Brookline Compliance With The MBTA Communities Act

Euclidean Zoning

Euclidean zoning is a planning approach where land uses are separated into distinct zones or districts. Each zone is assigned specific regulations and restrictions on what types of activities or buildings are allowed.

Euclidean zoning is named after the U.S. Supreme Court case, Village of Euclid, Ohio v. Ambler Realty Co., which upheld the constitutionality of zoning ordinances in 1926. Though widely implemented, Euclidean zoning has been criticized for its rigidity and tendency to promote uniformity, leading to a status quo bias that may hinder innovation, mixed-use development, and urban vitality.

For example, Euclidean zoning might specify a single use for a zone, such as two-family residential use, and then rely on certain criteria to ensure what types of buildings can be built in that zone, such as Floor-Area Ratio, Setbacks, Lot Coverage or Building Height Limits. However, these criteria don’t determine how the building interacts with the surrounding neighborhood or streetscape.

What is the difference between form-based zoning and Euclidean zoning?