The Deleted Scenes - Living On The Edge
My latest piece over at Resident Urbanist is about “cluster zoning”—a land-use strategy to reduce environmental impact by clustering homes close together and leaving more unbuilt green space, either, or both, in the development itself and in the general countryside. Now in an urban context this would be pretty much uncontroversial; it’s just density. But cluster zoning is typically discussed and applied in a semi-rural/exurban context. Whether or not a locality uses that name, it basically looks like this: As opposed to this: Cluster zoning is sort of an environmentalist idea which, I think, predates the mainstreaming of urbanism and housing issues. It makes the legitimate point that seeing green space doesn’t mean a place is environmentally friendly; paving over less overall land and using infrastructure more efficiently is environmentally friendly. There’s a popular image you’ll see on social media making this point (it was actually first made by a member of the YIMBYs of Northern Virginia group!): So all that checks out conceptually for me. But…not quite. A lot of housing and land-use folks instinctively dislike exurban density like this. It feels intuitively like the worst of both worlds: the raw crowdedness of a more urban place, without the street life or commerce or amenities of a city. The distance and compulsory driving of suburbia, without the privacy and quiet and open space. That’s certainly how I’ve always looked at these cluster developments. I always took them to be awful planning and developers being cheap more than an example of an actual planning strategy. I’ve even heard of cluster zoning before, and if you asked me about it, I’d say, yeah, of course, that makes sense. But I never recognized this as that. I have two things to say about it, and I’m curious how other urbanists and housing advocates view this. The first is that exurban or rural density isn’t weird at all—because that’s what a small town is! So why does it feel weird here? My supposition is that while the default American impulse is to complain about the density, the issue isn’t density but the lack of anything except residential development. In other words, low-density residential-only development feels natural to some extent, as does the varied (“mixed-use”) nature of the city. But high densities without any other uses or enterprises in proximity just feels weird.
While it would be difficult, if we could actually make villages instead of tightly packed subdivisions, I bet people would like it! They might tell you they wouldn’t like it. And yet the same people who would tell you they wouldn’t like it lament that they can’t walk to a little bakery or corner store or deli or cafe. We mostly just don’t have a template for what that would look like, other than “the city.” So at best, with some actual creativity and reform, these cluster developments seem like really good opportunities to build genuine new towns or villages. Places that have some “center,” some measure of their own economy. There are little bits and pieces of this here and there. Take a look at this development with a new, old-fashioned-looking church at the center! It’s very recent, and you can imagine maybe in 20 years a place like this maturing into a place. But the other thing I have to say is that I’m not sure we’d even need cluster zoning if we built enough housing in the urban cores and inner suburbs. Whatever the merits of the land-use strategy, a non-zero number of the people living in these houses don’t want to live here. It isn’t a perfectly engineered product that meets people’s desires. It’s a bland, checks-the-boxes-and-constraints thing you settle for. So cluster or not, we could avoid building a lot of this stuff if we just built enough in the places more people want to live. Why are we building out the countryside at all for something a lot of people who end up there don’t affirmatively want? Now, some people affirmatively want it. I got that viewpoint on Twitter where I had a couple of debates over this. Some people said something like, You move here because it’s cheap or because you don’t want urban life, you’re happy to give up a big lawn because your commute is long and you want to maximize family time, you like being closer to the country than to the city. In other words, the idea of good-sized houses on tiny lots far away from most things is actually exactly what some people want. I don’t doubt that, but I’m quite certain a large share of the people who end up in these houses haven’t made that sort of explicit choice and haven’t been waiting for exactly this kind of house. In another piece—scheduled, not published yet!—I write this:
Similarly, somebody choosing an exurban small-lot home because they can afford it and because the long commute makes lawn work less feasible, etc. etc.—for some people, that’s an actual affirmative preference. But for a lot of them, it’s just what they can make work. When you think about it, “People like this housing because it’s cheap” is an argument against it—it’s a way of saying they don’t like it because they like it. And that low price is squeezed from both ends: the lower price is offset in part by the cost of commuting and driving, and the price of more proximate housing is artificially high because we don’t sufficiently build in those places. Okay. So tell me if I’m wrong, and tell me if cluster zoning is good, bad, or complicated. Related Reading: Which Housing Is “Housing Crisis Housing”? Thank you for reading! Please consider upgrading to a paid subscription to help support this newsletter. You’ll get a weekly subscribers-only piece, plus full access to the archive: over 1,000 pieces and growing. And you’ll help ensure more like this! You're currently a free subscriber to The Deleted Scenes. For the full experience, upgrade your subscription. |
Older messages
A Pancake Amid Stacks
Wednesday, June 5, 2024
What Do You Think You're Looking At? #165 ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
Race You To Vine, Winner Gets A Walnut
Tuesday, June 4, 2024
Duplicate streets and thoughts on the nature of towns and cities ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
Technology, Delayed Gratification, And Cities
Monday, June 3, 2024
Urbanism is a physical manifestation of human needs ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
New and Old #163
Monday, June 3, 2024
Friday roundup and commentary ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
Saturation
Monday, June 3, 2024
Why does it feel harder to *do* anything these days? Or does it? ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
You Might Also Like
Nicole Kidman's Mermaid Gown Stole The Red Carpet At The Academy Museum Gala
Tuesday, October 22, 2024
Plus, all the best dressed stars of the night. The Zoe Report Daily The Zoe Report 10.21.2024 Is it normal to want to jet-set on another trip as soon as you get home from one? I just got settled back
The Two Steps to Getting Someone on the Anti-Racism Express
Monday, October 21, 2024
How to get people to acknowledge that racial inequities exist and that it's wrong. OHF WEEKLY The Two Steps to Getting Someone on the Anti-Racism Express How to get people to acknowledge that
7 Things You Should Do Now to Prep Your Car for Winter
Monday, October 21, 2024
How Skipping Homeowners Insurance Can Backfire. It's important to take a few steps to get your car ready for winter. Do it now, while it's warmer, so you're not struggling in the cold. Not
Maria Alia Al-Sadek Had to Get Crafty
Monday, October 21, 2024
Today in style, self, culture, and power. The Cut October 21, 2024 NEW VANGUARD Maria Alia Al-Sadek Had to Get Crafty The Miu Miu–loving hijabi grew up in a Hollister-filled Alabama. She had no choice
The Ultimate Guide to Getting Bigger Muscles
Monday, October 21, 2024
Transform your muscles in six weeks Special Offer From Our Friends At Men's Health Get results in just six weeks! View in Browser Man doing bent over row with dumbbell Build Bigger Muscles in Just
Kim Kardashian’s Flipped ’90s Bob Is The Hottest Cut For Fall
Monday, October 21, 2024
Plus, Bella Hadid's 5 best looks, your week in astrology and tarot, your daily horoscope, & more. Oct. 21, 2024 Bustle Daily A framed portrait features two women smiling at the camera, dressed
The internet’s new crush is this ‘Bake Off’ contestant
Monday, October 21, 2024
No, Donald Trump did not actually work at McDonald's
What Do You Want, Mom?
Monday, October 21, 2024
Note: That was back in August, but I do actually know what I want now! ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
The Strange Correlation Between Vaccination Rates and Political Parties...
Monday, October 21, 2024
Listen now (12 mins) | And Why It Matters Now ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
You Shouldn't Have To "Support" It
Monday, October 21, 2024
The right thing shouldn't be the hard thing ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏