Zoning Reform

Major Parking Reform Effort Moving Forward in San Diego
Civic San Diego and San Diego planning commissioners approved new parking standards that would eliminate minimums and set maximums of one space per multifamily unit. Those reforms and more must still be approved by the City Council.

Wisconsin County Completes First Comprehensive Zoning Code Rewrite in 70-Plus Years
Dane County, Wisconsin, which includes the city of Madison, has rewritten its zoning code to address a changing economy and a state-mandated system of local control.

Affordable Housing Advocacy Efforts Taking Root in St. Paul
St. Paul, Minnesota, is working on its comprehensive plan, and advocates want to see upzoning changes similar to what happened in Minneapolis.

Philadelphia Unlikely to Follow Minneapolis' Lead in Zoning Reform
Minneapolis is setting a bold example by ending single-family zoning, but chances are a similar change won’t be coming to Philadelphia.

Legislation Would Loosen Zoning for TOD and ADUs, Require Housing Plans From Cities in Utah
State preemption, in the form major zoning reforms and mandates for local housing targets, are on the table in the Utah Legislature this year.

Zoning Changes May Be Coming to Atlanta
The city is considering zoning updates, including legalization of accessory dwelling units and smaller apartment buildings, which would increase density and provide more housing.

CDBG Funds Not Useful Focus for Zoning Reform
Linking zoning reform mandates to CDBG funding is not an effective way to change exclusionary zoning.

New 'Design Excellence Overlay' Aims to Inspire New Development in Missoula
The city of Missoula professes a strategy of "focusing inward" when it comes to growth and development. A new 'Design Excellence Overlay' will help achieve more goals toward that strategy in the city's downtown.

Mapping the Ambitious Minneapolis 2040 Comprehensive Plan
A parcel-by-parcel map of zoning changes included in the Minneapolis 2040 comprehensive plan.

Regional Housing Needs Allocation Reform Bill on Gov. Brown's Desk
The lone survivor of Sen. Scott Wiener's trio of "Housing-First Policy" bills awaits a decision by Gov. Jerry Brown. Senate Bill 828, intended to increase the amount of land zoned for housing in California cities, was weakened by amendments.

Transit Oriented Upzoning Can't Win Local Support in San Diego
Residents are shooting down plans that propose increased density and height in San Diego. The city had planned to cut its carbon footprint by encouraging transit oriented development.

'Making Room Housing Program' Would Allow New Density in Vancouver
Duplexes, rowhouses, and small apartment buildings will be on the zoning menu for "housing choice neighborhoods" around Vancouver, thanks to the city's new "Making Room Housing Program."

What If Zoning Codes Were Dynamic?
Parking prices, toll lanes, and tickets to a ballgame can be dynamic, with prices fluctuating depending on market conditions. What if zoning could change when triggered by demographic and market conditions?

Austin Reminded to Be Respectful While Debating CodeNEXT
A call for civility amid the great zoning debate in Austin, Texas.
Legislation Would Ensure California Housing Construction Keeps Pace with Population Growth
A companion bill to the controversial SB 827, also introduced Sen. Scott Wiener (D-S.F)., could have a similar impact on housing production but hasn't gathered nearly as much attention. SB 828 makes critical changes to the state's housing supply law.

A Small Zoning Change With a Big Effect
The city of Lexington, Kentucky recently amended its B-6P zone, which regulates "Planned Shopping Centers."

Catch Up With Austin's CodeNEXT
CodeNEXT is one of the most ambitious, and controversial, zoning reform projects ongoing in the country, with lessons to offer planners all over the country in code writing, public outreach, and planning outcomes.

Massachusetts Considering Statewide Zoning Reform
A statewide zoning reform bill that made it part of the way through the Massachusetts State Legislature in 2016 is back up for consideration this year.

Revisiting Single-Family Zoning After a Political Setback
Few cities have gone so far in considering drastic changes to single-family zoning as Seattle did in 2015. Still, the discussion about single-family zoning would have to go a lot further to turn into meaningful reform.

A Playbook for Achieving Meaningful Development Regulation Reform
Most cities know they need new development regulations, but it's much, much easier said than done.
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