“’Upzoning’ (the ability for local government to change existing codes for taller buildings/more buildings than historically allowed) in order to adhere your town to the SDGs.”
I’ve seen this in our small town on the San Francisco Peninsula and here in North Idaho.
Both areas were traditionally zoned for low buildings. Our California town had a strict two story height limit since it was incorporated in the early 50s. Then the state got involved and the developers got involved and it now looks like a mini-Manhattan in the downtown district. Sacramento says every town must have its “fair share” of low- and moderate-income housing.
The ball got rolling in Coeur d’Alene, ID when Duane Hagadone got his brain fart for a big resort to “improve” the downtown area. Now the City Council routinely approves 19 story building even though they block the beautiful views of the lake, hills and mountains.
The greeniacs say you need to do this to make “affordable” housing, but the housing in both areas is WAY beyond affordable. The developers are rapacious and could care less about livability, charm, history, heritage and character.
Government and developers ruin everything.
The Hagadones (aka the Harkonnens) are the 800 pound gorillas of downtown CDA. If you want tomopen a business they don’t like, then it won’t happen.
When I commented, “America is getting crowded”, I was told that we could comfortably accommodate 5 BILLION people here.
Coeur d Alene used to be a great place. Now it’s far north California.