• An adaptable zoning proposal for walkable cities

    Contemporary zoning envisions cities in a finished state—we need codes that constantly adapt to the changing urban landscape, which is the idea behind “metrocoalescence.”
    Zoning has a vice grip on the housing market across the country; we need to shift the basic logic underlying zoning to create a lasting shift in the urban housing market and to produce classical patterns of urban development. In spite of ample literature criticizing zoning and describing what good...Read more

  • City looks to the stars for lighting policy

    Groveland, Florida, has adopted a Dark Sky Lighting ordinance that preserves views of the Milky Way, saves energy, and enhances streetscapes.
    Groveland, Florida, is a rapidly growing city west of Orlando, with a population that rose eightfold from 2000 to 2020. Without intervention, the Milky Way, now visible at night, would soon be obscured by light pollution like most suburban places. The city, which adopted Transect-based zoning in...Read more

  • ‘Texafornia,’ soon to be a reality, needs more mixed-use

    The Lone Star State is at a unique historical point where rapidly increasing population may lead it down the same path as California. We have an opportunity to shape that growth.
    “Oh, there is In-n-Out Burger here in Dallas!” “No way, you’ve got Dutch Bros here too!” These expressions are from my friend who now lives in New York City after being a Californian for a couple of years. Apparently, he misses these establishments that are often associated with California. His...Read more

  • Reforming parking by changing one word

    Norman, Oklahoma, has devised one of the most efficient ways to reduce parking requirements and stimulate incremental development.
    Of all the 20th Century regulations that tend to prevent good urbanism, parking requirements may be the most easily remedied. Norman, Oklahoma’s third-largest city, located in the middle of the state, came up with a more efficient way to reduce off-street parking requirements than nearly any US...Read more