Definitely a positive change! I'm delighted to hear that more people are apparently recognizing that excessive government regulation is not only hurting the economy and making things like housing less affordable, it is also resulting in a blander, uglier, less diverse and less innovative world.
That being said, a vague standard like "show awareness of nearby materials" also has the potential to be harmful if left to the arbitrary interpretation of planning officials. For instance if someone tried to build something like that Turin treehouse project in SF, would NIMBY arguments that it doesn't meet the standard, simply because there is nothing else like it nearby, be allowed to prevail?
Love & Liberty,
((( starchild )))