4 ms·

It's unfortunate that zoning laws seem to keep us far away from our food and nature. The inventor of the skyscraper intended it to allow for high population den

by JDDunn9 12y ago

It's unfortunate that zoning laws seem to keep us far away from our food and nature. The inventor of the skyscraper intended it to allow for high population density and be surrounded by nature. China's trying to do this with Sky City, but it would be hard anywhere else.

_delirium 12y ago
I think this is one case where the law is largely following many people's desires, at least in the USA. I used to live in a city with no zoning (Houston), and yet it was exactly the same thing: no retail or commercial anywhere near the residential area, and very low density. Why? Houstonians reinvented zoning via private-sector contract law. Since many people apparently want to live in residential-only neighborhoods—or at least have fears of what kind of noise/crime/etc. might happen if the alternative were allowed—developers cater to that by putting "residential-only" deed restrictions on new developments, so there are large tracts of land where it's prohibited to use the land for commercial activity. Usually higher-density redevelopment, or even subdividing/subletting, are also prohibited by the contracts.
- kiba 12y ago
  They believe they want to live in residential-only neighborhoods? They believe they want to drive cars everywhere? Yet, when it did come to living in those neighborhoods, would they change their mind?
  - _delirium 12y ago
    I mostly grew up in American suburbs, and my conclusion from that is that many people really do seem to like that lifestyle. Not everyone; some people who live in residential-only, car-oriented neighborhoods would rather not, but have various constraints keeping them there. But quite a few people moved there on purpose and like it.
- WildUtah 12y ago
  Houston's minimum parking laws, setback and construction envelope laws, and other suburban style mandates make it impossible to build in the traditional city style of Europe or Japan (or the USA). There's somewhat more flexibility than some other US cities but something close to modern suburbanism is mandated in most cases.

by JDDunn9 12y ago

_delirium 12y ago

I think this is one case where the law is largely following many people's desires, at least in the USA. I used to live in a city with no zoning (Houston), and yet it was exactly the same thing: no retail or commercial anywhere near the residential area, and very low density. Why? Houstonians reinvented zoning via private-sector contract law. Since many people apparently want to live in residential-only neighborhoods—or at least have fears of what kind of noise/crime/etc. might happen if the alternative were allowed—developers cater to that by putting "residential-only" deed restrictions on new developments, so there are large tracts of land where it's prohibited to use the land for commercial activity. Usually higher-density redevelopment, or even subdividing/subletting, are also prohibited by the contracts.

kiba 12y ago
They believe they want to live in residential-only neighborhoods? They believe they want to drive cars everywhere? Yet, when it did come to living in those neighborhoods, would they change their mind?
- _delirium 12y ago
  I mostly grew up in American suburbs, and my conclusion from that is that many people really do seem to like that lifestyle. Not everyone; some people who live in residential-only, car-oriented neighborhoods would rather not, but have various constraints keeping them there. But quite a few people moved there on purpose and like it.
WildUtah 12y ago
Houston's minimum parking laws, setback and construction envelope laws, and other suburban style mandates make it impossible to build in the traditional city style of Europe or Japan (or the USA). There's somewhat more flexibility than some other US cities but something close to modern suburbanism is mandated in most cases.