In the mid-2000s, residents of Hobbs, New Mexico were debating a proposal to implement comprehensive zoning. I was hired as a consultant to fight the proposed zoning ordinance. The article below was published in the local newspaper. $ $ $ Zoning advocates have claimed that zoning will improve our “quality of life”, but they have…
In the mid-2000s, residents of Hobbs, New Mexico were debating a proposal to implement comprehensive zoning. I was hired as a consultant to fight the proposed zoning ordinance. The article below was published in the local newspaper. $ $ $ The Maddox Foundation has offered a grant of $15 million to the City of Hobbs…
In the mid-2000s, residents of Hobbs, New Mexico were debating a proposal to implement comprehensive zoning. I was hired as a consultant to fight the proposed zoning ordinance. The article below was published in the local newspaper. $ $ $ On October 30, 2005 an Editorial in this newspaper stated that the city commission should…
One hundred and twenty years ago the American West was a vast, open area brimming with natural resources and opportunity. Cow towns and mining camps sprung up across the landscape. From around the world, millions of people flocked to the Western territories with the hope of making a better life for themselves. Many came to…
The following talk was delivered at a luncheon hosted by the Houston Property Rights Association on May 14, 1993. The warning was not heeded. During the debate over zoning, its proponents have made many claims about zoning: it will encourage economic growth, it will improve our “quality of life,” it will prevent “undesirable” land…
Environmental groups are infamous for using litigation and political pressure to achieve their goals. They believe that restrictions and regulations are the proper course of action. However, an alternative approach is embraced by many organizations and businesses concerned about protecting natural resources. My article in Kiwanis Magazine, “Zoned natural,” explores this alternative. Click here to…
While visitors often marvel at the skyscrapers that dominate downtown Houston, many are unaware of one of the city’s hidden gems. More than six miles of pedestrian tunnels run throughout the central business district. The tunnel system is filled with restaurants, banks, retail shops, and a host of other businesses. Perhaps most amazing is the…