>>998026It's all in the implementation.
Paris has height restrictions but a dense development pattern allowing intensive urban activity despite them. That and excellent rapid transit links to less-restricted districts.
Washington DC has height restrictions and minimum parking requirements that together are causing a massive spike in housing prices.
Personally I'm in favor of a 1930s New York style restriction, where a building facade directly abutting the sidewalk can be no more than 6 stories, with a tower of arbitrary height set back from the street on top of that. No one complains about the Empire State Building or the Chrysler Building being out of scale with the street, in part because of their progressive setback design.
