But the gentleman I was talking with disagreed. The property can either be rigidly controlled by people who wrote the rules before the current owner was born, or you can institute a much more democratic system that allows for property owners to appeal to a board of citizens when they want to improve their property. That's when I remembered that too many Americans have forgotten what it was like when property rights were actually respected in this country. Comparing zoning to deed restrictions is comparing apples to oranges. One can always choose not to buy property that has deed restrictions the potential buyer considers intolerable.
Deed restrictions can have teeth if properly crafted.
But facing those penalties is a choice made by the purchaser when signing a voluntary contract. Zoning ordinances are laws enforced by intimidation, fines and threats. Failure to pay your zoning fine can result in loss of your property or even arrest. When I purchased my home in Burkburnett I faced no such dilemma. The property had no deed restrictions.