimes.