Zoning - Case Studies & Examples

"Will 2021 Be the Year Zoning Reform Reaches Critical Mass?"

Something remarkable is happening this year in City Halls across America.

"Did Sacramento Just Approve the Best Local Housing Reform Yet?"

There are only a couple reforms Strong Towns recommends unequivocally for every town and city. Sacramento just passed both of them…unanimously…in one evening.

"How Zoning Codes Reinforce Car Dependency"

A look at how regulations shape land use in Marietta, Georgia, illustrates a vicious cycle: when your zoning code is premised on car-dependency, car-dependency becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

"Legalize Accessory Commercial Units"

Accessory Commercial Units spur entrepreneurship and build a city’s prosperity. The problem? Many zoning laws make them functionally illegal.

"'A High School Education and an Hour of Your Time'"

Those two things are all you should need to be able to make sense of your city's zoning code. At least that's the philosophy guiding South Bend, Indiana, planners as they overhaul the city's regulations to be more legible and useful.

"A Small Zoning Change Could Have Big Implications For Lexington"

In the face of new growth, one city makes a simple change that unlocks huge potential.

"How Lexington Can Expand Affordable Housing (Without Touching the UGB)"

Three simple tactics could expand affordable housing options in Lexington, Kentucky, and other midsize cities like it.

What Can Assembling a Pizza Teach Us About Strong Communities?

Would you rather have a pizza, or the ingredients of a pizza arranged in separate piles? This analogy has something to teach us about the consequences of how we organize our cities.

• 2023 KUA Zoning Board Member Guide.pdf30 KB