New York City's Zoning and Setback Laws Essay by BrainC

This paper explains that New York City was the first community in the nation to institute a zoning ordinance, the New York 1916 Zoning Resolution, to establish specific height and setback controls on all buildings in an attempt to create a barrier that would stop manufacturing and industry from encroaching on Manhattan's office and department store district. The author points out that New York had the unique problem of skyscrapers blocking sunlight; therefore, the zoning ordinance laid down rules that buildings would forever be shaped similarly to a wedding cake, layered toward the top in like a stair-step method. The paper explains that newer zoning requirements must take into consideration the idea of environmental and resident protection, social and economic well-being, and the use of natural resources, such as ponds and wildlife habitats.