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@At Hallig Hooge in Germany, density is clustered on individual mounds,
<br />leading to a compact, yet rural, pattern.
<br />high -resiliency areas. Further, these clusters
<br />may eventually grow into the coastal towns
<br />and cities of tomorrow.
<br />Zoning for Areas of Low Resiliency
<br />The most difficult issue a community is likely
<br />to face in managing coastal growth will be
<br />limiting development in low -resiliency areas.
<br />To effectively do this there must be a con-
<br />certed effort by the community to coordinate
<br />all of the growth management tools at their
<br />disposal. Policies addressing zoning as well
<br />as targeting investment in infrastructure and
<br />public services toward areas of high resil-
<br />iency must work together to make this a suc-
<br />cessful strategy. In some cases the concept
<br />of transfer of development rights might be
<br />a viable option to quiet opposition or legal
<br />challenges to any perceived downzoning.
<br />From a zoning perspective, the main
<br />objective is to minimize development or, at
<br />a minimum, rethink redevelopment. Zoning
<br />districts should be rural in nature with gross
<br />densities no higher than one unit/zo acres.
<br />Rural and agricultural uses, along with
<br />resource extraction and other non -develop-
<br />ment -focused land uses, may continue.
<br />Inevitable Structures. The reality of the
<br />coast is that even in areas of the lowest resil-
<br />iency, where no one should build anything,
<br />there will still be a need for certain structures.
<br />Ice houses for coastal fishermen, oil and gas
<br />staging areas, and other inevitable structures
<br />will exist. These structures may build on
<br />stilts, use floating building designs, tempo-
<br />rary structures, or other building -specific de-
<br />fense strategies to deal with such hazardous
<br />environments. Zoning codes should accom-
<br />modate such uses and building strategies in
<br />these areas of low resiliency.
<br />Built Areas of Low Resiliency. Areas of low
<br />resiliency that have already been built require a
<br />different approach. Communities may be forced
<br />to choose whether to abandon or to fortify.
<br />Some communities may rezone the area so
<br />that if destroyed in future storms the existing
<br />structures must be rebuilt applying building
<br />specific defense strategies. Other communities
<br />may choose to relocate remaining residents to
<br />safer places. The Center for Planning Excellence
<br />in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, will soon publish a
<br />"Coastal Best Practice Manual" that will help
<br />coastal communities think through many of
<br />these challenging issues.
<br />HOW DO WE BUILD?
<br />Once a community has answered the ques-
<br />tions where to build (e.g., in high -resiliency
<br />areas) and what to build (e.g., compact,
<br />mixed use, vibrant places), it must finally
<br />address the question of how to build.
<br />Clearly, the answer is structures that are
<br />built to the best and latest building codes
<br />with local amendments that consider the
<br />caliber of storm events in your community.
<br />Buildings in hazardous coastal areas should
<br />be able to withstand stronger winds than
<br />buildings further inland. In most coastal ar-
<br />eas concrete houses are going to be better at
<br />withstanding surges and occasional flooding
<br />than stick -built houses. See the discussion
<br />above about how compact form could enable
<br />more investment in better buildings.
<br />ATIMETO REBUILD: SEIZING THE
<br />OPPORTUNITY AHEAD OF TIME
<br />Very often the best opportunity to correct
<br />some of the mistakes of the past is right
<br />after a disaster. But that is also just about
<br />the worst possible time to plan for redevel-
<br />opment. Unless some prior thinking and
<br />planning has gone into how to redevelop
<br />destroyed areas after a catastrophic storm,
<br />these areas will likely redevelop just as they
<br />were before the storm. Not only is good plan-
<br />ning necessary, public buy -in to the process
<br />will be critical to developing the political will
<br />to make the necessary changes. The Florida
<br />Division of Community Planning has just
<br />released a publication and website on post -
<br />disaster redevelopment planning (www.dca.
<br />state.fl.us/fdcp/dcp/PDRP/toolbox.cfm).
<br />CONCLUSION
<br />Building a vibrant and walkable (and there-
<br />fore compact) coastal community is the first
<br />and most important step toward building a
<br />safe and resilient coastal community. But it
<br />is far from the only step. Communities must
<br />be committed to focusing compact growth
<br />in areas of high resiliency while limiting
<br />growth in areas of low resiliency. Develop-
<br />ment codes are another very important part
<br />of the battle. Coastal communities must
<br />also make policy decisions about where
<br />they invest in infrastructure and public
<br />services. Providing sewer, water mains, or
<br />high -capacity roads in areas of low resil-
<br />iency will work against even the most strin-
<br />gent development codes.
<br />Our oldest and most beloved coastal
<br />cities provide us with some of the best
<br />models to follow: the least hazardous loca-
<br />tion for the best possible situation, and a
<br />town form worth defending. These com-
<br />munities have weathered coastal hazards
<br />for generations. Where they have failed, it
<br />is because they ceased to follow the model,
<br />such as the lower parts of New Orleans.
<br />If we build for people first, respecting the
<br />limits of nature, our coastal communities
<br />will indeed be enduring.
<br />Architectural detail of a balcony in New
<br />Orlean's French Quarter. ©iStock.com/Paul
<br />Giamou(design concept by Lisa Barton.
<br />VOL. 28, NO.
<br />Zoning Practice is a monthly publication of the
<br />American Planning Association. Subscriptions are
<br />available for $90 (U.S.) and $115 (foreign). W. Paul
<br />Farmer, FAICP, Chief Executive Officer; William R.
<br />Klein, AICP, Director of Research
<br />Zoning Practice (ISSN 1548—o135) is produced
<br />at APA. Jim Schwab, AICP, and David Morley, AICP,
<br />Editors; Julie Von Bergen, Assistant Editor;
<br />Lisa Barton, Design and Production.
<br />Copyright ©2011 by American Planning
<br />Association, 2o5 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 12oo,
<br />Chicago, IL 606o1-5927. The American Planning
<br />Association also has offices at 103015th St., NW,
<br />Suite 75o West, Washington, DC z0005-1503;
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<br />Alt rights reserved. No part of this publication
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<br />ZONING PRACTICE 1.11
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