A Research Agenda for US Land Use and Planning Law

Book excerpt: Elgar Research Agendas outline the future of research in a given area. Leading scholars are given the space to explore their subject in provocative ways, and map out the potential directions of travel. They are relevant but also visionary. Authoritative and multidisciplinary in approach, this Research Agenda shapes questions that will underpin future legal and empirical scholarly inquiry on zoning and land use regulation in the US. Building on existing debates and providing a comprehensive overview of the current state of academic research, it identifies the gaps which need addressing in future research. Bringing together a diverse array of prominent voices across multiple disciplines, A Research Agenda for US Land Use and Planning Law adeptly navigates central themes including the structure of land use regulation, the relationship between zoning and planning, and the role of different levels of government and administrative agencies. Chapters critically analyse the laws that govern public participation alongside the potential reforms to these processes. A number of pressing issues are rigorously examined, including housing, historic preservation, sustainability and climate change, transportation, declining cities, residential segregation, and the relationship between private and public land use controls. This accessible and progressive Research Agenda will be of great interest to scholars and graduate students interested in planning, zoning, urban economics, property law, environmental law, legal studies, and political science. Practitioners looking for insightful analysis of seminal literature will similarly find this to be a beneficial read.