why is houston so geographically large? (Bellaire, Atlanta: fit in, condos, neighborhood)

[SouthernBoy205]

Originally Posted by jfre81

The same way NYC did. Annexing outlying land/other cities. Brooklyn was its own town at one point and New York, New York was just Manhattan. And back then, Houston wasn't much bigger than the area around modern-day downtown. Permissive annexation laws in Texas, a relative lack of natural boundaries and the age of the automobile and freeways just led to it getting bigger.

City limits should not be confused with anything besides a political boundary and jurisdiction. When you go out on I-10 toward Katy, you'll see a sign that informs you you're "Leaving Houston." Not that you can really tell on one side or the other of that line which would be "the city" and which would be "not the city." It's all pretty much the same out there.

Zoning affects a lot of things, but not this. There is no zoning by default in unincorporated areas, because in Texas only municipalities can have zoning ordinances. Houston only annexed these places after their development, per the state's laws on annexation.

Interesting.

[cheryjohns]

Originally Posted by (-)

i guess it depends on who you are asking. some like zoning, some don't. i think i fall in the middle. i don't think anything is a good idea when you have no rules to follow or obey. unchecked building probably doesn't help ones real estate investment since you can keep clearing and building as you please.

No zoning would be a very bad thing without the HOAs in place. It's what keeps the neighborhoods under control.

[Liljo22]

Originally Posted by (-)

are you serious? they don't have zoning laws in houston? wow

No zoning but there are ordiances that keep some sort of structure.

[(-)]

Originally Posted by jfre81

The same way NYC did. Annexing outlying land/other cities. Brooklyn was its own town at one point and New York, New York was just Manhattan. And back then, Houston wasn't much bigger than the area around modern-day downtown. Permissive annexation laws in Texas, a relative lack of natural boundaries and the age of the automobile and freeways just led to it getting bigger.

City limits should not be confused with anything besides a political boundary and jurisdiction. When you go out on I-10 toward Katy, you'll see a sign that informs you you're "Leaving Houston." Not that you can really tell on one side or the other of that line which would be "the city" and which would be "not the city." It's all pretty much the same out there.

Zoning affects a lot of things, but not this. There is no zoning by default in unincorporated areas, because in Texas only municipalities can have zoning ordinances. Houston only annexed these places after their development, per the state's laws on annexation.

Very interesting. I do find that the "line" between a city and it's surrounding burbs is more distinguishable on the east coast than it is out west and down south. Generally most east coast cities are dense and older whereas the suburbs that surround them are more spread out and newer looking, hence the appeal to some buyers. Down south and out west, i've noticed that this isn't true at all. Have surrounding areas in Houston tried to stop from being annexed? Or is annexation by Houston seen as a relatively positive thing?

[(-)]

Originally Posted by Liljo22

No zoning but there are ordiances that keep some sort of structure.

are there any ordinances that protect historical sites/property in the city proper? i know that plays a big role in the zoning up north. You can't plop down a new walmart next to a 400 year old cathedral or church up here.

[nana053]

Originally Posted by (-)

are you serious? they don't have zoning laws in houston? wow

Yep, there is no zoning here. That's why HOAs are so prevalent, imo.

[annie_himself]

Can I ask why in the hell are there "leaving Houston city limits" signs when I'm on 610 south coming into Bellaire?

[tstone]

Originally Posted by jfre81

City limits should not be confused with anything besides a political boundary and jurisdiction.

Agreed, though this means many different things when you have equity in real estate. Every year those huge property tax bills arrive without fail, and regardless of where you live within the city limits, at least half of the money goes to the same taxing authorities whether you benefit or not. You also get City of Houston services, which many say are substandard compared to other municipalities.

The ''no-zoning'' thing mentioned by the OP is somewhat of a myth. There are HOA's and even "superneighborhood" rules that prohibit certain types of construction and ''eyesores'' on top of the city of Houston building codes. They also prohibit certain (naughty) types of businesses, although still within the city limits.

[CRBoyd91]

Originally Posted by annie_himself

Can I ask why in the hell are there "leaving Houston city limits" signs when I'm on 610 south coming into Bellaire?

Because you are leaving Houston City Limits and entering Bellaire, a separate municipality. And the question of whether annexation is seen as a good thing depends on where you go in the area. Places like Sugar Land, Bellaire, and the Memorial Villages all exist because of opposition to Houston's annexation proceedings.

[SL Hawkeye]

Originally Posted by (-)

are there any ordinances that protect historical sites/property in the city proper? i know that plays a big role in the zoning up north. You can't plop down a new walmart next to a 400 year old cathedral or church up here.

The only one I've heard of regards strip clubs and a required minimum distance from churches, schools, etc. It's new.

Not Houston, but the best example I can think of regarding the lack of related ordinances is the Alamo. I was surprised to find it surrounded by hotels, restaurants and shops.