Townhouses Need Connected Streets

Allowing townhouse units is not enough — the public‑realm design (connected street grids, block size, and proximate retail) determines whether new rowhouses function like historic urban neighborhoods or like low‑amenity suburban infill. Policymakers who simply permit townhouses can end up producing dense but unwalkable cul‑de‑sac clusters that fail on livability and value. — If cities want townhouse zoning to deliver affordable, family‑friendly urban housing, they must reform form‑based rules (street connectivity, block structure, mixed‑use requirements), not just unit‑count rules.