In the last post, we briefly examined the contradictory goals of some opponents of Austin’s proposed new land-use regulations. The opponents support regulations that limit density and impose other controls on developers that add as much as 40 percent to the cost of new housing. In this post, we will examine the moral component of…
It is understandable that individuals are more passionate about property rights issues that have a direct impact on their lives. For example, rural Texans are more concerned about eminent domain, water rights, and endangered species regulations, and they have little or no concern about historic preservation or tree protection ordinances. Urban Texans are more concerned…
For the past five years, the city of Austin has been working on a revised land-use ordinance called CodeNext. The ordinance has grown to 1,500 pages and is attracting a great deal of controversy. Opponents have organized a petition drive to submit the plan to voters. One group opposed to the the new ordinance, Community…
Twenty-five years ago, Al Norman led an effort to prevent Walmart from building a store in Greenfield, Massachusetts. In the years since, he has helped keep big-box stores out of dozens of small towns across the country. Norman and his fellow activists claim that their efforts are aimed at helping small, independent retailers. National chains,…
In the 2017 legislative session, Texas lawmakers considered numerous bills aimed at limiting the ability of local governments to pass ordinances regulating private property. One of these bills addressed short-term rentals (STRs). According to the Texas Tribune, proponents of SB451 (the Senate bill addressing STRs), said that the bill “would protect homeowners from strict local…
During the 2017 Texas legislative session, protecting property rights from violations by local governments was a recurring subject and the source of great controversy. Legislators introduced bills to rescind local ordinances pertaining to plastic bag bans, tree removal, short-term rentals, and more. Gov. Gregg Abbott called a special session largely for the explicit purpose of…
Before the flood waters in Houston had even stopped rising, calls for more land-use regulations to reduce flooding were being voiced. As one example, Bill Balleza on KPRC questioned the wisdom of allowing development near Addicks and Barker reservoirs. In the Chronicle, Bill King wrote, “We will need new, no tolerance development rules prohibit new…
In November 2015, the Austin City Council passed a temporary moratorium on new licenses for Type 2, non-owner-occupied short-term rentals (STRs). A few months later, the moratorium was made permanent. At the same time, the city prohibited “assemblies” of more than six people between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m., effectively banning backyard cookouts and birthday…
The city of Frisco is considering an ordinance that will require developers to devote at least 10 percent of their land to open space and they must include at least eight amenities, such as lawn furniture and trees. Frisco Planning Manager Anthony Satarino said the reason for these changes is to keep up with the trends…
This was originally posted on Live Oaks on June 24, 2010. Comments have not been migrated. I previously commented on a piece by Joel Kotkin titled “Houston: Model City” that appeared in Forbes. Kotkin writes: Politicians in big cities talk about jobs, but by keeping taxes, fees and regulatory barriers high they discourage the creation…
This was originally posted on Live Oaks on May 7, 2010. Comments have not been migrated. For decades zoning advocates have promised that the evils of hell would be unleashed upon Houston if we did not adopt comprehensive zoning. The prognosticators have claimed that the city won’t attract businesses, that our quality of life will…