Many New Urbanists believe their aesthetic can succeed on a playing field free of distorting subsidies and obstructive ordinances, since one-third of marketing survey respondents prefer New Urbanist developments to conventional suburbia. The design standards promoted by the Congress for the New Urbanism result in neighborhoods that enjoy strong consumer demand. Even in Cleveland, O'Toole's favored example of urban renewal, architectural design standards were employed. And the private organization responsible for much of Cleveland's comeback--MidTown Cleveland--is now planning transit-oriented developments.
Laurence Aurbach Jr.
Member, Congress for the New Urbanism
Adelphi, MD
ljaurbach@erols.com
As Randal O'Toole points out, New Urbanism has become an environmental fad, and cities too often plan based on the latest craze rather than on accumulated wisdom.
But there is nothing per se objectionable about smaller-lot, more walkable suburban development, so long as that is what at least some people want. Pre-war suburbs were built this way, and many are still highly livable and popular. Driving to a superstore each week in search of better selections or lower prices is sensible, but having to fire up the SUV just to pick up a loaf of bread is ridiculous.
The objectionable aspect of some governmental applications of New Urbanism is compulsion. Government should let people freely choose city, suburban, or rural living and high densities or low, but also see that they pay the full cost of their choice.
New Urbanism works better as a developer's business decision than as a political mandate. Government's role should be to remove regulatory obstacles, such as inflexible zoning, that stifle such innovations. If a builder foresees local demand for a denser style of subdivision, let him build Phase 1. If he's right, he'll build more and he'll be copied. Planners and environmentalists will be happy.
John L. Gann Jr.
Glen Ellyn, IL
Randal O'Toole's piece on the New Urbanism drew my ire. Some folks like the suburbs, with their look-alike housing developments, cookie-cutter strip malls, office parks, and endless rows of drive-ins. I like Main Street, the old neighborhood, and living within walking distance of the train station. To the extent (and only to the extent) that the state is encouraging suburban sprawl, it should be doing the same for older, inner-city areas. And if the final deal is $0 in subsidies for suburban sprawl, then $0 for New Urbanism is just fine with me too.
Some folks appreciate the independence that the private automobile affords them and feel particularly Jeffersonian while crawling along I-95 in rush hour traffic. Me, I prefer the train. But the issue is one of choice. When I have to decide the best way for me to get from point A to point B, I want to have alternatives. To the extent that the state is in the highway business, let the state be in the mass transit business.
O'Toole also fails to mention the plight of those who cannot drive: the young, the handicapped, and the elderly. Dare I be politically incorrect and mention the fact that in many communities where there is no public transportation, we have elderly people driving around who cannot see the road or control the autos they are driving? In the near future, the baby boomers will be of retirement age, and I-95 will become a thousand-mile stretch of bumper cars. Are those who cannot or should not drive going to be taxed to pay for highways they cannot use?
O'Toole mentions the tax breaks for those who build high-density housing near trolley stations. This is where we agree; such tax breaks are absolute folly. Ironically, they just may be the very reason that such a small percentage of the residents use the trolley. The tax breaks enable the developer to offer below-market rents. This, in turn, becomes a subsidy to the renter, lowering his rent so he can have the convenience of the trolley and his private automobile. It can be argued that the tax break effectively causes the rather low percentage of residents in these apartments who commute by trolley.
Conversely, Manhattan residents can afford to spend a greater percentage of their income on rent since they don't need an automobile, gas, oil, parking, tolls, and insurance. They pay a premium for not having to incur the cost of an automobile. The ludicrous tax break simply subsidizes the premium so one has, at the public's expense, a choice of taking the trolley or driving to work.
The issues are complicated, and we cannot investigate the entire urban transportation/intensity-of-development problem in a single issue of REASON. However, I'd like something a tad more sophisticated than a simple "suburban sprawl, yes; new urbanism, no!"
Fred Bluestone
Lauderdale Lakes, FL
Randal O'Toole replies: Somehow Fred Bluestone thinks that because I oppose mandates for high-density development, I support mandates for low-density development. Meanwhile, Laurence Aurbach Jr. portrays New Urbanism as a voluntary response to today's restrictive zoning codes. If I didn't make it clear in my article, let me say (in agreement with John L. Gann Jr.): I have nothing against New Urbanism so long as it is voluntary. That means eliminating today's zoning codes that may require undesirable developments. But it does not mean replacing those codes with even more restrictive ones. The Congress for the New Urbanism's charter (www.cnu.org/charter.html) calls for many prescriptive and restrictive practices that will increase congestion, pollution, housing costs, and taxes.
Editor's Note: We invite comments and request that they be civil and on-topic. We do not moderate or assume any responsibility for comments, which are owned by the readers who post them. Comments do not represent the views of Reason.com or Reason Foundation. We reserve the right to delete any comment for any reason at any time.
nfl jerseys|11.15.10 @ 3:40AM|#
hghgfd