#zoning — Public Fediverse posts

The charm fades when lake castles replace cottages

Our family has been spending joyous summer adventures for more than 40 years on Lake Wawasee in northern Indiana. While the vacations are fun, the lakeside development trends during that period have seen many quaint lakeside cottages replaced by what can only be called lake castles. As a result, during that same period, much of the historic charm that drew so many here from Indianapolis, Chicago, Fort Wayne, and elsewhere has been faded.

This is not to say that the lake itself is less appealing, but more the general atmosphere of a summer getaway has been lost to suburbanized, supersized McMansions that now overpower everything that came before them. As more people crowd into these “palaces,” the shorelines are occupied by more people and the lake becomes a waterborne gridlock of motor boats, jet skis, wave riders, kayaks, canoes, sailboats, skiers, and paddle board, especially on weekends and holidays.

While impacts to the waterbodies themselves are a fairly common topic of concern among environmental groups, what seems to be often overlooked is the loss of so many historic lake cottage dwellings. On some lakes, the rapid depletion and replacement of traditional lakeside cottages is leaving precious few that depict the earliest stages of lakeside vacation home development from the early 20th century.

To be fair, even our family added space onto a 1909 lake cottage in the early 1980s to share family gatherings at the lake. In the 40 odd years since then, our cottage has become one of the “small fry” of the shoreline, as one new castle after another has replaced the traditional cottages of yesteryear. Despite our add-on, it’s one thing to house 8-10 people in a traditional lakeside cottage while it’s a whole other to hold 30-35 in a “supersized” one.

Aside from the aforementioned concerns, troubling aspects of lake castles versus traditional lake cottages include but are not limited to:

• Significantly greater lot coverage
• Loss of tree canopies
• Size and scale that overwhelm older properties and in some cases the capacity of local infrastructure
• Impeded viewsheds as home creep closer and closer to the shoreline
• Decreased sunlight
• Added traffic on local streets
• Lack of parking or congested parking along narrow streets
• Potential for large increases in storm water runoff
• Less green area for storm water absorption
• Use of larger cottages as short-term rentals instead of family cottages

To address these concerns, communities should consider the following zoning amendments and be sure to train their zoning board of appeals not to issue carte blanche variances to every applicant unless they can prove practical difficulties or hardships that are unique to their situation. Just because an applicant wants a variance is not a sufficient reason without practical difficult or hardship.

• Lot coverage maximums
• Yard setback minimums
• Impervious surface maximums
• Height maximums
• Floor-area ratios
• On-street parking standards
• Storm water detention and retention requirements
• Short-term rental regulations

In addition, greater publicity about the rapid loss of traditional (historic) lakeside cottages should be incorporated into preservation efforts locally and nationally.

Otherwise, the “castle-ization” or our lakeshores will continue unabated and entire generations of vacation housing may disappear from certain lakes across the country.

Peace!

The charm fades when lake castles replace cottages

Our family has been spending joyous summer adventures for more than 40 years on Lake Wawasee in northern Indiana. While the vacations are fun, the lakeside development trends during that period have seen many quaint lakeside cottages replaced by what can only be called lake castles. As a result, during that same period, much of the historic charm that drew so many here from Indianapolis, Chicago, Fort Wayne, and elsewhere has been faded.

This is not to say that the lake itself is less appealing, but more the general atmosphere of a summer getaway has been lost to suburbanized, supersized McMansions that now overpower everything that came before them. As more people crowd into these “palaces,” the shorelines are occupied by more people and the lake becomes a waterborne gridlock of motor boats, jet skis, wave riders, kayaks, canoes, sailboats, skiers, and paddle board, especially on weekends and holidays.

While impacts to the waterbodies themselves are a fairly common topic of concern among environmental groups, what seems to be often overlooked is the loss of so many historic lake cottage dwellings. On some lakes, the rapid depletion and replacement of traditional lakeside cottages is leaving precious few that depict the earliest stages of lakeside vacation home development from the early 20th century.

To be fair, even our family added space onto a 1909 lake cottage in the early 1980s to share family gatherings at the lake. In the 40 odd years since then, our cottage has become one of the “small fry” of the shoreline, as one new castle after another has replaced the traditional cottages of yesteryear. Despite our add-on, it’s one thing to house 8-10 people in a traditional lakeside cottage while it’s a whole other to hold 30-35 in a “supersized” one.

Aside from the aforementioned concerns, troubling aspects of lake castles versus traditional lake cottages include but are not limited to:

• Significantly greater lot coverage
• Loss of tree canopies
• Size and scale that overwhelm older properties and in some cases the capacity of local infrastructure
• Impeded viewsheds as home creep closer and closer to the shoreline
• Decreased sunlight
• Added traffic on local streets
• Lack of parking or congested parking along narrow streets
• Potential for large increases in storm water runoff
• Less green area for storm water absorption
• Use of larger cottages as short-term rentals instead of family cottages

To address these concerns, communities should consider the following zoning amendments and be sure to train their zoning board of appeals not to issue carte blanche variances to every applicant unless they can prove practical difficulties or hardships that are unique to their situation. Just because an applicant wants a variance is not a sufficient reason without practical difficult or hardship.

• Lot coverage maximums
• Yard setback minimums
• Impervious surface maximums
• Height maximums
• Floor-area ratios
• On-street parking standards
• Storm water detention and retention requirements
• Short-term rental regulations

In addition, greater publicity about the rapid loss of traditional (historic) lakeside cottages should be incorporated into preservation efforts locally and nationally.

Otherwise, the “castle-ization” or our lakeshores will continue unabated and entire generations of vacation housing may disappear from certain lakes across the country.

Peace!

The charm fades when lake castles replace cottages

Our family has been spending joyous summer adventures for more than 40 years on Lake Wawasee in northern Indiana. While the vacations are fun, the lakeside development trends during that period have seen many quaint lakeside cottages replaced by what can only be called lake castles. As a result, during that same period, much of the historic charm that drew so many here from Indianapolis, Chicago, Fort Wayne, and elsewhere has been faded.

This is not to say that the lake itself is less appealing, but more the general atmosphere of a summer getaway has been lost to suburbanized, supersized McMansions that now overpower everything that came before them. As more people crowd into these “palaces,” the shorelines are occupied by more people and the lake becomes a waterborne gridlock of motor boats, jet skis, wave riders, kayaks, canoes, sailboats, skiers, and paddle board, especially on weekends and holidays.

While impacts to the waterbodies themselves are a fairly common topic of concern among environmental groups, what seems to be often overlooked is the loss of so many historic lake cottage dwellings. On some lakes, the rapid depletion and replacement of traditional lakeside cottages is leaving precious few that depict the earliest stages of lakeside vacation home development from the early 20th century.

To be fair, even our family added space onto a 1909 lake cottage in the early 1980s to share family gatherings at the lake. In the 40 odd years since then, our cottage has become one of the “small fry” of the shoreline, as one new castle after another has replaced the traditional cottages of yesteryear. Despite our add-on, it’s one thing to house 8-10 people in a traditional lakeside cottage while it’s a whole other to hold 30-35 in a “supersized” one.

Aside from the aforementioned concerns, troubling aspects of lake castles versus traditional lake cottages include but are not limited to:

• Significantly greater lot coverage
• Loss of tree canopies
• Size and scale that overwhelm older properties and in some cases the capacity of local infrastructure
• Impeded viewsheds as home creep closer and closer to the shoreline
• Decreased sunlight
• Added traffic on local streets
• Lack of parking or congested parking along narrow streets
• Potential for large increases in storm water runoff
• Less green area for storm water absorption
• Use of larger cottages as short-term rentals instead of family cottages

To address these concerns, communities should consider the following zoning amendments and be sure to train their zoning board of appeals not to issue carte blanche variances to every applicant unless they can prove practical difficulties or hardships that are unique to their situation. Just because an applicant wants a variance is not a sufficient reason without practical difficult or hardship.

• Lot coverage maximums
• Yard setback minimums
• Impervious surface maximums
• Height maximums
• Floor-area ratios
• On-street parking standards
• Storm water detention and retention requirements
• Short-term rental regulations

In addition, greater publicity about the rapid loss of traditional (historic) lakeside cottages should be incorporated into preservation efforts locally and nationally.

Otherwise, the “castle-ization” or our lakeshores will continue unabated and entire generations of vacation housing may disappear from certain lakes across the country.

Peace!

The charm fades when lake castles replace cottages

Our family has been spending joyous summer adventures for more than 40 years on an approximate 3,000 acre natural lake in northern Indiana. While the vacations are fun, the lakeside development trends during that period have seen many quaint lakeside cottages replaced by what can only be called lake castles. As a result, during that same period, much of the historic charm that drew so many here from Indianapolis, Chicago, Fort Wayne, and elsewhere has faded.

This is not to say that the lake itself is less appealing, but more the general atmosphere of a summer getaway has been lost to suburbanized, supersized McMansions that now overpower everything that came before them. As more people crowd into these “palaces,” the shorelines are occupied by more people and the lake becomes a waterborne gridlock of motor boats, jet skis, wave riders, kayaks, canoes, sailboats, skiers, and paddle boards, especially on weekends and holidays.

While impacts to the waterbodies themselves are a fairly common topic of concern among environmental groups, what seems to be often overlooked is the loss of so many historic lake cottage dwellings. On some lakes, the rapid depletion and replacement of traditional lakeside cottages is leaving precious few that depict the earliest stages of lakeside vacation home development from the early 20th century.

To be fair, even our family added space onto a 1909 lake cottage in the early 1980s to share family gatherings at the lake. In the 40 odd years since then, our cottage has become one of the “small fry” of the shoreline, as one new castle after another has replaced the traditional cottages of yesteryear. Despite our add-on, it’s one thing to house 8-10 people in a traditional lakeside cottage while it’s a whole other to hold 30-35 in a “supersized” one.

Aside from the aforementioned concerns, troubling aspects of lake castles versus traditional lake cottages include but are not limited to:

• Significantly greater lot coverage
• Loss of tree canopies
• Size and scale that overwhelm older properties and in some cases the capacity of local infrastructure
• Impeded viewsheds as homes creep closer and closer to the shoreline
• Decreased sunlight
• Added traffic on local streets
• Lack of parking or congested parking along narrow streets
• Potential for large increases in storm water runoff
• Less green area for storm water absorption
• Use of larger cottages as short-term rentals instead of family cottages

To address these concerns, communities should consider the following zoning amendments and be sure to train their zoning board of appeals not to issue carte blanche variances to every applicant unless they can prove practical difficulties or hardships that are unique to their situation. Just because an applicant wants a variance is not a sufficient reason without practical difficult or hardship.

• Lot coverage maximums
• Yard setback minimums
• Impervious surface maximums
• Height maximums
• Floor-area ratios
• On-street parking standards
• Storm water detention and retention requirements
• Short-term rental regulations

In addition, greater publicity about the rapid loss of traditional (historic) lakeside cottages should be incorporated into preservation efforts locally and nationally.

Otherwise, the “castle-ization” or our lakeshores will continue unabated and entire generations of vacation housing may disappear from certain lakes across the country.

Peace!

The charm fades when lake castles replace cottages

Our family has been spending joyous summer adventures for more than 40 years on an approximate 3,000 acre natural lake in northern Indiana. While the vacations are fun, the lakeside development trends during that period have seen many quaint lakeside cottages replaced by what can only be called lake castles. As a result, during that same period, much of the historic charm that drew so many here from Indianapolis, Chicago, Fort Wayne, and elsewhere has faded.

This is not to say that the lake itself is less appealing, but more the general atmosphere of a summer getaway has been lost to suburbanized, supersized McMansions that now overpower everything that came before them. As more people crowd into these “palaces,” the shorelines are occupied by more people and the lake becomes a waterborne gridlock of motor boats, jet skis, wave riders, kayaks, canoes, sailboats, skiers, and paddle boards, especially on weekends and holidays.

While impacts to the waterbodies themselves are a fairly common topic of concern among environmental groups, what seems to be often overlooked is the loss of so many historic lake cottage dwellings. On some lakes, the rapid depletion and replacement of traditional lakeside cottages is leaving precious few that depict the earliest stages of lakeside vacation home development from the early 20th century.

To be fair, even our family added space onto a 1909 lake cottage in the early 1980s to share family gatherings at the lake. In the 40 odd years since then, our cottage has become one of the “small fry” of the shoreline, as one new castle after another has replaced the traditional cottages of yesteryear. Despite our add-on, it’s one thing to house 8-10 people in a traditional lakeside cottage while it’s a whole other to hold 30-35 in a “supersized” one.

Aside from the aforementioned concerns, troubling aspects of lake castles versus traditional lake cottages include but are not limited to:

• Significantly greater lot coverage
• Loss of tree canopies
• Size and scale that overwhelm older properties and in some cases the capacity of local infrastructure
• Impeded viewsheds as homes creep closer and closer to the shoreline
• Decreased sunlight
• Added traffic on local streets
• Lack of parking or congested parking along narrow streets
• Potential for large increases in storm water runoff
• Less green area for storm water absorption
• Use of larger cottages as short-term rentals instead of family cottages

To address these concerns, communities should consider the following zoning amendments and be sure to train their zoning board of appeals not to issue carte blanche variances to every applicant unless they can prove practical difficulties or hardships that are unique to their situation. Just because an applicant wants a variance is not a sufficient reason without practical difficult or hardship.

• Lot coverage maximums
• Yard setback minimums
• Impervious surface maximums
• Height maximums
• Floor-area ratios
• On-street parking standards
• Storm water detention and retention requirements
• Short-term rental regulations

In addition, greater publicity about the rapid loss of traditional (historic) lakeside cottages should be incorporated into preservation efforts locally and nationally.

Otherwise, the “castle-ization” or our lakeshores will continue unabated and entire generations of vacation housing may disappear from certain lakes across the country.

Peace!

https://www.arlnow.com/2026/05/19/virginia-supreme-court-agrees-to-take-up-missing-middle-lawsuit/ #ArlingtonVA #zoning #housing #MissingMiddle

AYFKM? Stop this madness!

Survey work begins for contested #Trump “#TriumphalArch” project in Washington

Workers began preliminary surveys & testing Monday of the proposed site of a Triumphal Arch sought by Trump, the latest step in plans for the contentious project in the nation’s capital.

#law #zoning #PublicLands #architecture #NationalParkService #NPS
https://apnews.com/article/trump-triumphal-arch-washington-42228fefe4e8c97820daabc3b268103d

AYFKM? Stop this madness!

Survey work begins for contested #Trump “#TriumphalArch” project in Washington

Workers began preliminary surveys & testing Monday of the proposed site of a Triumphal Arch sought by Trump, the latest step in plans for the contentious project in the nation’s capital.

#law #zoning #PublicLands #architecture #NationalParkService #NPS
https://apnews.com/article/trump-triumphal-arch-washington-42228fefe4e8c97820daabc3b268103d

AYFKM? Stop this madness!

Survey work begins for contested #Trump “#TriumphalArch” project in Washington

Workers began preliminary surveys & testing Monday of the proposed site of a Triumphal Arch sought by Trump, the latest step in plans for the contentious project in the nation’s capital.

#law #zoning #PublicLands #architecture #NationalParkService #NPS
https://apnews.com/article/trump-triumphal-arch-washington-42228fefe4e8c97820daabc3b268103d

AYFKM? Stop this madness!

Survey work begins for contested #Trump “#TriumphalArch” project in Washington

Workers began preliminary surveys & testing Monday of the proposed site of a Triumphal Arch sought by Trump, the latest step in plans for the contentious project in the nation’s capital.

#law #zoning #PublicLands #architecture #NationalParkService #NPS
https://apnews.com/article/trump-triumphal-arch-washington-42228fefe4e8c97820daabc3b268103d

AYFKM? Stop this madness!

Survey work begins for contested #Trump “#TriumphalArch” project in Washington

Workers began preliminary surveys & testing Monday of the proposed site of a Triumphal Arch sought by Trump, the latest step in plans for the contentious project in the nation’s capital.

#law #zoning #PublicLands #architecture #NationalParkService #NPS
https://apnews.com/article/trump-triumphal-arch-washington-42228fefe4e8c97820daabc3b268103d

What, you mean the actual cost of building is a barrier to building housing affordable to ordinary mortals?

How could the "upzoning will get us the housing we need" evangelicals be wrong? Isn't just supply and demand? That's what they telling me. /s

The complete failure of Lurie's tax cuts for developers on full display at hearing - 48 hills
https://48hills.org/2026/05/the-complete-failure-of-luries-tax-cuts-for-developers-on-full-display-at-hearing/

#AffordableHousing #Zoning #ImpactFees

What, you mean the actual cost of building is a barrier to building housing affordable to ordinary mortals?

How could the "upzoning will get us the housing we need" evangelicals be wrong? Isn't just supply and demand? That's what they telling me. /s

The complete failure of Lurie's tax cuts for developers on full display at hearing - 48 hills
https://48hills.org/2026/05/the-complete-failure-of-luries-tax-cuts-for-developers-on-full-display-at-hearing/

#AffordableHousing #Zoning #ImpactFees

What, you mean the actual cost of building is a barrier to building housing affordable to ordinary mortals?

How could the "upzoning will get us the housing we need" evangelicals be wrong? Isn't just supply and demand? That's what they telling me. /s

The complete failure of Lurie's tax cuts for developers on full display at hearing - 48 hills
https://48hills.org/2026/05/the-complete-failure-of-luries-tax-cuts-for-developers-on-full-display-at-hearing/

#AffordableHousing #Zoning #ImpactFees

What, you mean the actual cost of building is a barrier to building housing affordable to ordinary mortals?

How could the "upzoning will get us the housing we need" evangelicals be wrong? Isn't just supply and demand? That's what they telling me. /s

The complete failure of Lurie's tax cuts for developers on full display at hearing - 48 hills
https://48hills.org/2026/05/the-complete-failure-of-luries-tax-cuts-for-developers-on-full-display-at-hearing/

#AffordableHousing #Zoning #ImpactFees

What, you mean the actual cost of building is a barrier to building housing affordable to ordinary mortals?

How could the "upzoning will get us the housing we need" evangelicals be wrong? Isn't just supply and demand? That's what they telling me. /s

The complete failure of Lurie's tax cuts for developers on full display at hearing - 48 hills
https://48hills.org/2026/05/the-complete-failure-of-luries-tax-cuts-for-developers-on-full-display-at-hearing/

#AffordableHousing #Zoning #ImpactFees

It is very common in North American zoning and design policing to force complicated sculptural forms into modern buildings, scooping out chunks to make them appear to be smaller separate buildings or chopping off layers at the top to force a ziggurat form. The hope is that banning "dumb boxes" will improve aesthetics but the costs are real. #zoning #housing #design #DumbBoxes #architecture https://www.theurbanist.org/in-praise-of-dumb-boxes/

https://www.arlnow.com/2026/04/30/faith-in-housing-bill-line-crosses-finish-line-clears-path-for-church-based-affordable-housing/ “this is a huge step forward in addressing a housing shortage where Virginia is missing over 300,000 homes” #zoning #housing #VALeg #Virginia #YIGBY

https://www.arlnow.com/2026/04/30/faith-in-housing-bill-line-crosses-finish-line-clears-path-for-church-based-affordable-housing/ “this is a huge step forward in addressing a housing shortage where Virginia is missing over 300,000 homes” #zoning #housing #VALeg #Virginia #YIGBY

https://www.arlnow.com/2026/04/30/faith-in-housing-bill-line-crosses-finish-line-clears-path-for-church-based-affordable-housing/ “this is a huge step forward in addressing a housing shortage where Virginia is missing over 300,000 homes” #zoning #housing #VALeg #Virginia #YIGBY

https://www.arlnow.com/2026/04/30/faith-in-housing-bill-line-crosses-finish-line-clears-path-for-church-based-affordable-housing/ “this is a huge step forward in addressing a housing shortage where Virginia is missing over 300,000 homes” #zoning #housing #VALeg #Virginia #YIGBY

https://www.arlnow.com/2026/04/30/faith-in-housing-bill-line-crosses-finish-line-clears-path-for-church-based-affordable-housing/ “this is a huge step forward in addressing a housing shortage where Virginia is missing over 300,000 homes” #zoning #housing #VALeg #Virginia #YIGBY

Goa’s Eco-Sensitive Zones: Balancing Development and Environment https://www.byteseu.com/?p=1983624 #construction #development #EcoSensitive #environment #EnvironmentalProtection #ForestDepartment #goa #LandConservation #RegionalPlan #VishwajitRane #Zoning

https://www.richmonder.org/in-search-of-more-starter-homes-some-zac-members-think-richmond-ought-to-allow-even-smaller-lots/ “This was allowing for houses to show up in neighborhoods that were basically unattainable because of the cost and price points” #RVA #zoning #housing #shortage

South Montgomery residents demand recycling facility leave over health, environmental, zoning concerns https://www.byteseu.com/1973901/ #CapitalRecycling #CityCounty #environment #environmental #Health #MontgomeryCityCouncil #SouthMontgomery #WFSA #WSFA #WSFA12News #Zoning

Super early, but starting to think of legislative relief ideas for Virginia in 2027. This section of zoning law is especially on my mind: https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title15.2/chapter22/section15.2-2286/ #zoning #VALeg #housing

Super early, but starting to think of legislative relief ideas for Virginia in 2027. This section of zoning law is especially on my mind: https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title15.2/chapter22/section15.2-2286/ #zoning #VALeg #housing

Super early, but starting to think of legislative relief ideas for Virginia in 2027. This section of zoning law is especially on my mind: https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title15.2/chapter22/section15.2-2286/ #zoning #VALeg #housing

Super early, but starting to think of legislative relief ideas for Virginia in 2027. This section of zoning law is especially on my mind: https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title15.2/chapter22/section15.2-2286/ #zoning #VALeg #housing

Super early, but starting to think of legislative relief ideas for Virginia in 2027. This section of zoning law is especially on my mind: https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title15.2/chapter22/section15.2-2286/ #zoning #VALeg #housing

Strong Towns Newcomer Orientation

Orpheum/Homewise Offices, Wednesday, April 22 at 06:00 PM MDT

Strong Towns ABQ on Instagram: "Curious about Strong Towns ABQ? New here? Just looking for a way to get involved in building a stronger Albuquerque? ✨ Join us for our Newcomer Orientation ✨ This is a low-pressure, welcoming space to learn what Strong Towns ABQ is all about; our history, goals, and how we show up for housing, transportation, and fiscally responsible growth in our city. 🗣️ Ask questions 🤝 Meet others 🧭 Find your role! Whether that’s joining a campaign, helping with outreach, or just learning more 📅 Wednesday, April 22nd ⏰ 6:00–8:00 PM 📍 Homewise Center Conference Room 500 2nd St SW, Albuquerque"

https://www.instagram.com/p/DXXO8HYkfYc/

https://burque.fun/event/strong-towns-newcomer-orientation

Strong Towns Newcomer Orientation

Orpheum/Homewise Offices, Wednesday, April 22 at 06:00 PM MDT

Strong Towns ABQ on Instagram: "Curious about Strong Towns ABQ? New here? Just looking for a way to get involved in building a stronger Albuquerque? ✨ Join us for our Newcomer Orientation ✨ This is a low-pressure, welcoming space to learn what Strong Towns ABQ is all about; our history, goals, and how we show up for housing, transportation, and fiscally responsible growth in our city. 🗣️ Ask questions 🤝 Meet others 🧭 Find your role! Whether that’s joining a campaign, helping with outreach, or just learning more 📅 Wednesday, April 22nd ⏰ 6:00–8:00 PM 📍 Homewise Center Conference Room 500 2nd St SW, Albuquerque"

https://www.instagram.com/p/DXXO8HYkfYc/

https://burque.fun/event/strong-towns-newcomer-orientation

Strong Towns Newcomer Orientation

Orpheum/Homewise Offices, Wednesday, April 22 at 06:00 PM MDT

Strong Towns ABQ on Instagram: "Curious about Strong Towns ABQ? New here? Just looking for a way to get involved in building a stronger Albuquerque? ✨ Join us for our Newcomer Orientation ✨ This is a low-pressure, welcoming space to learn what Strong Towns ABQ is all about; our history, goals, and how we show up for housing, transportation, and fiscally responsible growth in our city. 🗣️ Ask questions 🤝 Meet others 🧭 Find your role! Whether that’s joining a campaign, helping with outreach, or just learning more 📅 Wednesday, April 22nd ⏰ 6:00–8:00 PM 📍 Homewise Center Conference Room 500 2nd St SW, Albuquerque"

https://www.instagram.com/p/DXXO8HYkfYc/

https://burque.fun/event/strong-towns-newcomer-orientation

Strong Towns Newcomer Orientation

Orpheum/Homewise Offices, Wednesday, April 22 at 06:00 PM MDT

Strong Towns ABQ on Instagram: "Curious about Strong Towns ABQ? New here? Just looking for a way to get involved in building a stronger Albuquerque? ✨ Join us for our Newcomer Orientation ✨ This is a low-pressure, welcoming space to learn what Strong Towns ABQ is all about; our history, goals, and how we show up for housing, transportation, and fiscally responsible growth in our city. 🗣️ Ask questions 🤝 Meet others 🧭 Find your role! Whether that’s joining a campaign, helping with outreach, or just learning more 📅 Wednesday, April 22nd ⏰ 6:00–8:00 PM 📍 Homewise Center Conference Room 500 2nd St SW, Albuquerque"

https://www.instagram.com/p/DXXO8HYkfYc/

https://burque.fun/event/strong-towns-newcomer-orientation

Strong Towns Newcomer Orientation

Orpheum/Homewise Offices, Wednesday, April 22 at 06:00 PM MDT

Strong Towns ABQ on Instagram: "Curious about Strong Towns ABQ? New here? Just looking for a way to get involved in building a stronger Albuquerque? ✨ Join us for our Newcomer Orientation ✨ This is a low-pressure, welcoming space to learn what Strong Towns ABQ is all about; our history, goals, and how we show up for housing, transportation, and fiscally responsible growth in our city. 🗣️ Ask questions 🤝 Meet others 🧭 Find your role! Whether that’s joining a campaign, helping with outreach, or just learning more 📅 Wednesday, April 22nd ⏰ 6:00–8:00 PM 📍 Homewise Center Conference Room 500 2nd St SW, Albuquerque"

https://www.instagram.com/p/DXXO8HYkfYc/

https://burque.fun/event/strong-towns-newcomer-orientation

Thanks to Sean Tubbs for covering the zoning fixes here in Charlottesville. Upset something was broken? Maybe it's fixed! #zoning #cville #housing https://infocville.com/2026/04/17/nds-working-on-communications-roll-out-for-changes-to-the-development-code/

https://virginiamercury.com/2026/04/16/a-new-law-will-make-it-easier-to-build-a-tiny-house-in-your-back-yard-starting-next-year/ “Virginia has shown that states can cut through restrictive zoning” #Virginia #VALeg #housing #zoning

https://virginiamercury.com/2026/04/16/a-new-law-will-make-it-easier-to-build-a-tiny-house-in-your-back-yard-starting-next-year/ “Virginia has shown that states can cut through restrictive zoning” #Virginia #VALeg #housing #zoning

https://virginiamercury.com/2026/04/16/a-new-law-will-make-it-easier-to-build-a-tiny-house-in-your-back-yard-starting-next-year/ “Virginia has shown that states can cut through restrictive zoning” #Virginia #VALeg #housing #zoning

https://virginiamercury.com/2026/04/16/a-new-law-will-make-it-easier-to-build-a-tiny-house-in-your-back-yard-starting-next-year/ “Virginia has shown that states can cut through restrictive zoning” #Virginia #VALeg #housing #zoning

https://virginiamercury.com/2026/04/16/a-new-law-will-make-it-easier-to-build-a-tiny-house-in-your-back-yard-starting-next-year/ “Virginia has shown that states can cut through restrictive zoning” #Virginia #VALeg #housing #zoning

#today misc life admin today, including bellyacheing at the gas people who cut off our fossil gas supply fully (as wanted) but pointlessly wrecked the lawn etc because they didn't wait for us to be in!

In other news, a #research report has just been published that shows #heatPumps and #TRVs (ie #zoning) can play nicely...

https://www.beama.org.uk/resourceLibrary/university-of-salford---beama-trv-energy-house-report.html

Do Republican mayors see #housing issues differently than Democratic mayors? Well, there appears to be agreement on some things, like the need for more apartments, especially around transit stops. But what about whether there’s enough housing in general or the role that #zoning plays? Big partisan differences. https://www.governing.com/urban/what-mayors-have-to-say-about-the-housing-shortage

https://virginiamercury.com/2026/04/08/repub/drive-for-more-housing-sparks-rare-bipartisanship-in-statehouses/ “Fix housing prices, for the love of God” #housing #Virginia #VALeg #USPolitics #inflation #shortage #zoning

https://virginiamercury.com/2026/04/08/repub/drive-for-more-housing-sparks-rare-bipartisanship-in-statehouses/ “Fix housing prices, for the love of God” #housing #Virginia #VALeg #USPolitics #inflation #shortage #zoning

https://virginiamercury.com/2026/04/08/repub/drive-for-more-housing-sparks-rare-bipartisanship-in-statehouses/ “Fix housing prices, for the love of God” #housing #Virginia #VALeg #USPolitics #inflation #shortage #zoning

https://virginiamercury.com/2026/04/08/repub/drive-for-more-housing-sparks-rare-bipartisanship-in-statehouses/ “Fix housing prices, for the love of God” #housing #Virginia #VALeg #USPolitics #inflation #shortage #zoning

https://virginiamercury.com/2026/04/08/repub/drive-for-more-housing-sparks-rare-bipartisanship-in-statehouses/ “Fix housing prices, for the love of God” #housing #Virginia #VALeg #USPolitics #inflation #shortage #zoning

Zoning board rejects Times-Squarification of pedestrian skybridge in the Back Bay
https://www.universalhub.com/2026/zoning-board-rejects-times-squarification-pedestrian-skybridge-back

#Boston #zoning

RE: https://urbanists.social/@Streetsweeper/116341614455296369

Zoning laws do function like this -- they increase car dependence. But that's not all they do. Laws are tools, and tools only very rarely have just one capability. Tools created to solve one problem are often repurposed to solve many others. For instance, hammers were invented hundreds of thousands of years before nails, but now driving nails is a common use of hammers.

Laws are different from hammers in at least one important sense. Almost everyone who has a problem that a hammer can solve has access to hammers and the ability to use them. Laws, on the other hand, can only be created and can only be used by a very small group of people -- the ruling class. [1]

So as in this article, the ruling class uses zoning to increase car dependence because they make money from it in a variety of ways -- car sales, gasoline sales, oil, etc. But car dependence serves other purposes -- it makes people easier to track, to control, etc

And increasing car dependence is not the only ruling class solution provided by zoning. Zoning laws prevent people from running businesses out of their homes, increasing the likelihood that they'll have to work for wages -- without wage laborers capitalism would collapse. Zoning laws also prevent tenants from sharing rentals to the full extent possible, so more rental units get rented. Without a steady supply of tenants the landlord business -- quintessential capitalism -- would collapse.

Zoning laws also allow local governments to take houses away from their putative owners -- can't afford to fix your fences, keep your lawn mowed, keep your house painted, etc, and the city will fine you until you comply. Can't afford to pay? They'll take your house. Eventually it gets sold to someone else and both the city and your mortgage holder make money.

I'm sure that many of these uses weren't foreseeable when modern zoning was invented, but as I said, tools are continually repurposed to solve new problems. Since effectively only the ruling class is able to create laws and to use them effectively they get repurposed for their benefit.

Attributing purposes to tools rather than to those who wield them is a common fallacy, and it leads to serious analytic errors. When people say that the purpose e.g. of police is to protect people and that we just need to get them back to this original use -- in other words advocating for reform -- they're falling into this trap. Look at the capabilities of police, remember that those capabilities can be directed in many ways and only the ruling class is able to decide how the police are used, and it becomes clear that reform is a pipe dream.

#Zoning #ZoningLaws #ACAB #Abolition #Tools #ToolTheory #Capitalism #WageLabor #Landlords

[1] Sometimes people who aren't in the ruling class manage to use laws to their advantage, but these are edge cases. Not only that, but the very possibility of non-rulers using laws serves as one of capitalism's many safety valves. When it does happen it relieves pressure from below and capitalism lives another day. Such cases are also examples of the ruling class using the laws