In Japan, zoning is hybrid (includes all zones up to a given level, so you can have mixed residential/commercial), and height limits are based on shadow projection instead of some city commissioner. It seems to work better than America's obsession with suburbanization and having all your housing in a giant clump a 10 minute drive from all your shops.

http://urbankchoze.blogspot.com/2014/04/japanese-zoning.html