Zoning laws are regulations that dictate how a property can and cannot be used in certain geographic areas. In urban planning, zoning is a method in which a municipality or other tier of government divides land into "zones," each of which has a set of regulations for new development that differs from other zones. Zoning laws can limit commercial or industrial use of land to prevent oil, manufacturing, or other types of businesses from building in residential neighborhoods. They can also regulate the size, shape, and scale of buildings on a certain property within a specific geographic area.
Zoning laws are commonly controlled by local governments such as counties or municipalities, though the nature of the zoning regime may be determined or limited by state or national planning authorities or through enabling legislation. The main types of zoning are industrial, commercial, residential, and agricultural, and other types of zoning used in some municipalities include historic, school, hospital, and airport zoning. Within the main categories, there are usually designations for density of units. For example, in some areas, residential zoning includes designations like R-2 for up to two residential units per acre or R-4 for up to four residential units per acre.
Zoning laws have different purposes depending on the type of property. They can protect important natural and historical resources and ensure that facilities that risk the health and safety of a community’s occupants aren’t established near a residential neighborhood. Zoning laws can also require that buildings have an adequate level of natural lighting, air quality, and even privacy.
It is important to note that zoning laws are different from the rules made by homeowners associations (HOAs). Although the rules of an HOA can affect your property usage, the rules are not made by a local government.
In summary, zoning laws are regulations that dictate how a property can and cannot be used in certain geographic areas. They are commonly controlled by local governments and have different purposes depending on the type of property.
