Zoning shapes our lives. But for many of us, this powerful tool remains hidden and confusing. Jeremy Klaszus speaks with Sara Bronin, a Cornell University professor and director of the National Zoning Atlas in the U.S., about why zoning matters—and how to better understand it.

This episode begins with a quick crash course on the history of zoning in Calgary:

—How zoning bylaws were created in the 1930s to protect property values

—How Calgary's growth pattern was established in the 1950s, then entrenched

—How city hall shied away from changing zoning in the '60s and '70s, instead embracing a status quo that perpetuated car-reliant sprawl

In my conversation with Sara Bronin, we discuss:

—The hidden ways zoning affects our lives socially, economically and environmentally

—How zoning 'kills housing by a thousand cuts’

—How requirements like parking minimums further perpetuate sprawl

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