It didn’t merit much notice given all the excitement at City Hall yesterday, but the council signed off on the form-based zoning compromise that will make it possible for developers to put up more dense projects in our neighborhoods.

The compromise, which most neighborhood types see as fair, focuses on something we have been writing about a lot lately: New Urbanism, pedestrian-friendly, neighborhood-centric projects. That is, finding a way to reduce our reliance on the car without increasing density so much as to make the city unlivable.

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What’s next? If and when the recession ends, will developers work within the confines of the compromise? Or will they continue to ask for variances and changes in zoning to build what they want to build, regardless of what the neighborhoods want? This is especially important in Oak Cliff, which experts we’ve talked to say is primed for a New Urbanism-style renaissance once the economy improves.