Zoning Code

Zoning Changes to Battle 'Slot Homes' in Denver
An unintended consequence of the zoning regulations approved in Denver 2010 zoning code has been the proliferation of "slot homes": like rowhouses but without the street-facing entryways and engagement with the public realm.
Indiana City Votes to Restrict Drug Treatment Centers
The city of New Albany approved a plan to keep where opioid abuse clinics can locate.
Atlanta Suburb Bringing Its Zoning Code Up to Speed
Sandy Springs, Georgia is rewriting the nuts and bolts of its planning process. A first draft of the city's new zoning code has been released in the hopes of finalizing a new code later this year.

Making It Easier to Build Won't Help
Here are some observations that may shed light on the mystery of why—despite creating every incentive that planners can conceive—we are failing to produce affordable housing at the level we need.

Los Angeles Planners Have Had It Up to Here With Parking Podiums
Above-grade parking garages, also called parking podiums, have become a standard typology across Los Angeles. From Koreatown to Downtown, new residential buildings are separated from the street by several floors of space devoted to parking.
Chinatown Residents Create Their Own Plan to Prevent Displacement
In a city looking to land use regulations for answers to an affordable housing crisis, one collection of community groups attempted to create a plan of their own.
A First Look at Washington, D.C.'s New Zoning Code
The D.C. Zoning Commission last week approved a new zoning code for the nation's capital. The new code will go into effect in September.

Philadelphia Pushes Ahead with Changes to Zoning Code
Updates to Philadelphia’s zoning code are designed to "clean-up" the code, adopted in 2011.

Legalize It: Austin Eases Restrictions on Accessory Dwelling Units
Accessory dwelling units, granny flats, mother-in-law units—whatever you call them, they're now legal in Austin.
Code Changes to Allow Tiny Houses Sought for Atlanta
An Atlanta City Councilmember and local advocates are pushing for the city to join the ranks of cities that have allowed tiny houses as a solution to housing challenges.
Will Indianapolis Rezone to a Less Car-Centric Future?
With backing from Mayor Greg Ballard, Indianapolis' new zoning ordinance has been "tweaked" to allow developers to lower parking minimums if options to reduce driving are provided. Also, EV rift between charging stations and parking spaces reported.
Auto-Repair Facility Permit Filed a Day Before Pedestrian-Friendly Zoning: What Next?
A case study in the development miscues that can move forward while plans are developed and approved.
Planning for the Next 20 Years in Unincorporated Los Angeles County
A lot has changed on the ground in Los Angeles County's unincorporated areas since 1980, when the last General Plan directing land use in these communities was written.

Los Angeles (Temporarily) Bans New McMansions
Concerns about out-of-character construction, much of it oversized, has led the Los Angeles City Council to prohibit construction of additional 'McMansions.' In some areas, all new development will be held up for two years.
Better Zoning Codes for Better Quality of Life
As Los Angeles continues the five-year process of re-writing its zoning code for clarity, one Zoning Advisory Committee member considers who should really care.
How Los Angeles Will Update its 1946 Zoning Code
Tom Rothmann explains how and why Los Angeles is updating antiquated language governing land use in the city.
Finding the Right Mix of Uses for Former Industrial Sites
The Philadelphia City Council is tinkering with a novel land use created by its 2012 Zoning Code update to help guide mixed use development on former industrial sites.
Pedestrian Accessibility the Key to Buffalo's New Green Code
An op-ed column for The Buffalo News explains the thinking behind Buffalo's new Green Code—especially its benefits for walking, bicycling, and public transit.
Albuquerque Set to Update Comprehensive Plan, Zoning Code
The city of Albuquerque joins the ranks of the cities around the country overhauling their zoning and planning mechanisms.
Does Limiting Rowhouse Expansions Preserve, or Prevent, Affordable Housing?
The Washington D.C. Zoning Commission is considering a proposal to limit the ability to convert or expand rowhouses. The proposed ordinance has provoked controversy about the effect of the law for the city's supply of housing.
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