Zoning

Zoning is often portrayed as the great evil of city planning, but Les Pollock of Camiros argues that we shouldn't dismiss the power of zoning to create great communities.

August 13, 2009 - Leslie S. Pollock, FAICP

A couple of weeks ago, the South Dakota Supreme Court in Anderson v. Town of Badger held that a town had the power to grant a waiver of a distance requirement set by Kingsbury County for a CAFO. Click here for the decision. Wait a minute. Why wouldn’t you want to live near a CAFO? What’s a CAFO? It’s not Community Association Facility Operations. It’s not Centralized Area of Fun Outside …no, it’s Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations, something akin to dinner time at my fraternity house in the mid-1960s…

August 11, 2009 - Dwight Merriam

In 1975, the City of Oneonta, NY, established a law limiting the number of unrelated people allowed to live under one roof. Ruled unconstitutional by the State Supreme Court, the city is working on redefining the so-called 'family zoning.'

August 7, 2009 - The Oneonta Daily Star

In Copenhagen, architect David Zahle faced with a problem site. They needed to build 215,000 sq. ft. of parking and 108,000 sq. ft. of housing on one lot. The solution was a sort of artificial mountain.

August 3, 2009 - Dwell

After more than four years of public meetings, new drafts, extensive revisions, debate, and controversy, Miami 21 is finally scheduled for its first City Commission reading on August 6th. For all who have, or continue to work patiently and dilligently on the groundbreaking zoning code, this is exciting and relieving news.  

August 2, 2009 - Mike Lydon

Medical marijuana dispensaries are in high supply in Los Angeles. But without zoning regulations to determine where they should and should not go, the dispensaries are causing some concerns from locals.

July 29, 2009 - KCET

The concept of ripeness in several realms is elusive. I have never figured out how to properly thump a melon at a grocery store, although I have made a thorough study of it. You might want to click here, or here, or here for some guidance, none of which seems to work when it’s just me in a stare down with a cold, stone faced and silent honeydew. Just yesterday one of my younger children from what we call the “second litter” asked me at dinner how I could tell if a coconut was ripe. I paused, realized that I had no answer, and did what every good parent should do and asked instead why they weren’t eating their salad. Yes, attack and divert. You think melons and coconuts are tough — try ripeness in land use litigation.

July 28, 2009 - Dwight Merriam

A church in Phoenix has been ordered to stop giving out free food to the homeless, which the city says is out of compliance with the church's zoning.

July 26, 2009 - KPHO

As Houston considers extending its urban boundaries, planners and locals struggle with the proper techniques for ensuring good development without zoning.

July 5, 2009 - Houston Chronicle

Gov. Deval Patrick of Mass. has released a draft zoning plan to regulate the waters off the state's coast, particularly around Cape Cod and Cape Ann.

July 4, 2009 - Gloucester Daily Times

Florence County Planning officials recently updated the county's land-use element of the comprehensive plan, which would require review of development taking place in floodplains.

June 12, 2009 - SC Now

Ashtabula, Ohio, are updating their zoning codes to be more "kid friendly", as more and more residents are submitting applications to convert homes into day care facilities.

June 12, 2009 - Star Beacon

The Stafford Board of Supervisors opposed an ordinance which would require a minimum buildable lot area for agriculturally zoned parcels.

June 6, 2009 - The Free Lance-Star

The Planning and Zoning Commission of Lubbock, Texas is in the process of revamping old zoning to meet a new voter-approved iniative to allow off-premise alcohol sales.

June 4, 2009 - Lubbock Avalanche-Journal

The city of Cumberland, Maryland is prepping a new zoning text amendment to regulate wind turbines, primarily to create height restrictions on turbines over 150 ft. in height.

June 4, 2009 - Cumberland Times

Researchers at Duke University are advising Congress to develop zoning rules for the oceans that will guide where offshore energy generation can and should occur.

April 14, 2009 - The New York Times

Matthew Klauer had intended to build a 44-room country inn on the 27-acre plot he purchased in Washington, Connecticut. Rejected by locals, Klauer is changing the plan and building 33 small homes using an affordable housing law.

February 17, 2009 - Governing Magazine

Don Elliott, author of A Better Way to Zone, argues that dynamic zoning regulations can help cities grow appropriately and avoid bottlenecks to good development.

February 2, 2009 - Don Elliott

The telecommunications industry is pressuring Congress to add language to upcoming bill that would preempt local zoning authority if they 'take too long' to approve cell phone towers or sites.

January 27, 2009 - Anvil Partners blog

As Secretary of Commerce, Herbert Hoover championed the Standard Zoning Enabling Act. Rick Cole argues it is time to leave Hoover's legacy behind.

January 16, 2009 - Citiwire.net