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 My argument is that zoning is the DNA of sprawl, Cole said. If you want
to understand how we replicate sprawl, dont look for demons, dont look for
villainy, dont look for conspiracy, look at the laws that we have passed and
the zoning codes that we embrace.
With the rapid economic development of China, India and other parts of the world, there will be an estimated
1 billion cars on the road by 2020, Cole said.
While estimates on the level of supply differ, it is clear that there is only a certain amount of oil in the
ground and demand for it is rapidly rising, Cole said.
Here at home, we are continuing to consume oil at an increasing pace, Cole said. Were driving more and
enjoying it less. We are adding highways and really see no end in sight to the current way of doing business.
Tossing restrictive zoning laws and returning to older community design concepts would help build the kinds of
communities people want and reduce the need to drive from where we live to where we work or shop, he said.
Until about 100 years ago, the nations cities and communities were built for mixed use.
But the desire to eradicate the negative effects from the industrialization of many U.S. cities, coupled with
the rise in popularity of the automobile and the creation of the suburbs after World War II, led to the creation
of zoning laws that separated potentially compatible land uses.
For the last 75 years of human history, we have designed our cities so that we would not live, work or shop in
proximity of each of those uses, Cole said.
What is needed, Cole argues, is a better way to organize communities that goes back before World War II. You
want to build communities where theres a place for everything, and everything is in its place, he said.
Current laws force cities and planners to approve projects within the confines of a designated land use rather
than creating places where people want to live, he said.
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