11 Examples of Zoning

John Spacey, updated on April 05, 2017

Zoning is the regulation of land use by area. It is a primary tool of urban planning that is based on national law, regional regulations or local ordinances. The following are common examples of zoning.

Use

Zoning often regulates activities such as residential, agricultural, commercial or industrial use of land. This tends to raise the value of property as people don't want to live beside a site that is unattractive, noisy or generating pollution.

Single-use

Historically, North American cities tend to have large single-use zones. This is often criticized as negatively impacting quality of life due to factors such as long commutes and large areas with little sense of community.

Mixed-use

Mixed-use zoning can be used to simulate reasonably dense neighborhoods where people can walk to shopping, work, school, medical appointments, restaurants, green space and other useful features.

Night Economy

Many zoning laws exclude things like bars, night clubs, performance venues and karaoke. In some cases, mixed-use zoning embraces these features of the night economy as part of a strategy of fostering lively neighborhoods.

Hotels

Zoning may restrict boarding houses, hotels, motels and other temporary rentals. In many cases, reputable hotels can obtain an exception to zoning laws.

Sui Generis

Sui generis is a term for land uses that don't fit into a standard category. The term is applied to things such as embassies, amusement parks, scrapyards, garbage facilities and power stations. Such sites may require special approval in all zones.

Structures

Structural restrictions such as the size and height of buildings. For example, a neighborhood might permit shopping but not big-box stores. Height is also commonly restricted. This may allow a neighborhood to reach a reasonable density without overusing the area's infrastructure and greenspace.

Safety

Safety related regulations such as the distance between buildings designed to reduce fire hazards.

Inclusionary Zoning

A requirement that a percentage of land in an area be used for affordable housing. This is done to create a income-integrated community.

Environment

Zoning may cover a wide range of environmental issues. For example, as opposed to excluding all industry mixed-use zoning might define a list of acceptable environmental practices that allows for light-industry.