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2002

Fordham Urban Law Journal

Land Use

Articles 1 - 8 of 8

Full-Text Articles in Law

City Life And New Urbanism, Ray Gindroz Jan 2002

City Life And New Urbanism, Ray Gindroz

Fordham Urban Law Journal

This article discusses the importance and reintroduction of urban centers as areas of continuing development, information exchange and health in cities and suburbs. It first comments on the decay of urban centers as a result of the post-World War II push to build towns and cities which were more isolated, fragmented and anti-urban. New urbanism began in the 1970s and 80s to create neighborhoods and urban centers rather than scattered developments and has successfully continued to this day. This article identifies the design principles of these urbanists and how they are put into practice, including a case study of Park …


Making The Good Easy: The Smart Code Alternative, Andres Duany, Emily Talen Jan 2002

Making The Good Easy: The Smart Code Alternative, Andres Duany, Emily Talen

Fordham Urban Law Journal

This article advocates for a new, fundamentally different plan for how cities should be coded, the Smart Code. It links urbanism and environmentalism and is strongly aligned with smart growth and sustainability. The Smart Code is offered as an alternative to the current anti-urban, conventional codes which are rigid and focus on single-use zones that separate human living space from the natural environment, as illustrated by the sprawl.


Florida's Downtowns: The Key To Smart Growth, Urban Revitalization, And Green Space Preservation, John T. Marshall Jan 2002

Florida's Downtowns: The Key To Smart Growth, Urban Revitalization, And Green Space Preservation, John T. Marshall

Fordham Urban Law Journal

This article reviews Florida's growth management system, which has spurred suburban development, and its negative impact on Florida's cities. As Florida's governor and legislature have turned their focus to this issue, this article evaluates policy recommendations to limit Florida's suburban sprawl and invigorate its urban centers.


First Suburbs In The Northeast And Midwest: Assets, Challenges, And Opportunities, Robert Puentes Jan 2002

First Suburbs In The Northeast And Midwest: Assets, Challenges, And Opportunities, Robert Puentes

Fordham Urban Law Journal

This article examines the decline of first suburbs, the older inner-ring suburbs closest to cities that grew up before or immediately after World War II. As families leave these areas for the expanding outer suburbs, the tax base shrinks and poverty and failing schools result. Inner suburbs lack the sophisticated governmental structures of cities to combat these problems, and without a shift in investment policies, first suburbs will continue to suffer.


Eras, Daniel Solomon Jan 2002

Eras, Daniel Solomon

Fordham Urban Law Journal

This article discusses the different eras of development of the American town. The first era was a result of the agrarian grid. The second era started in 1938 when the Federal Housing Administration began working on a national code. The article identifies these sprawling second era towns as deficient. A third era is now underway and is heavily influenced by the first era towns.


Smart Growth And Sustainable Transportation: Can We Get There From Here?, Oliver A. Pollard, Iii Jan 2002

Smart Growth And Sustainable Transportation: Can We Get There From Here?, Oliver A. Pollard, Iii

Fordham Urban Law Journal

This article focuses on the development of smart growth, which includes sustainable transportation policies and more efficient uses of land. Smart growth was developed to combat some of the negative consequences of transportation and land use laws developed in the past fifty years which created dependence on motor vehicles. The article examines these policies and their inconsistency with smart growth, considers steps to be taken toward a more efficient transportation system and the difficulties in invoking these changes, and uses Atlanta as a case study in the opportunities and challenges for smart growth and sustainable transportation policies.


Maryland's Next Smart Growth Initiative: The Next Steps, Parris N. Glendening Jan 2002

Maryland's Next Smart Growth Initiative: The Next Steps, Parris N. Glendening

Fordham Urban Law Journal

This article discusses Maryland's Smart Growth and Neighborhood Conservation Initiative, the nation's first statewide, incentive-based program to reduce the impact of urban sprawl. It has been used as a model by other states and espouses the notions that no growth is bad and the economy and environment are intertwined. Maryland attempts to change the bottom line of development decisions by making it more attractive and less costly to build in designated growth areas. The article identifies the next steps in Maryland's Smart Growth initiative and concludes that Maryland and the United States must be successful in these and similar efforts …


The Census As A Call To Action, David J. Barron, Gerald E. Frug Jan 2002

The Census As A Call To Action, David J. Barron, Gerald E. Frug

Fordham Urban Law Journal

This article argues that we misinterpret the Census figures showing the continued growth of the suburbs and increase in populations of some cities and not others. While many, including a Harvard economist, contend that this is a purely a result of consumer preference, this article concludes that this pattern is more likely a result of legal rules promoting sprawl which have been unchanged for 50 years. The article states that this new census data should be a wake-up call for state law reform which will no longer constrain and define local government.