[epistasis]

There's two big differences:

1) clarity of law without local community process that overrides what the law says you can build,

2) extra capacity to actual build. Almost 100% of land is "built out" according to zoning, meaning that almost no land allows building anything more than already exists. In fact this downzoning was so intense that many many buildings would never be allowed to rebuilt, including iconic buildings.

We have literally outlawed cities in the US, due to the wishes of people that want suburban automotive lifestyle to replace city life.