Omaha's Upper/Middle/Lower Class Zoning

[RockHarbor]

Being mostly a "white collar town", Omaha really has a lot of high-class areas nowadays -- far beyond Happy Hollow, Fair Acres & Regency. In the 80's and 90's, especially, a lot of manor/estate-type housing went up on the western edge of Omaha.

Anyways, when I'm playing SIMCITY4 (which I haven't for years now), I always develop a really nice, ritzy area that is pretty extensive. For miles & miles, homes are perfect & beautiful, and landscaping is beautiful & lush around homes and along avenues and medians. However, in Omaha, you can be in a more upper-class area, but it always comes to an end, and you're faced suddenly with middle or lower-class housing right across the street.

Nothing against any class of housing at all, but I just wonder why Omaha always does this? Doesn't the city have a zoning law that mixes the three classes of housing together, so that one class doesn't dominate the other in any area of town? West of I-680, the only real area that I can think of that has a broad, extensive area of nicer housing clumped together is the area bounded by 144th, 120th, Dodge, and Blondo. And, I like that area of town as the result. There is a consistent pleasing theme present.

When I visit suburban Minneapolis or Chicago, I don't know if I see this same, consistent mixing of the three classes all the time. Some areas of suburban Minneapolis or Chicago are very ritzy and it seems an extensive area. When this kind of area happens, shopping centers are more ritzy-looking, and even grocery stores can be ritzy. (For example, I've actually been in a grocery store in Minnetonka, Minnesota that had chandeliers.) Suburban new office buildings also look nice set among upper-class areas (in any city). Think how nice the First National Bank Business Park looks backed by Linden Estates.

I just wonder why Omaha does this? Is it a zoning law? If so, why is it there? And, I'm wondering feedback/thoughts on if it is a good zoning law, or not. I'm wondering if it helps us, or hurts us, or maybe both. I can see definite good in such a zoning law, but still, I don't like how we hardly have a consistent theme anywhere in suburban Omaha, or a ritzy suburb/area to showcase.

[Omababe]

The area, if you drive from I80 west, north along 370 by 168th or so is almost all tres upscale until you get to Gretna. Kind of all surrounding the golf course except for a few apartments. I don't think it's zoning but there's a huge concentration of it in there with more being built. I pass that area almost daily and I'm surprised at the extent of it.

[BRoss]

Oh man, I haven't played SimCity 4 for a couple years now. I used to make some pretty big cities.

[cdub]

The result of development decisions and land ownership, not zoning.

[GetUrban]

The result of development decisions and land ownership, not zoning.

...and covenants enforced by neighborhood associations.

[Garrett]

The result of development decisions and land ownership, not zoning.

Indeed. Zoning based income would violate myriads of laws. That's not to say you can't make certain tactical decisions to zone areas to draw/push out certain incomes, of course.

[RockHarbor]

Thanks for your informative responses....

Omababe: Oh, yes, you're talking the Tiburon Golf Course area. Yes, that area is pretty nice & consistant. I didn't really think of that area. I really do like that vicinity, and I think it will only get better. I'm guessing they are going to eventually build big box retail along that stretch into Gretna eventually. I just bet a Super Target will eventually go in. I can't believe how fast that Aspen Creek (or "Aspen" something) neighborhood built-up over on 192nd, north of 370. Same with that subdivision just north of the Werner Baseball Stadium.

HR Paperstacks: Yes, I haven't played it for years either, and like you, I built some major cities. In fact, this "nerd" built a metropolis called Megatron, and it was huge. Of course, I used all the cheat codes, and had a larger, more expansive region than what the game originally gives you. It was a huge area. (I took pics of all my cities, and all I have to do is look at them to detour me from playing that game again -- as it reminds me how tired I got of it. I got sucked into it all, and spent so many hours, staying up all night long, and stuff.)

Cdub: Thanks for that. I wasn't sure. Such a crystal-clear, simply answer I needed. Thanks.

GetUrban: Covenants involved, too, eh? Thanks...

Garrett: Thanks. I had no idea. I always had this idea that Omaha just did a mix-mesh on purpose.

I just want a gorgeous suburb that goes on for awhile, and the rule is, when development is put in, it has to be upper income. It seems like every major city has an area that people can say "So & so lives in..." In Denver, it is Cherry Creek. In Indianapolis, it is Crow's Nest. In Minneapolis, it is Minnetonka or Edina. In Kansas City, it is Mission Hills, I think. In Omaha, when we say "So & so lives in..." it comes down to just a subdivision.

Good thing for this forum. Couldn't sleep!

[Omababe]

I'm guessing they are going to eventually build big box retail along that stretch into Gretna eventually. I just bet a Super Target will eventually go in.

There's one not very well known seasonal traffic issue with that stretch that I'm sure many people don't even think about. In the autumn, as in right when the big shopping season starts, the traffic along 370 to the Pumpkin Patch can be a nightmare! It's all unsurfaced farm roads into the Patch itself which is a major bottleneck and it backs up 370 in both directions. They will sometimes have the cops out there trying to keep things moving on the weekends. I would think that Target' (properly pronounced with accent aigu) would want to avoid that particular area.

I'm kind of expecting some other retail to open up southwest of Wally World, which really dominates retail in the area. Far better access to the traffic patterns.

Same with that subdivision just north of the Werner Baseball Stadium.

You never even realize that neighborhood is in there! Kind of a real sleeper with great views of the fireworks.

[cdub]

We have Regency, Linden Estates and others. I would suspect as neighborhoods go, these are sized relatively like other cities. Some of the examples you site are the result of other things, often suburbs who essentially zone out small lots and multi-family. A burb can do this wholesale, a city the size of Omaha can't.

On another note, 4 miles of the same thing is too much, IMO. Although I suppose west O is essentially that, with wider home value range than you are describing.