The Los Angeles fires are an ongoing disaster. But like many major events, they also present an opportunity: Large urban areas will be rebuilt more or less simultaneously. This presents …
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The Los Angeles fires are an ongoing disaster. But like many major events, they also present an opportunity: Large urban areas will be rebuilt more or less simultaneously. This presents the possibility of breaking out of the self-perpetuating pattern of lot-by-lot building which provided the opportunity for the fire to leap from house to house.
Incentives could be offered for innovative development, such as: Allowing neighbors to consolidate lots, sharing amenities-pool, garage, patio, HVAC, for instance.
Co-housing, neighborhood centers, offering a cafe, convenience store, shared office space. Buyback programs to accommodate those who don’t want to rebuild in the devastated area. California’s governor has already ordered exemptions from environmental regulations to expedite rebuilding. Why not offer targeted exemptions to zoning regulations, as well, while maintaining controls on overall density?
Ian Keith
Port Townsend
