If people are attracted more to the center of their city or town, they will drive less because they will be able to use mass transit. Furthermore, the tax would force some sites that now have massive parking lots to use the land more efficiently in order to make more money to pay the new tax on land. As a result, parking would become more scarce and expensive and more people would switch from driving to riding. Few people realize that conventional zoning actually encourages sprawl by doing little to protect open space or to conserve rural character. Usually zoning standards do not require developers to provide anything more than houselots and streets, which allows for unmitigated development.
Nothing is left to become open space.
Conventional zoning designates every piece of land as residential, commercial, or industrial. Only wetlands and floodplains cannot be developed. Open space zoning has been successfully implemented in many counties in New England, Virginia, Washington State, and California. New construction is located on only half of the land being developed, and the county or municipality protects the remaining open space. Open Space Zoning offers advantages to all parties.