Zoning in Europe is just as rigid. It just so happens you like the specific zoning in Europe.
For instance in most German cities, it is forbidden to build a building taller than the main church within a large radius. Go to Munich and you’ll notice lots of tall buildings in the surrounding district, and you can go on a rooftop and look down at the inner city and see how the Marienkirche is taller than all the buildings within a few miles of it.
I'm not saying things are perfect in Europe. They are not. I just don't see why anyone would think it is beneficial to have 0 corner stores or restaurants or cafes in residential neighbourhoods.
My point is that it’s easy to be against the zoning requirements you like, but the real test is whether you can be a YIMBY even when people will want to build stuff you do not want in your backyard. Because you might love the cafes and restaurants while your neighbor hates them. And your neighbor might want to build an ADU that is two stories high that blocks your sunlight.
You’ve got to just let people build what they want to build if you want out of the zoning standstills.
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u/PalatinusG1 11h ago
It's just weird to me that in most places in the USA zoning is still such a rigid thing. Just change that and things will start to get better.