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March 04, 2007
Inner Loop Growing Pains
Those Houstonians who live inside the 610 Loop (or thereabouts) are all too familiar with residential construction these days. Older single-family dwellings are often making way for new higher density townhomes and mid- and high-rise condominium developments.
This urban infilling and regentrification is presenting both pluses and minuses in center city communities. Increased property values and amenities are certainly bi-products of the development boom, but so are higher property taxes, increased traffic and heavier burdens on infrastructure.
In today's Chronicle, Mike Snyder examines the double-edged sword that is inner Houston new development.
The rub, of course, is how the City of Houston addresses current and future development through public policy. Houston is famously a no-zoning city, and no current plans appear to be in the works to change that. But the City is considering ordinances to guide development, an undertaking that no doubt will be challenging (if not impossible) to reach a broad consensus.
How do we balance the desire for increased development, much of it higher density, with preserving quality of life in our neighborhoods? It's a question worthy of serious debate and deliberation.
Posted by houtopia at March 4, 2007 07:03 PM