Time to Change: St. Louis County Considers Zoning to Allow Increased Density

{from rural to urban, St. Louis County adjusts to new development trends}

After decades of purposely zoning against multi-family and dense commercial development, St. Louis County is spending $150,000 to study potential zoning code revisions that would allow for more density. Any changes are hoped to be in place before 2013 and would affect only unincorporated St. Louis County, roughly one third of the county's 900,000 residents. Although not binding, consultants are being asked to provide advice for municipalities as well.

Two things are required to understand current zoning restrictions in St. Louis County. First, read Colin Gordon's incomparable Mapping Decline: St. Louis and the Fate of the American City. Second, understand that the St. Louis experience is not much different than that of other cities.