The Future of Zoning: The View from the COVID-19 Lens

Approved for 1.50 CM credits law

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, and our nation’s shaky response, it is time to consider a wide range of modest tweaks and more dramatic shifts to American zoning law as potential steps to take in anticipation of future pandemics and other unprecedented public health emergencies. Ever since zoning became part of our legal system in the opening decades of the twentieth century, there has been a strong connection between land use regulation (particularly  but not only in the urban setting) and congestion that breeds and spreads disease. So, in many ways the past of the Spanish Flu pandemic in 1918 is the prologue for today and the future.

This webinar will address changes to many weaknesses and shortcomings of zoning that have been exposed by the current pandemic. These include restrictions on home occupations and accessory uses, the prevalence of noncumulative zoning, the problem of medical hardships for variances, the loss of nonconforming status for discontinued use, the use of carrots and sticks to make municipalities more responsive to the new normal of a pandemic, the compelling case for inclusionary zoning and other forms of socioeconomic zoning, the ramifications of online public hearings, and the problems posed by the new preemption.

This webinar will address what are the impacts on our built environment and the people who live in it as it relates to planning for our communities.

Register Here: https://extension.psu.edu/land-use-webinar

For more information contact Peter Wulfhorst (ptw3@psu.edu or 570-296-3400 ext. 1445)