In the last post, we saw that Austin’s attempt to rewrite it’s land-use regulations (called CodeNext) has resulted in great controversy and divisiveness. That divisiveness is not the result of the process that was used, but instead, the cause was the principle that underlies CodeNext.
By their very nature, land-use regulations are an attempt to impose the values, visions, and standards of the community upon individuals. But no community is monolithic. Individuals have different values, visions, and standards. To establish one set of values, visions, and standards for an entire community is to say that the desires of some will be imposed upon all.
And this is precisely what is happening in Austin. Each special interest group is promoting its political agenda, and it wants its desires to become law. As an example, preservationists want to maintain low densities and restrict the development of modern buildings. As another example, affordable housing advocates want higher densities and incentives to developers to build less expensive housing.
And there are many other groups pushing their own particular agendas. But the success of one group usually comes at the expense of another group, so the entire process becomes a heated political debate and the entire community is divided. Each group is seeking some political benefit, and that benefit can only be gained at the expense of another group. And those groups will fight tooth and nail to influence the process.
When a group attempts to impose its values on a community, divisiveness is the result. The cause of the acrimony over CodeNext is not the process that was used. The cause is the attempt to impose values on others.
The very nature of government land-use regulations is immoral. They impose the values of some upon the entire community. They force some to sacrifice their values and plans to those of the community. That will be the topic of the next post.