The ubiquitous settlement pattern of the American suburb is in fact a carefully constructed reality. Because the vision of the home in the suburbs is very deeply rooted, any development which is considered threatening to this image is met with a defensive reaction. Too often, however, when these NIMBY ("Not In My Back Yard") sentiments are permitted to dictate what is acceptable in a community, housing affordable to low- and moderate-income households is purposely excluded. / This thesis explores the processes by which discriminatory NIMBY sentiments are realized as legal development regulations in contemporary suburbs. The historic evolution of the suburbs and the psychological foundations behind their typical characteristics are presented as the sources of a suburban value structure which esteems NIMBY. Suburban governments are mandated to represent their constituents' values, but exclusionary development controls are a complex product of constituent demands, fiscal constraints, and constitutional limits. / This analysis reveals that legislative responsibility often bows to political weakness. NIMBY groups use political pressure to manipulate municipal governments into using their vast discretionary powers over development as a weapon for exclusion. In response to either political or fiscal motivations, legislators pressure planners to validate discriminatory legislative agendas with their plans, thus undermining their abilities to guide growth effectively. Although the process of development regulation is well-grounded in historic and legal precedents, when legislation is used for discriminatory ends, citizens' civil and property rights are jeopardized. This thesis explains how regulations such as zoning ordinances can be used for exclusion when municipal government disregards its mandate to be the guardian of the general welfare. / Increased awareness of both the motivations and the manifestations of the NIMBY phenomenon may enable individuals as well as lawmakers to create a more equitable suburbia.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:QMM.23704 |
| Date | January 1995 |
| Creators | Steffel, Jennifer Elaine |
| Contributors | Friedman, Avi (advisor) |
| Publisher | McGill University |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Coverage | Master of Architecture (School of Architecture.) |
| Rights | All items in eScholarship@McGill are protected by copyright with all rights reserved unless otherwise indicated. |
| Relation | alephsysno: 001486820, proquestno: MM11994, Theses scanned by UMI/ProQuest. |
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