Not in My Front Yard?
The Department of City Planning has chosen a side in the so-called Paving Wars by proposing a zoning change that would require planting on 20 to 50 percent of most front yards, thus stopping home owners from coating those spaces with concrete and creating parking spaces. The green front yard contributes to community and quality…
The Department of City Planning has chosen a side in the so-called Paving Wars by proposing a zoning change that would require planting on 20 to 50 percent of most front yards, thus stopping home owners from coating those spaces with concrete and creating parking spaces. The green front yard contributes to community and quality of life, says planning director Amanda Burden, who believes that paving yards is creating a cement jungle in these beautiful neighborhoods. The proposal will need to get a thumbs-up from the Planning Commission and the City Council in order to become a regulation. We’re not sure about the requirement of 50 percent plant coverage, but we certainly like the gist of the proposal. How ’bout you?
One More Skirmish in the Paving Wars [NY Times]
paved over gardens arent always so bad..especially if one uses pavers, some potted plants, a bench, etc
its the freakin curb cuts and cars (many times SUV’s, surprise surprise) that piss me offf…just makes it easier for people to drive everywhere, own more than one car, and contribute to this addiction to cars and oil
part of the reason that this is so hideous, is that IMHO most automibiles are so ugly.
imagine if every car was a nice black 1940’s style…we wouldn’t mind it as much (i know i wouldn’t)
If you want to police illegal parking and curb cuts, police illegal parking and curb cuts.
I personally have a front garden and hate paved over gardens. I also realize that things should not be outlawed simply because I disapprove of them.
But I realize that’s a minority position in America, among liberals and conservatives alike.
11:06, ur supposed to get permission, but i think it gets done illegally in many areas
i think its a disguisting practice
How do you turn your yard into a driveway?….does it require planning permission?….or are most yards with parking space illegal?….
new yorkers can be so utterly tasteless
Im never in favor of legislation based on arbitrary personal taste.
Why not just enforce illegal driveways rather than force the majority of rule abiding homeowners to do something they dont want to do it?
We live with enough bureaucracy , illogical building codes and laws without adding another.
50% is really high (and I am sympathetic to the spirit of this reg). there must be a better way to achieve the same desired result.
I love to garden. But older homeowners and property managers of multi-family homes might find it difficult to keep up with the maintenance required for a garden. So this new proposal seems really unfair in a lot of ways. Also layout wise it might be hard to accomplish 50% coverage when you have to incorporate space for trash cans to come in and out and be stored, hatch to basement to be opened and closed and have access to on ocassion, and have a walkway for access to garden floor apts.