INCLUSIONARY ZONING
Ted Koebel, professor of Urban Planning at Virginia Tech, is not opposed to Inclusionary Zoning, but believes the affordable housing gap would be better closed by citywide or regional zoning that allows for all ranges of housing price points and needs in several neighborhoods.
“Very few cities allow mixed density, mixed use development and if you want to do something creative, you slam into a wall of discouraging regulations,” he said. “We don’t do enough comprehensive planning to create applications of zoning that would allow you to do more complex development. Developers can do master planned developments and have them be very well representative of all housing needs.”
Koebel said American planning comes from a history of segregation of uses. Mixed use and mixed density development requires so many variances and zoning changes that developers throw in the towel before trying to serve a diverse market here.
“European zoning allows for mixed use by right. What they review are issues around massing of buildings, the relationships of building to its surroundings, how growth fits the transportation system,” said Koebel, noting that European cities maintained a mix of affordable housing for centuries.
Koebel said the idea that housing has to be segregated by income “is flat out wrong.”
“This is not social experimenting. Developers can create a well-planned mixed product, but most zoning regulations demonize mixed income, mixed use development. Our local regulations speak to one market – middle income and above. True Inclusionary Housing starts with regulations that allow developers to build more diverse products.”
Wright frequently writes about smart growth and sustainable communities. He and his wife live in a restored historic home in the heart of Miami’s Little Havana. Contact him at: stevewright64@yahoo.com
No comments:
Post a Comment