The Politics of Land Use Controls

Abstract

The following paper was presented at the July 3, 1974 meeting of the University of Missouri (Columbia) Land Use Committee which acts as an interdisciplinary information exchange and educational conduit. While “The Politics of Land Use Controls: Noble Intentions — Fatally Executed” does not deal with Housing per se, it does deal with a basic piece of the Housing mosaic — that of land and the constant conflict over its use, type of use, and nonuse. Ballard’s paper, while referring in some cases to Missouri, has implications for the entire nation and its states. In a style reminiscent of Mark Twain he brings us face to face with the reality of power and its frequently “negative” results before he leads us to a cautious “optimism” founded on the conceptual pillars of “information” and “insulation.” The article is important to us as housing educators because it deals with power which must be faced, before practical considerations can be applied to land and housing and raising a family; and on occasion housing educators have selected to ignore power or deal with it too gently. It is a mistake to ignore or deal lightly with the foundation of a house — so too with power.