Portland Transport: Height Limits: Another Zoning Decision that Causes Sprawl
In his post, Metro councilor Rex Burkholder wrote:
Troutdale, like Lake Oswego, Wilsonville and other suburbs, have very low height limits for buildings even in their "downtowns." Height limits are intended to maintain a "village" feel, even if these "villages" are part of a bustling metropolis and the "villagers" mostly commute to the high density towers of the city to make their livings while the wife and kids are safely ensconced in Pleasantville. This is an example of citizens using zoning codes to enforce a particular lifestyle and class structure on their communities. (See previous post on Sprawl and Zoning).
Technorati tags: Rex Burkholder, height limits, sprawl, City of Troutdale, Pleasantville, zoning codes
March 2, 2006 10:06 PM
rex Burkholder Says:
"Government didn't create zoning; special interests used government to create value for themselves and to protect that value. Zoning was created to separate the bourguosie from the lower elements (most zoning is exclusionary--large lots, minimum housing values--designed to keep the low income populations away.)
Of course, when the real estate development industry persuaded Congress to grant deductions for home mortgage interest, enact the Veterans home purchase program, as well as the federal home mortgage guarantee, even working class folks could afford a ranch house on a cul-de-sac. Unfortunately, like the popularization of the automobile, what started as a high value luxury for the rich (country life and mobility) ends up being devalued as it is over-built. Result: congestion and sprawl."
Just so folks in Troutdale know what your elected Metro officials think of our community.
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