Subdude Posted October 18, 2009 Share Posted October 18, 2009 Houston's next mayor will confront this question at a time when the Ashby project has focused renewed attention on Houston's land-use policy, even as the recession has slowed local development. Across the country, ideas about effective city-building are in flux, and some planners see unzoned Houston as an ideal laboratory for new ideas.The new mayor's policies will determine how the city responds to developments, like the Ashby project, that are resisted by neighbors. More broadly, the next administration will influence the form of development that absorbs the enormous growth expected in the Houston area in the next 20 years.While neighborhoods across Houston have struggled with development problems, current discussions inevitably circle back to the high-profile Ashby controversy, which has dragged on for more than two years.As originally designed, the project embodied qualities planners are encouraging in urban development: A mix of homes and shops that reduces the need to drive for daily errands. But its location at the intersection of two two-lane streets prompted the city to reject the developers' application eight times.I thought this was interesting:For example, Morales said, sign restrictions have cost sign company employees their jobs and hurt the economy. Asked whether visual blight might not discourage business investment in Houston, he replied, “If they want to go to a place that's attractive, let them go to Los Angeles, San Francisco, Denver. People come here for business, to make money. That's what the city's been known for.”If people want the city to be attractive we should tell them to go somewhere else? Sheesh...Link to full article Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtticaFlinch Posted October 18, 2009 Share Posted October 18, 2009 If people want the city to be attractive we should tell them to go somewhere else? Sheesh...Or the argument from the other side (Chron commenter):Some people in Houston find out the hard way about No-Zoning in Houston. You buy a nice home and a night club pops up and you have to deal with the noise, traffic, trash, gun shots, and people having sex in your yard when you are trying to sleep. No place but Houston.He trumped the argument with the last one, "sex in your yard." Because really, noise, traffic, trash and gun shots are in every city in America, but people getting sexy widdit all over your manicured grass is something that only runs rampant here. And my god, is it ever rampant here! I just looked out my window and saw about ten couples doin' it in other peoples yards. I guess it wouldn't be so bad if we weren't the fattest city in America, but yeesh... it looks like two wildebeests rutting.Oh, dear me, if only we had teh zoning, then people would stop fornicating in the grass. Hey you kids, you really fat kids, get off my lawn! Where's my waterhose? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
citykid09 Posted October 18, 2009 Share Posted October 18, 2009 For example, Morales said, sign restrictions have cost sign company employees their jobs and hurt the economy. Asked whether visual blight might not discourage business investment in Houston, he replied, “If they want to go to a place that's attractive, let them go to Los Angeles, San Francisco, Denver. People come here for business, to make money. That's what the city's been known for.”What a dumb statement! He just lost a lot of votes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talbot Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 I doubt many were paying attention to Morales in the first place. But I could be wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.