Title: On failure of zoning

Authors: Shih-Kung Lai; Haoying Han

Addresses: College of Public Administration, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China; Department of Real Estate and Built Environment, National Taipei University, 67, Section 3, Min Sheng East Road, Taipei, Taiwan ' Department of Land Management, Zhejiang University, 268 Kaixuan Road, Hangzhou 310029, China

Abstract: Zoning is designed to delineate land uses in order to prevent urban development from incurring negative externalities. Morphologically speaking, zoning should result in spatial patterns that are closer to Euclidean (or regular) geometry than fractal (or irregular, self-similar) geometry. Previous computer simulations showed that zoning did not affect the fractal geometry of the urban spatial patterns of the Taipei metropolitan area. In this paper, we explore into the reasons why zoning fails in most Asian cities in general, and in Taipei in particular, through theoretical expositions. We argue that the preference for mixed uses is the main reason why zoning fails to achieve its goals. Furthermore, even a limited extent of mixed uses would result in spatial patterns characterised by fractal geometry rather than Euclidean geometry. We argue for a hybrid land regulation through the zoning and permit systems that take advantage of both the artificial and natural aspects of cities.

Keywords: zoning; fractal geometry; urban development; urban spatial patterns; Taipei; Taiwan; Euclidean geometry; land regulation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSSS.2012.051145

International Journal of Society Systems Science, 2012 Vol.4 No.4, pp.369 - 380

Published online: 30 Aug 2014 *

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