"Why not just stop these haphazard, piecemeal deals until we can take a look at the whole picture?" one city councilor asked recently as she proposed a six-month moratorium on approvals of new developments. This sentiment is being heard throughout the nation, as municipalities are using temporary building moratoriums to try to slow the rapid pace of development. Despite legal challenges by developers and the construction industry, courts have generally supported these temporary ordinances as valid exercises of municipal authority – as long as the ordinances didn't go too far. This article reviews a few of those decisions. Legitimate Concerns Versus "Takings" At the heart of the moratorium issue is the questions of where legitimate public interest impedes on the rights of
