ABSTRACT
Buildings Acts of 1899 and 1910 The One Bad Building Rule and its corollary, the One Good Building Rule Defending the value of light, air, and views: How Manhattan’s 1915 Equitable
Building served as the catalyst for the United States’ comprehensive zoning laws
The impact of the International Style of architecture on the Manhattan skyline and New York City’s 1960 Zoning Resolution
From “Edge City” to connected WalkUPs: How comprehensive master planning changed the character of Tysons Corner, Virginia
The rise of PUDs and form-based codes: How changes in Land Use Controls can encourage more WalkUPs
Before delving into the New York City 1916 Zoning Resolution, how it came about, and how it impacted real estate development in New York City thereafter, it is important to understand one, simple rule regarding Land Use and Zoning Law in its application: Land use decision making is as much a political act as it is a legal act, and some would argue that it is almost exclusively a political act. Generally, municipalities like real estate development. As discussed in Chapter 4, more municipalities rely on real estate taxes as their principal source of tax revenues than any other type of tax. Put as simply as possible: Real estate taxes fund local governments. Less real estate development means less tax revenue; means less local government; means someone’s losing their job soon, perhaps someone high up on the food chain.
