Local: Did city cave on first test of form based codes?

November 14, 2007
By Billy Dennis

C.J. Summers suggests the answer is yes. I’m a fan of property rights. I have complained about ham-handed zoning decisions in the past. I recall one case where the city said no to a little old lady’s white picket fence because they found a neighbor who didn’t like it. The defense of zoning has always been that no one wants a pig farm or a ethanol plant built in a residential neighborhood, so there has to be some sacrifice of property rights in order for neighborhoods to be livable. Frankly, I think the zoning board and city council decision to give St. Ann’s Church a pass is because they are a church. No doubt the city’s powers-that-be will be more than willing to inflict its new codes on applicants who are less sympathetic. And I share C.J.’s concern there are no current or former members of the Heart of Peoria Commission members on the zoning board. That problem needs to be fixed as soon as possible.

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3 Responses to “ Local: Did city cave on first test of form based codes? ”

  1. C. J. Summers on November 14, 2007 at 11:51 am

    I don’t think so, Billy. I think the ZC and council have sent a clear message to developers: Claim it’s too expensive to build your development to code and threaten to not build at all if you don’t get exactly what you want, and the city will cave. Thus, the city is no longer doing city planning; the developers are.

  2. Billy Dennis on November 14, 2007 at 11:55 am

    C.J. I take issue with yoru statement that “the city is no longer doing city planning; the developers are.”

    Since when HAVEN’T the developers been doing all the REAL planning in this city? Peoria has always caved to the developers.

  3. C. J. Summers on November 14, 2007 at 1:12 pm

    My point exactly.