ashbury highrise (Houston, Dallas, Austin: real estate, apartment complex, rentals)

[modster]

Originally Posted by astrohip

Yes it would have. It is most unlikely Houston would have had the growth & vitality we've exhibited if zoning had passed. It's unlikely our housing prices would have remained as stable as they have if zoning had passed. Which would have led to a housing bubble, then a collapse. Houston, Phoenix, Las Vegas & Atlanta are remarkably similar Sun Belt cities, showing tremendous growth over the last ten years. Of the four, only Houston has not seen housing prices collapse. Of the four, only Houston has no zoning.

Can you imagine the back-room politics this city would suffer thru if zoning comes to pass?

If land use regulations prohibit growth, stability and vitality, why is it some of the areas that possess these attributes in abundance are master planned communities with extensive land use regulations such as Cinco Ranch and the Woodlands? That argument doesn't hold water. Houston's better performing real estate market has more to do with the oil industry's success keeping us afloat than a lack of zoning. Watch the Oil business tank and our real estate market will tank like the rest.

[houstoner]

Originally Posted by modster

If land use regulations prohibit growth, stability and vitality, why is it some of the areas that possess these attributes in abundance are master planned communities with extensive land use regulations such as Cinco Ranch and the Woodlands? That argument doesn't hold water. Houston's better performing real estate market has more to do with the oil industry's success keeping us afloat than a lack of zoning. Watch the Oil business tank and our real estate market will tank like the rest.

I totally agree. I've never understood this argument. To use an example of another sunbelt city closer to home than Phoenix and Atlanta, Dallas has zoning AND a good real estate market. They also have a more diversified economy.

And all growth is not necessarily good. The willy-nilly, build anywhere, build anything kind of growth Houston has seen in the past isn't desirable, sustainable, or practical anymore, IMO. Why is it seen as a positive in Houston to encourage people to move here for the cheap housing and jobs, and little else?

[astrohip]

Originally Posted by modster

If land use regulations prohibit growth, stability and vitality, why is it some of the areas that possess these attributes in abundance are master planned communities with extensive land use regulations such as Cinco Ranch and the Woodlands? That argument doesn't hold water. Houston's better performing real estate market has more to do with the oil industry's success keeping us afloat than a lack of zoning. Watch the Oil business tank and our real estate market will tank like the rest.

You can't use an MPC in an unzoned region as an argument for zoning. For that matter, my area has hard & fast deed restrictions. Which is a mini-form of zoning. I am talking about city/county wide zoning. That's what we don't have, and as a result, our housing prices are more realistic than anywhere else in the country.

Originally Posted by houstoner

I totally agree. I've never understood this argument. To use an example of another sunbelt city closer to home than Phoenix and Atlanta, Dallas has zoning AND a good real estate market. They also have a more diversified economy.

Have you seen the Dallas real estate market lately? Houston is in much better shape than Dallas.

It's the politics of zoning that scares me as much as anything else.

[modster]

Originally Posted by astrohip

You can't use an MPC in an unzoned region as an argument for zoning.

Why not?

[JL]

Having not seen the pics of this place, is it a highrise or midrise?

[astrohip]

Originally Posted by modster

Why not?

de facto zoning on a very local level, either thru MPCs or HOA or deed-restricted subd, is a great way to control the quantity & quality of structures, and the purpose of construction (resid, comm, etc).

But on a regional basis, zoning replaces market forces, and creates inefficiencies in real estate values & development. Repeated studies have shown zoning is just as much at the mercy of politics as it is common sense. One of the reasons politics is so different in Houston compared to many other cities is the lack of zoning (and our term limits). Without zoning, every person has as fair a shot at development as any other. NOT true in many other citiies, where who you know is as important as anything else.

There can be other limits on raw development. You can have traffic controls, density limits, height limits, greenspace requirements, etc. All can be incorporated into "smart growth". But once you open the door to zoning, all the other rules are out, and it's money power money to the people who sit on the zoning boards.

[astrohip]

Originally Posted by JamesLang

Having not seen the pics of this place, is it a highrise or midrise?

23 stories, call it what you will.

Here is a link to some more info
» Town hall meeting presentation Stop the Ashby High Rise: stopashbyhighrise.org

look at the PDF, it has some comparison heights of other buildings, so you can get a feel for what it would have been like.

[Wysiwyg]

yeah. MPC Zoning means boring restaurant food. But that works for texan taste buds

[modster]

Originally Posted by astrohip

...Without zoning, every person has as fair a shot at development as any other. NOT true in many other citiies...

I guess my issue is more quality of life than the interest of developers.

[dv1033]

Originally Posted by Wysiwyg

yeah. MPC Zoning means boring restaurant food. But that works for texan taste buds

And most of America.