Zoning

Zoning is an important method of urban planning where a municipality or other socio-economic level of government sets aside land in specific areas, which have a different set of regulations for new constructions which differs from neighboring zones. The purpose of this is to create a certain set of guidelines to distinguish which properties can and cannot be built in a particular area, which is zoned for manufacturing, commercial or service activities. These regulations are enforced by a governing board called the Zoning Board of Review, which is created by each local government. The purpose of these boards is to protect the public welfare by making sure that the people who live in certain neighborhoods and locations are not displaced or harmed by projects that would affect their way of life.

There are three distinct types of zoning laws based on which communities set their regulations. General zoning laws allow for flexibility in how property can be used by any type of entity, and therefore any type of activity, whether it is residential industrial or commercial. A Special Service zoning law, also called Industrial zoning, is designed for businesses that are not located on private residential streets and are therefore not subject to the same zoning laws as other residential neighborhoods. Professional zoning is used for commercial and industrial businesses, which are to be located outside of residential neighborhoods. Zoning for Manufactured Home properties is considered Special Residential zoning, which is governed by much stricter zoning laws than any other type of zoning law.

There are many different kinds of zoning that can be found in various localities across the United States. Some localities will allow for mixed-use development with some amount of industrial or commercial zoning, while other municipalities will restrict these uses. This can play an important role in urban development by ensuring that certain businesses are not harmed by others, which allows for the creation of a balanced city with all the services and amenities that are desired by residents.

Related Articles