Ashby Ordinance

Could Houston be one step closer to zoning? A few days ago the Houston Chronicle reported that the administration of Mayor Bill White has fast tracked an ordinance that could “whittle the proposed 23-story building — and others like it — down to size.” The ordinance would require developers of certain buildings, in certain areas to submit a traffic study to the city for approval. According to the ordinance's language, "certain types of high-density development have a significant probability of creating an adverse traffic impact on the established and nearby areas of the city affected by such development."

While we think this looks like a step in the pro-zoning direction the ambiguity of the legalese make the Houstonist a little un-easy. Obviously quality of life is taking more and more of a front seat in Houston. Yet, the suggestion of zoning is still highly contentious. So what’s the hold up? What do we have to lose? And why do we have to conjure up a fear of traffic to defend our neighborhoods?

At the center of any zoning debate is the question of the free-market and all that it entails -- as in, dare we say it, freedom. Freedom in this sense is generally interpreted to be the freedom to do something (i.e. build whatever, wherever). And this is usually where the debate ends. But what about freedom from something, (i.e. irresponsible activity)? We know that laissez-faire development is the raison d’etre of Houston, but is it still a viable strategy? We think it’s time for Houston to make some decisions about the role of development and the economy in shaping its neighborhoods. It means that Houston will need to more clearly define itself and its values. This might appear to be anti-Houstonian, but again, what do we have to lose? At the very least let’s keep up the conversation.

A draft of the ordinance can be found here, and for all the info on Ashby, regardless of your stance on the issue check here.