The Pros And Cons Of Euclidian Zoning Laws

First and foremost zoning laws can be seen as any control by government authority over the use of land and buildings on that land. Zoning laws as a whole began in the United States in 1916 as a reaction to the building of the Equitable Building at 120 Broadway in New York City. At the time, the area was mainly a residential area and the construction of the skyscraper had major implications, or negative externalities on those around the skyscraper. This was the beginning of a court battle that eventually reached the United States Supreme Court. Though lower level courts found that the zoning law put into place in New York City, the US Supreme Court ultimately ruled that it was constitutional and by 1930 most major cities across the United States had enacted zoning laws.
Amber Realty Co. The Amber Realty Co. claimed that the zoning law “violated the citizen’s right to liberty and property without due process of the law” (LII). This argument was not enough for the Supreme Court to overturn the zoning laws and ultimately rule that zoning laws were constitutional and Euclidian zoning laws were born. Euclidian zoning laws are used broadly across the country with only one major exception. Houston, Texas does not operate under a system of Euclidian zoning laws, but instead under a system based upon land use regulation. The differences in these laws though subtle, seem to have an effect on the result of how cities are constructed. This paper seeks to outline and understand the effects of both zoning laws and the methods employed by the city of Houston in order to accurately compare the two