Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Texas > Houston
 [Register]
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 10-14-2009, 02:34 PM
 
1,164 posts, read 2,059,005 times
Reputation: 819

Advertisements

I just got back from some time in the suburbs of Philadelphia, where sprawl seems to be enshrined in low-density zoning laws. Places to live must be miles from places to eat, which are miles from places to work. Just like Houston. I was surprised, because much ado is made about Houston's lack of zoning. So I started thinking...

Is there any one place in Houston that exists due to a lack of zoning that could not be found in a zoned city? It would be challenging to find this.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 10-14-2009, 02:44 PM
 
Location: ✶✶✶✶
15,216 posts, read 30,553,434 times
Reputation: 10851
Actually, you don't need to be miles from places to eat or shop if you don't have zoning, or at least the traditional form of it.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 09-29-2010, 07:28 PM
 
Location: Macao
16,258 posts, read 43,185,236 times
Reputation: 10258
Quote:
Originally Posted by Joe_Ryder View Post
I'm a native Houstonian who's lived in Oakland CA since the mid-1980s. Zoning has made massive residential neighborhoods with no grocery store. It's always struck me a little odd that you can't build a grocery store where people actually live.
Seems like across most of America. As a person who has lived abroad for many years, and car has always been optional. it is difficult going back to the States, and seeing grocery stores and basic amenities for a neighborhood being ILLEGAL and AGAINST THE LAW.

It's one of my biggest beefs with this 'America, land of the free', but you can't even open a store selling FOOD of all things in your own community.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 09-29-2010, 08:17 PM
 
Location: West Houston
1,075 posts, read 2,916,398 times
Reputation: 1394
Yes, one thing I like about Houston is the fact that there are 4 excellent grocery stores within about a 5 minute drive from my house (as opposed to all the way across town in other places).
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 09-29-2010, 08:37 PM
 
Location: The Greater Houston Metro Area
9,053 posts, read 17,195,821 times
Reputation: 15226
Quote:
Originally Posted by Malvie View Post
Yes, one thing I like about Houston is the fact that there are 4 excellent grocery stores within about a 5 minute drive from my house (as opposed to all the way across town in other places).
People come in and rave about the selection and low prices (which is from healthy competition). I guess I just take it for granted and it is one of the nice things about no zoning.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-03-2014, 11:24 PM
 
1 posts, read 1,210 times
Reputation: 10
So with no zoning do you still need to submit building permits and have everything build to code???? or can you just build what ever you want when you want where you want as long as you own the property?
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-04-2014, 06:19 AM
 
6,720 posts, read 8,388,075 times
Reputation: 10409
I guess I am oblivious to all the strip clubs in town, you guys make it sound like there are a ton of them? I think there may be some still on Hwy 6, far away from neighborhoods. The few on Westheimer and Richmond area. Some near 610 south and some on 45 out ne ar Galveston. Realistically how many homes are affected?
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-04-2014, 10:22 AM
 
6,720 posts, read 8,388,075 times
Reputation: 10409
Quote:
Originally Posted by Anon1111 View Post
So with no zoning do you still need to submit building permits and have everything build to code???? or can you just build what ever you want when you want where you want as long as you own the property?
You still have to do everything to code and use building permits. The non zoning means that you can build businesses throughout the city. So you have neighborhoods that are surrounded by stores, gas stations, and business offices. Neighborhoods have rules and regulations, so you don't have a gas station in the middle of your neighborhood.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-04-2014, 10:46 AM
 
Location: Houston/Brenham
5,819 posts, read 7,231,565 times
Reputation: 12317
Quote:
Originally Posted by Anon1111 View Post
So with no zoning do you still need to submit building permits and have everything build to code???? or can you just build what ever you want when you want where you want as long as you own the property?
No zoning is about WHAT type of use you can build. Like commercial, residential, gas station. It's why the Ashby hi-rise could be built next to a residential neighborhood, on a 2 lane street.

Houston has many restrictions on where you can build or operate many types of businesses. No strip clubs next to schools, all buildings have to be set-back 6 feet, etc.

And any structure has to meet building codes. And deed restrictions. And HOA restrictions.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-04-2014, 11:19 AM
 
18,129 posts, read 25,278,015 times
Reputation: 16835
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tiger Beer View Post
Seems like across most of America. As a person who has lived abroad for many years, and car has always been optional. it is difficult going back to the States, and seeing grocery stores and basic amenities for a neighborhood being ILLEGAL and AGAINST THE LAW.

It's one of my biggest beefs with this 'America, land of the free', but you can't even open a store selling FOOD of all things in your own community.
Free to keep you miles away from their neighborhood
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:


Settings
X
Data:
Loading data...
Based on 2000-2020 data
Loading data...

123
Hide US histogram


Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Texas > Houston

All times are GMT -6. The time now is 07:22 AM.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top