[spoonie]

I should be able to build whatever I want on my private property. Whether it’s a house or an apartment building.

[caymanjim]

Are you also going to build the infrastructure to support your apartment building in a neighborhood of single-family homes? Are you going widen the streets, create parking, improve sewer and water lines, add traffic lights, build larger parks, route mass transit, hire more school bus drivers, hire more police? Urban planning and zoning exist for a reason.

[spoonie]

Yes in Toronto these are called Development Charges and are charged to the buyer/builder proportional to what they are building.

[pbourke]

And I assume that you’d be fine with your neighbour doing the same, irrespective of the impact on the value and enjoyment of your property?

[spoonie]

If I'm happy to have gains when I do nothing but my neighbours improve their properties, then I’m also happy to risk losses when I do nothing but my neighbours make changes.