Land Use

In this course, we will study the legal regulation of the urban environment. Developers, environmentalists, homeowners, interest groups and other political actors are constrained and empowered by a wide range of legal rules and institutions, which help determine the nature and structure of urban life. We will examine these rules and institutions, and see how individuals and groups use (and abuse) them in order to foster their own conceptions of modern life. In particular, we will focus on Los Angeles and the Southern California region as a case study in the contentious politics of urban growth. Specific topics may include: constitutional limitations on development, environmental controls on land use, zoning and planning, the politics of development, alternative to public regulation (such as nuisance and covenants), transportation, regionalism, environmental justice, and the emerging debate over "smart growth."