No Stealing Sun and Minimum Setback (piece-by-piece-Constitution)
(This is my ongoing series presenting pieces that I am formulating into my own constitution for any future country [including LL]. The wording is not set and is open to changes/additions/subtractions. Posting about it is just to stimulate debate, as should any good creator of a constitution.)
To achieve buildings not blocking sunlight from a neighbor’s property and to standardize a building setback, no building can be built within X meters of a property line if it is X meters tall. This will be calculated with a 45 degree angle from the property line up to the shadow producing edge of the roof. Assessors will be able to measure if a building is breaking this rule from the neighbors property, and thus, do not have to trespass on the offending property to assess.
This will be the general rule for the country, but it will be allowed for smaller jurisdictions to have their own vote on whether to contradict this rule and allow more dense and/or higher buildings. (Bold = Legal)
A 20 meter tall building (assuming a perfectly rectangular building) would have to be setback 20 meters from any property line. (Italics = Explanatory)
Stealing a property’s sun is like stealing their growing capability, and thus their ability to provide for themselves off of their own land. Also, when I have seen people build buildings right up to the property line it effectively “bullies” the neighboring property out of using the area directly next to the building.
Other concerns are: rain water drainage, building safety by being too close to roads, fire spread between buildings, allowing air circulation between buildings, preventing overcrowding, lowering noise, and increasing privacy.
This one simple rule seems to effectively solve or, at least, help all of these complaints.