HOW ZONING SHAPES COMMUNITIES

THE GOOD, BAD AND HOPEFUL ASPECTS 

OF THE CENTURY-OLD TOOL THAT DETERMINES

EVERYTHING ABOUT THE PLACES WE LIVE, WORK AND PLAY

Salim Furth, senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, favors fair and predictable community benefit agreements. 

Rather than meting out contributions in each neighborhood, which can result in “zoning for sale,” he suggests a set payment charged to the developer and a menu of things a community can fund with it.

“New Rochelle, N.Y., introduced this approach, along with other innovations, to spark a downtown reinvestment surge that has funded tremendous city benefits,” Furth said.

“There is a fixed, predictable dollar value that developers must pay. 

Neighbors can then help determine where the money is spent: on parks, computer space, a community center.”