Title: Land Use and Zoning Basics - FindLaw
Headings: Land Use and Zoning Basics
Land Use and Zoning Basics
What are Zoning Regulations?
Regulation of Development
Limits on Zoning Regulation
Challenges to Zoning Regulations
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Non-Government Restrictions: Restrictive Covenants and Easements
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Content: The basic purpose and function of zoning is to divide a municipality into residential, commercial, and industrial districts (or zones), that are for the most part separate from one another, with the use of property within each district being reasonably uniform. Within these three main types of districts there generally will be additional restrictions that can be quite detailed -- including the following: Specific requirements as to the type of buildings allowed
Location of utility lines
Restrictions on accessory buildings, building setbacks from the streets and other boundaries
Size and height of buildings
Number of rooms
These restrictions may also cover the frontage of lots; minimum lot area; front, rear, and side yards; off-street parking; the number of buildings on a lot; and the number of dwelling units in a certain area. Regulations may restrict areas to single-family homes or to multi-family dwellings or townhouses. In areas of historic or cultural significance, zoning regulations may require that those features be preserved.