>It baffles me how the US has no shops / restaurants / convenience stores in residential areas and nobody questioned it over half a century.
Because it's pretty much impossible to allow business like that without also allowing the more loud and unsightly commercial activity that white collar folk get their panties in a massive knot over.
It's very hard to allow general commerce without also letting the plumber pave his back yard and use it to park his fleet of vans. Yes you can play whack-a-mole with specific requirements but anything comprehensive just approximates onerous zoning.
Because it's pretty much impossible to allow business like that without also allowing the more loud and unsightly commercial activity that white collar folk get their panties in a massive knot over.
It's very hard to allow general commerce without also letting the plumber pave his back yard and use it to park his fleet of vans. Yes you can play whack-a-mole with specific requirements but anything comprehensive just approximates onerous zoning.