The purpose of this paper was to compile a nationwide survey by state, on legislation designed to protect access to solar energy. Brief summaries of the information received are included. Land use planning techniques and tools such as zoning and subdivision regulations, as well as special solar zones and planned unit developments have been discussed as they relate to protection of solar access and solar energy use. This paper has distinguished between two types of solar energy systems, active and passive, and associated problems with each.Primary concerns for the users of solar energy systems have been the availability of solar energy and its access to the collector's surface. Solar energy is environmentally safe, however, access to solar energy can be a limiting factor to its use. Solar access protection methods vary with location. The differences in needs between rural and urban areas have been discussed.Increasing solar technologies indicate the need for communities to regulate solar access through innovative legislation. This paper with brief introductions to solar energy access protection techniques, and the state-by-state survey was prepared so as to provide the reader with a basic understanding of solar access protection and act as a guide to access protection methods. / Department of Urban Planning

Thesis (M.C.P.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning, 1979. / MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND ROTCH. / Bibliography: leaves 361-380. / by Andrew Schiffrin. / M.C.P.

During the past several decades, most U.S. metropolitan areas have experienced strong suburbanization of housing and jobs (i.e., urban sprawl). The sprawl that arises from urban growth has become a big issue in many metropolitan areas in the U.S. In response, there has been increased interest in urban containment policies. There are contrasting views (planning-oriented vs. market-oriented) of urban sprawl and urban containment policies. Planning-oriented scholars asserted the problems of 'geographic sprawl (GS)' and the positive effects of urban containment polices, while market-oriented scholars asserted the problems of 'economic sprawl (ES)' and the negative or negligible effects of urban containment policies. Therefore, this dissertation analyzed whether urban containment policies affect urban sprawl, employment center formation, and urban commuting. The results of this dissertation indicate that urban containment policies play an important role in affecting urban sprawl, employment center formation, and urban commuting, as well as explaining the contrasting views (planning-oriented vs. market-oriented) of urban containment policies. Implementing urban containment policies can produce positive effects such as compact development, which can promote J-H balance. However, as seen in the relationship between urban containment policies, urban sprawl and housing values, stronger urban containment policies can produce negative effects, such as traffic congestion and an increase in housing prices.