Arbitrary Lines by M. Nolan Gray
How Zoning Broke the American City and How to Fix It
Arguing that conventional zoning has damaged American cities, this book traces how rules like single-family districts and parking minimums raise housing costs, entrench segregation, fuel sprawl, and lock in car dependence. It recounts the legal and political history behind these regulations, highlights real-world case studies, and shows how less prescriptive approaches can better manage genuine externalities. The proposed path forward includes upzoning, legalizing mixed-use and small apartments, eliminating parking mandates, and ultimately replacing Euclidean zoning with simpler, outcome-focused standards to create more affordable, equitable, and walkable communities.
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- Published
- 2022
- Nationality
- American
- Length
- Short
- Pages
- 224-256
- Original Language
- English
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- Alternate Titles
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