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Houston Actually Does in Fact Lack Zoning. When discussion of Houston is brought up urbanists will say that while Houston lacks a formal zoning code, that its land use regulations are "zoning by another name". But I believe this analysis is simplistic. This equates all land use regulation with zoning and it misunderstands what zoning in fact is.
Land deals in Houston were once negotiated between politicians and landowners in the Rice Hotel. Open government laws have long since ended that practice, but the development community continues to influence city regulations. As for the development code itself, Houston does have one, perhaps contrary to popular belief.
The Department of Planning and Development regulates land development in Houston and within its extraterritorial jurisdiction, ETJ. The City of Houston does not have zoning, but development is governed by ordinance codes that address how property can be subdivided. The City codes do not address land use. No Zoning Letter and Boundary Map for ...
- They DO have land use regulations. Despite their reputation as the city without zoning, they do regulate a myriad of land use issues such as density, buffering, lot size, and historic preservation through their Planning and Development Department.
- Unincorporated Towns. It’s important to note there are numerous unincorporated towns within and surrounding the Houston metro area. And while these towns have their own land use codes, if they lie within the very large Houston annexation area, they will be subject to some of Houston’s ordinances, like subdivision laws, in addition to their town’s land use codes.
- The Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone. Houston also has something called a Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone. Designed to establish and attract new investments, these areas retain property tax revenue for uses within their borders.
- Houston has no Comprehensive Plan. This isn’t earth-shattering news, but the absence of a comprehensive plan means there is no policy document to inform ordinance creation.
Apr 24, 2024 · Here’s what you need to know about zoning in Houston and how it affects property development. Houston’s Approach to Zoning. Houston is famous for being the largest city in the United States without formal zoning ordinances. Instead of zoning, Houston uses a variety of legal and economic development tools to manage land use, including deed ...
Houston, TX, has no formal zoning laws, which means residential areas aren't strictly regulated for land use. Instead, development is guided by ordinance codes like Chapter 42. Here is an overview of the rules and regulations for single-family and multi-family residential districts within the city.
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Feb 7, 2024 · Move to Bellaire. (Opinion) “It turns out that Houston, despite its famous (or infamous) lack of zoning, has a plethora of land use regulations that are not codified in a formal zoning ordinance ...