Zoning

Zoning describes the control by authority of the use of land, and of the
buildings thereon. Areas of land are divided by appropriate authorities into zones
within which various uses are permitted.
Thus, zoning is a technique of land-use planning as a tool of urban
planning used by local governments in most developed countries. The word is
derived from the practice of designating mapped zones which regulate the use,
form, design and compatibility of development. Legally, a zoning plan is usually
enacted as a law with the respective procedures. In some countries, e. g.
Canada (Ontario) or Germany, zoning plans must comply with upper-tier
(regional, state, provincial) planning and policy statements.
There are a great variety of zoning types, some of which focus on
regulating building form and the relation of buildings to the street with mixeduses, known as form-based, others with separating land uses, known as usebased or a combination thereof.
Similar urban planning methods have dictated the use of various areas for
particular purposes in many cities from ancient times.

The purposes of zoning

The purpose of zoning is to promote the health, safety, morals, and general
welfare of the community, to protect and conserve the value of buildings, and
encourage the most appropriate use of the land.
1. Provide for adequate light, air, convenience of access, and safety from
fire, flood, impounding structure failure, crime and other dangers.
2. Reduce or prevent congestion in the public streets.
3. Facilitate the creation of a convenient, attractive and harmonious
community.
4. Facilitate the provision of adequate police and fire protection, disaster
evacuation, civil defense, transportation, water, sewerage, flood
protection, schools, parks, forests, playgrounds, recreational facilities,
airports and other public requirements.
5. Protect against the destruction of or encroachment upon historic areas.
6. Protect against the overcrowding of land, undue density of population in
relation to the community facilities existing or available, obstruction of
light and air, danger and congestion in travel and transportation, or loss
of life, health, or property from fire, flood, panic or other dangers.
7. Encourage economic development activities that provide desirable
employment and enlarge the tax base.
8. Provide for the preservation of agricultural and forestall lands and other
lands of significance for the protection of the natural environment.
9. Protect approach slopes and other safety areas of licensed airports,
including government and military air facilities.
10. Promote the creation and preservation of affordable housing suitable for
meeting the current and future needs of the locality as well as a
reasonable proportion of the current and future needs of the planning
district within which the locality is situated.
11. Provide reasonable protection against encroachment upon military
bases, military installations, and military airports and their adjacent
safety areas,

Land-use planning is the term used for a branch of urban

planning encompassing various disciplines which seek to order and regulate land
use in an efficient and ethical way, thus preventing land-use conflicts.
Governments use land-use planning to manage the development of land within
their jurisdictions. In doing so, the governmental unit can plan for the needs of
the community while safeguarding natural resources. To this end, it is the
systematic assessment of land and water potential, alternatives for land use, and
economic and social conditions in order to select and adopt the best land-use
options.[1] Often one element of acomprehensive plan, a land-use plan provides a
vision for the future possibilities of development in neighborhoods, districts,
cities, or any defined planning area.
In the United States, the terms land-use planning, regional planning, urban
planning, and urban design are often used interchangeably, and will depend on
the state, county, and/or project in question. Despite confusing nomenclature, the
essential function of land-use planning remains the same whatever term is
applied. TheCanadian Institute of Planners offers a definition that land-use
planning means the scientific, aesthetic, and orderly disposition of land,
resources, facilities and services with a view to securing the physical, economic
and social efficiency, health and well-being of urban and rural communities. [2] The
American Planning Association states that the goal of land-use planning is to
further the welfare of people and their communities by creating convenient,
equitable, healthful, efficient, and attractive environments for present and future
generations.