NO ZONING - tell me about it...positives and negatives (Houston: apartments, rental) - Texas (TX) - City-Data Forum

Tiger Beer · 03-20-2009, 02:56 PM

I've driven through Houston, but don't know it well enough.

I love the idea of 'no zoning'. So you could technically start a business from your house if you wanted? Is it also possible to have stores nearby your house that you can walk to and such?

I've never been a fan of zoning cities to death...where to get a coke/soda and rent a movie is a 'get in the car' event.

modster · 03-20-2009, 05:43 PM

The virtues of no zoning depend upon who you talk to. If your goal is to have more walkable, pedestrian friendly environments then no, it has NOT produced that. If anything quite the opposite.

This is speaking in broad generalizations, but everything a big city should have is here, but it is spread out. Personally I blame the lack of zoning for allowing things to pop up everywhere, rather than concentrated in certain "zones" or "districts." Obviously there are exceptions to the rule.

As for being able to open a business at your house, depends. There is not zoning, however, individual developments have deed-restrictions. Land use covenants originally written into the deeds by the developer that regulate what you can do. Some older areas, like many parts of Montrose, Heights, or the northern parts of Riverside Terrace, all let these restrictions expire. In these areas it is more of a free-for-all. Houses are often torn down and replaced with 3 or 4 townhomes, businesses open up in homes, etc.

Older areas that still have restrictions are usually limited to single-family homes, no commercial, no hospital or clinic use, you can't raise poultry or drill for oil and a few odd old restrictions like that. Most of these are enforced by local civic clubs through either the city of Houston's legal department or private attorneys.

Newer developments have Home Owner Associations, (HOA), that have mandatory dues. Restrictions can go as far as regulating you must maintain your property to a certain standard, type of fencing you can put up, even colors you can paint your house in some circumstances.

Topaz · 03-20-2009, 06:02 PM

No zoning means you can have day care facilities next to tattoo parlors and luxury apartments next to junk yards. I can't think of any good reason for a city to have a no zoning policy, unless it is to avoid bad zoning laws. The ideal is good zoning laws...personally I like Sugar Land's zoning laws, although I know they aren't without controversy.

usc619 · 03-20-2009, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Topaz

No zoning means you can have day care facilities next to tattoo parlors and luxury apartments next to junk yards. I can't think of any good reason for a city to have a no zoning policy, unless it is to avoid bad zoning laws. The ideal is good zoning laws...personally I like Sugar Land's zoning laws, although I know they aren't without controversy.

ditto

crbcrbrgv · 03-20-2009, 07:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Topaz

No zoning means you can have day care facilities next to tattoo parlors and luxury apartments next to junk yards. I can't think of any good reason for a city to have a no zoning policy, unless it is to avoid bad zoning laws. The ideal is good zoning laws...personally I like Sugar Land's zoning laws, although I know they aren't without controversy.

Well if it wasn't for Houston's no zoning ways, there would be no Sugar Land.

astrohip · 03-21-2009, 07:50 AM

And yet, with our lack of zoning, we are the city least affected by the recession. Strong population growth, fewer jobs lost, dramatically less drop in home value than any other major city.

There are pros & cons. But reading the above posts, you would think we're lucky to have survived as a city. And zoning has been voted on several times, every ten years or so. And fails repeatedly. By a large margin.

AK123 · 03-21-2009, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crbcrbrgv

Well if it wasn't for Houston's no zoning ways, there would be no Sugar Land.

How is that? I thought Sugar Land the city was the result of growth of the Imperial Sugar Company?

If you mean Sugar Land adopted zoning so as not to look like ugly parts of Houston, then yes, perhaps.

Metro Matt · 03-21-2009, 02:43 PM

No zoning laws makes Houston feel more "free" from government telling you what you can & can't do. It also makes for a very quirky, artsy city. Houston is the best kept secret in the country for artists.

usc619 · 03-21-2009, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Metro Matt

No zoning laws makes Houston feel more "free" from government telling you what you can & can't do. .

yes, it's a place where you can set up a rental slum right next to a pre-school and not pay the water bill, not keep the place up to code, and maybe even have an apartment fire to top it off.
Don't worry, the city and the state will do nothing about it.
Judge decides local mobile home park is unsafe to live | TOP STORIES | KHOU.com | News for Houston, Texas (http://www.khou.com/topstories/stories/khou090320_mp_sewage-mobile-home-park.55eacead.html - broken link)

City of Houston shuts down Almeda Chateau complex in southeast Houston - 3/09/09 - Houston News - abc13.com

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westres1 · 03-21-2009, 06:24 PM

yes it is good for small business but it also makes Houston different. It has a strange vibe that other cities lack. you can have a 400,000 house next to a lot filled with old toilets or a mansion next to a crack house. It is weird but it is Houston. I voted for zoning in the 90's and I dont think it has been up since then. I want strip clubs in their own zip and a little more structure but it is what it is.