Introduction to Land Use City Beautiful Basics
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Date: 2025-02-15
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Comments and reviews: 20
coryfromphilly
I'm a fan of your videos, but this was probably the most disappointing video I've seen. You are describing a theoretical, bordering on mythical, idea of how land use works.
You start with the revisionist reasoning for why zoning exists - separating negative externality producing uses from residential - which is a complete lie. Zoning exists to exclude the poor and minorities, as argued in Euclid v Ambler (1926, which is the Constitutional basis for zoning. Academic planners need to be upfront about the ugly truth of zoning - it is for social control and exclusion.
Next you say that zoning laws provide clarity for land owners, which is very much not the case. Anyone who has interacted with zoning laws has had to hire expensive lawyers to navigate these arcane laws - often to modify their home for their own use, not even use the land more intensely.
You discuss comprehensive plans, but don't discuss whether or not these have been successful in managing growth (they've stunted growth, ensuring sustainable development (they've encouraged car centric design) and creating livable communities (we have a national housing crisis. The 1960 and 2015 Comp Plans in my home city of Philadelphia have been disastrous on all these fronts as a prime example.
You finish the video by saying how land use planners are like gardeners. Why are unelected planners the people who decide what kind of growth is haphazard Why not let people and the market decide what's best for them Who are you to decide what's best for me
I think the deepest irony of this video is how it fits in the context of your other videos. You often discuss walkability, street design, and good urban fabric. All of those things that exist in cities today exist because zoning did not exist when they were built. If American planners got to design the pre-zoning cities, we know what they'd all look like: Phoenix.
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I'm a fan of your videos, but this was probably the most disappointing video I've seen. You are describing a theoretical, bordering on mythical, idea of how land use works.
You start with the revisionist reasoning for why zoning exists - separating negative externality producing uses from residential - which is a complete lie. Zoning exists to exclude the poor and minorities, as argued in Euclid v Ambler (1926, which is the Constitutional basis for zoning. Academic planners need to be upfront about the ugly truth of zoning - it is for social control and exclusion.
Next you say that zoning laws provide clarity for land owners, which is very much not the case. Anyone who has interacted with zoning laws has had to hire expensive lawyers to navigate these arcane laws - often to modify their home for their own use, not even use the land more intensely.
You discuss comprehensive plans, but don't discuss whether or not these have been successful in managing growth (they've stunted growth, ensuring sustainable development (they've encouraged car centric design) and creating livable communities (we have a national housing crisis. The 1960 and 2015 Comp Plans in my home city of Philadelphia have been disastrous on all these fronts as a prime example.
You finish the video by saying how land use planners are like gardeners. Why are unelected planners the people who decide what kind of growth is haphazard Why not let people and the market decide what's best for them Who are you to decide what's best for me
I think the deepest irony of this video is how it fits in the context of your other videos. You often discuss walkability, street design, and good urban fabric. All of those things that exist in cities today exist because zoning did not exist when they were built. If American planners got to design the pre-zoning cities, we know what they'd all look like: Phoenix.
reply
KJSvitko
Bicycles, ebikes, electric cargo bicycles, robo taxis and escooters are great options for last mile, short distance travel.
Reduced transportation costs and fossil fuels free transportation.
Cities need to do more to encourage people to ride bicycles by providing SAFE, PROTECTED BIKE LANES and trails. Every adult and child should own a bicycle and ride it regularly. Bicycles are healthy exercise and fossil fuels free transportation. Electric bicycles are bringing many older adults back to cycling. Ride to work, ride to school, ride for health or ride for fun. Children should be able to ride a bicycle to school without having to dodge cars and trucks. Separated and protected bike lanes are required. It will also make the roads safer for automobile drivers. Transportation planners and elected officials need to encourage people to walk, bike and take public transportation. Healthy exercise and fossil fuels free transportation. In the future cities will be redesigned for people not cars. Crazy big parking lots will be transformed with solar canopies generating free energy from the sun.
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Bicycles, ebikes, electric cargo bicycles, robo taxis and escooters are great options for last mile, short distance travel.
Reduced transportation costs and fossil fuels free transportation.
Cities need to do more to encourage people to ride bicycles by providing SAFE, PROTECTED BIKE LANES and trails. Every adult and child should own a bicycle and ride it regularly. Bicycles are healthy exercise and fossil fuels free transportation. Electric bicycles are bringing many older adults back to cycling. Ride to work, ride to school, ride for health or ride for fun. Children should be able to ride a bicycle to school without having to dodge cars and trucks. Separated and protected bike lanes are required. It will also make the roads safer for automobile drivers. Transportation planners and elected officials need to encourage people to walk, bike and take public transportation. Healthy exercise and fossil fuels free transportation. In the future cities will be redesigned for people not cars. Crazy big parking lots will be transformed with solar canopies generating free energy from the sun.
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KJSvitko
All homes should be built to accommodate the elderly and disabled. This will be better for everyone.
Large wide doorways and hallways make using a cane, walker or wheel chair much easier.
Bathrooms or wet rooms need to have flat floors and no shower hump or pan. A flat floor allows for easy access and drains need to provided.
Easy to use lever door and faucet handles are easier for the elderly to grip and open.
Main floors should include a master bedroom, restroom, shower, laundry and wide walk in closet with few steps to enter.
Homes should be designed with aging in place in mind.
New homes should come with solar panels, a rain water collection system and an electric vehicle charger in the garage.
All new buildings should be designed with large roof overhangs. The large overhang provides beauty and protection from the sun, rain and wind.
Protection of the doors, windows and siding make for a more durable and comfortable home. Water is the enemy of buildings.
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All homes should be built to accommodate the elderly and disabled. This will be better for everyone.
Large wide doorways and hallways make using a cane, walker or wheel chair much easier.
Bathrooms or wet rooms need to have flat floors and no shower hump or pan. A flat floor allows for easy access and drains need to provided.
Easy to use lever door and faucet handles are easier for the elderly to grip and open.
Main floors should include a master bedroom, restroom, shower, laundry and wide walk in closet with few steps to enter.
Homes should be designed with aging in place in mind.
New homes should come with solar panels, a rain water collection system and an electric vehicle charger in the garage.
All new buildings should be designed with large roof overhangs. The large overhang provides beauty and protection from the sun, rain and wind.
Protection of the doors, windows and siding make for a more durable and comfortable home. Water is the enemy of buildings.
reply
blubaughmr
As an architect nearing retirement, I've often felt architects and planners come from different planets.
I recently had to turn down a job designing a doggie daycare because the zoning wouldn't allow it, but the zoning would allow a veterinary office. Are they really that different My first step on any project is always to check if the zoning allows a use, because usually it doesn't. Although there is starting to be some momentum behind fixing the problem, Seattle is full of ghost neighborhood markets, because in the distant past they went from permitted to not permitted, and at some point the market closed and lost its grandfathered status. For a few years I lived in an apartment directly above a neighborhood market, and for me, it was an amenity, not some sort of plague that needed to be eliminated.
It's nice to see there is building recognition that things have been over-regulated and there is some movement toward allowing a little more mixing of uses.
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As an architect nearing retirement, I've often felt architects and planners come from different planets.
I recently had to turn down a job designing a doggie daycare because the zoning wouldn't allow it, but the zoning would allow a veterinary office. Are they really that different My first step on any project is always to check if the zoning allows a use, because usually it doesn't. Although there is starting to be some momentum behind fixing the problem, Seattle is full of ghost neighborhood markets, because in the distant past they went from permitted to not permitted, and at some point the market closed and lost its grandfathered status. For a few years I lived in an apartment directly above a neighborhood market, and for me, it was an amenity, not some sort of plague that needed to be eliminated.
It's nice to see there is building recognition that things have been over-regulated and there is some movement toward allowing a little more mixing of uses.
reply
KJSvitko
Daily exercise is key to as healthy life. Ride a bicycle to school, work or for fun.
Riding a bicycle is a great way to exercise. Ebikes are bringing many older adults back to cycling.
Cities need to do more to encourage people to ride bicycles. Safe protected bike lanes and trails are needed so adults and children can ride safely. Speak up for bicycles in your community. Bicycles make life and cities better. Ask your local transportation planner and elected officials to support more protected bike lanes and trails. Children should be riding a bicycle to school and not be driven in a minivan. Be healthier and happier. Ride a bicycle regularly.
Make a bicycle your transportation option for short distance travel.
reply
Daily exercise is key to as healthy life. Ride a bicycle to school, work or for fun.
Riding a bicycle is a great way to exercise. Ebikes are bringing many older adults back to cycling.
Cities need to do more to encourage people to ride bicycles. Safe protected bike lanes and trails are needed so adults and children can ride safely. Speak up for bicycles in your community. Bicycles make life and cities better. Ask your local transportation planner and elected officials to support more protected bike lanes and trails. Children should be riding a bicycle to school and not be driven in a minivan. Be healthier and happier. Ride a bicycle regularly.
Make a bicycle your transportation option for short distance travel.
reply
borjalarrain6335
But why should building heights and densities be restricted by a centralized plan Could't this be left to the market Just like parking spaces as you say. The same with land use, there are a few uses with obvious externalities, but most commercial uses have little impact and would pop up organically in neighborhoods if zoning didn't restrict it. Alain Bertaud wrote a great book called Order without Design: How Markets Shape Cities, and argues that planners should focus more on designing public space (streets and parks) than micromanaging private space with regulations of FAR, parking, setback, etc. Maybe zoning should be eliminated, or greatly scaled back like in Japan. What do you think
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But why should building heights and densities be restricted by a centralized plan Could't this be left to the market Just like parking spaces as you say. The same with land use, there are a few uses with obvious externalities, but most commercial uses have little impact and would pop up organically in neighborhoods if zoning didn't restrict it. Alain Bertaud wrote a great book called Order without Design: How Markets Shape Cities, and argues that planners should focus more on designing public space (streets and parks) than micromanaging private space with regulations of FAR, parking, setback, etc. Maybe zoning should be eliminated, or greatly scaled back like in Japan. What do you think
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m. lozano9970
What i dont get is that city planners worry so much about high vehicle traffic yet they want wider roads, more right of way. require landscaping to be on private property yet none of that landscaping is required in the right if way. They take land in the form of land dedication just to add nore sidewalk yet adjacent to the sidewalk is a 45 mph major road that is not safe to walk along. If cities want less vehicle traffic the solution is to remove vehicle infrastructure and give land back to the private property.
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What i dont get is that city planners worry so much about high vehicle traffic yet they want wider roads, more right of way. require landscaping to be on private property yet none of that landscaping is required in the right if way. They take land in the form of land dedication just to add nore sidewalk yet adjacent to the sidewalk is a 45 mph major road that is not safe to walk along. If cities want less vehicle traffic the solution is to remove vehicle infrastructure and give land back to the private property.
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krestenfm
When I opened this video I expected a general overview of land use planning and it's diversity around the world, something I would have found very interesting to see your take on as I am a European city planner.
Instead I got an overview of the American land use planning system, which, while interesting, wasn't what I clicked the video for.
You could have prevented this so easily with the addition of in the US in your title, especially given that you quite often do cover planning outside of the US.
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When I opened this video I expected a general overview of land use planning and it's diversity around the world, something I would have found very interesting to see your take on as I am a European city planner.
Instead I got an overview of the American land use planning system, which, while interesting, wasn't what I clicked the video for.
You could have prevented this so easily with the addition of in the US in your title, especially given that you quite often do cover planning outside of the US.
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AlanMullett
It sounds like the US has its eye on what is considered normal in Europe. Being able to walk for five minutes from a home, pick up some milk and bread, and walk home, is possible almost anywhere. The UK has small parades of shops all over in residential areas, often with small flats built above them. It's part of the culture we have and is, well, just normal; it's popping down to the corner shop, which may or may not be on a corner, is a phrase well understood.
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It sounds like the US has its eye on what is considered normal in Europe. Being able to walk for five minutes from a home, pick up some milk and bread, and walk home, is possible almost anywhere. The UK has small parades of shops all over in residential areas, often with small flats built above them. It's part of the culture we have and is, well, just normal; it's popping down to the corner shop, which may or may not be on a corner, is a phrase well understood.
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Tyurannical
It's so weird to hear this topic presented so apolitically or idealistically, when anyone who's ever gotten involved in their local city's planning process knows it's intensely political and that good policy outcomes are far from guaranteed. Public consultation, zoning and regional plans are all tools that can be used just as easily to further the interests of the well-off and older residents over the broader public good rather than serve it.
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It's so weird to hear this topic presented so apolitically or idealistically, when anyone who's ever gotten involved in their local city's planning process knows it's intensely political and that good policy outcomes are far from guaranteed. Public consultation, zoning and regional plans are all tools that can be used just as easily to further the interests of the well-off and older residents over the broader public good rather than serve it.
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tann_man
Your presentation is incredibly biased towards totalitarianism and bureaucracy.
Give the people who actually live in the area the freedom of what to build and where. This organic growth is how the most beautiful people friendly European villages were built. Industrial plants have no incentive to purchase the more expensive land near where the people live. Polluters can still be held to account via lawsuits and the risk of lawsuits.
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Your presentation is incredibly biased towards totalitarianism and bureaucracy.
Give the people who actually live in the area the freedom of what to build and where. This organic growth is how the most beautiful people friendly European villages were built. Industrial plants have no incentive to purchase the more expensive land near where the people live. Polluters can still be held to account via lawsuits and the risk of lawsuits.
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dpstq2
My city beautiful basics plan would have the following: Japanese zoning laws dutch style streets missing middle housing public transport based off Japanese or Swiss models. More people should be educated about city planing because so much of our future is wrap up in quality of life, and quality of life is linked to city planning. Keep on informing the public about the best ideas of city planning, we the people need it.
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My city beautiful basics plan would have the following: Japanese zoning laws dutch style streets missing middle housing public transport based off Japanese or Swiss models. More people should be educated about city planing because so much of our future is wrap up in quality of life, and quality of life is linked to city planning. Keep on informing the public about the best ideas of city planning, we the people need it.
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thefarmercox6862
Land zoning is actually kind of alien to me: as a UK citizen, the laws are much more lax, in terms of mixed use housing, since some houses may provide services, like one of my family friends runs a hair salon from their living room, music lessons in people's homes, etc.
Also it detracts from the fact that mixed-use zoning is probably some of the most unifying, in terms of community-building!
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Land zoning is actually kind of alien to me: as a UK citizen, the laws are much more lax, in terms of mixed use housing, since some houses may provide services, like one of my family friends runs a hair salon from their living room, music lessons in people's homes, etc.
Also it detracts from the fact that mixed-use zoning is probably some of the most unifying, in terms of community-building!
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billyte1265
Its absolutely disgusting that monetary incentives are used to prod cities to comply with the plan. These plans should be done locally, not prodded into place by giant central governments. You wonder why we have such trash land use in the US Well its probably in part because of one-size-fits-all incentives pushed from the top down to prod everyone to comply with their shitty plans.
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Its absolutely disgusting that monetary incentives are used to prod cities to comply with the plan. These plans should be done locally, not prodded into place by giant central governments. You wonder why we have such trash land use in the US Well its probably in part because of one-size-fits-all incentives pushed from the top down to prod everyone to comply with their shitty plans.
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aaronjones8905
I take the position that those who own their land/buildings should get to make most, if not all, of the decisions. New codes are trying to fix problems that were created by old codes in a never ending loop. The government should limit their intervention to the essential services they provide and allow the market to meet the needs of the population.
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I take the position that those who own their land/buildings should get to make most, if not all, of the decisions. New codes are trying to fix problems that were created by old codes in a never ending loop. The government should limit their intervention to the essential services they provide and allow the market to meet the needs of the population.
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Jen-444
I'm not a city planner, I didn't study anything remotely related, I don't live in the US. And I still find these videos super interesting and easy to follow, just for general knowledge! No idea how I ended up here a while ago but thanks for making these videos so easily accessible for everyone: )
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I'm not a city planner, I didn't study anything remotely related, I don't live in the US. And I still find these videos super interesting and easy to follow, just for general knowledge! No idea how I ended up here a while ago but thanks for making these videos so easily accessible for everyone: )
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GetSmartish
LOL! Houston being one major exception. Born and raised (and forced to commute) within Houston, it demonstrates the real meaning of US/Texas exceptionalism. Full disclosure: H-Town is a great place in many respects, it's civil infrastructure is just not one of them.
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LOL! Houston being one major exception. Born and raised (and forced to commute) within Houston, it demonstrates the real meaning of US/Texas exceptionalism. Full disclosure: H-Town is a great place in many respects, it's civil infrastructure is just not one of them.
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ymi_yugy3133
I wonder what kinds of emergent behavior we would see with a much less regulated zoning code. It appears that the only modern day examples we have are slums and it's quite difficult to separate the effects of poverty and unregulated growth.
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I wonder what kinds of emergent behavior we would see with a much less regulated zoning code. It appears that the only modern day examples we have are slums and it's quite difficult to separate the effects of poverty and unregulated growth.
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Erik_Watkins
Ok but why shouldn't I be able to open a grocery store on the first level of my single family home That sound like such an easy way to de-corporatise things like groceries and convert suburbs into mixed-use neighbourhoods.
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Ok but why shouldn't I be able to open a grocery store on the first level of my single family home That sound like such an easy way to de-corporatise things like groceries and convert suburbs into mixed-use neighbourhoods.
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growingup15
maybe im the only one that notice this but You need to move your camera up just a bit. The top of your head was getting cut off and it felt like I was looking at the top of my screen. The framing threw me off so much
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maybe im the only one that notice this but You need to move your camera up just a bit. The top of your head was getting cut off and it felt like I was looking at the top of my screen. The framing threw me off so much
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