The city without zoning

Chapter 1

How Houston grew without a master plan

Chapter 2

The hidden rules shaping the streets

Chapter 3

Living in the ultimate urban mix

YOUR GOAL

Master of The city without zoning

Ch 2 · The hidden rules shaping the streets

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BETA

dash Place shops, homes, and factories anywhere to discover how cities grow without zoning laws.

Jul 19

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dash Houston's Unzoned Development

We've got no zoning lines! (No way!) But the deed restrictions get it done! (Get it done!)

Jul 19

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dash Why parking rules dictate building size

Jul 19

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dash Strict off-street parking minimums heavily influence what developers can build in Houston.

Jul 19

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dash City-mandated building setbacks determine how far structures must sit from the street.

Jul 19

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Fun Fact

Private rules: Even without zoning, private deed restrictions in Houston can ban homeowners from parking pickup trucks in driveways.

Jul 19

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Gossip

Should neighbors have the right to ban pink houses?

Jul 19

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Quiz

Approximately what percentage of Houston's residential areas use private deed restrictions?

Jul 19

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dash Deed restrictions instead of public laws

Jul 19

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Quiz

Who is responsible for enforcing private deed restrictions in Houston?

Jul 19

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dash The power of the setback rule

Jul 19

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Quiz

What did Houston's historic parking minimum rules require businesses to build?

Jul 19

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dash The townhouse boom of Chapter 42

Jul 19

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Quiz

What private agreements do Houston neighborhoods use to restrict land use without city laws?

Jul 19

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Quiz

What type of housing experienced a massive boom in Houston after the 1998 policy change?

Jul 19

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Quiz

Which of the following can a private deed restriction regulate that zoning normally does not?

Jul 19

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Quiz

What does a 'setback rule' regulate in urban planning?

Jul 19

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Quiz

How did Houston's 1998 Chapter 42 amendment change the minimum lot size for homes?

Jul 19