Zoning is a system the public regulation of the use of land. State legislatures hold the power to authorize zoning, within which the separate cities enact their own zoning ordinance and it is usually closely integrated with a city planning program. Various geographic areas (zones) are restricted to certain uses and development, such as industrial, light industrial, commercial, light-commercial, agricultural, single-family residential, multi-unit residential, parks, schools and other purposes.
Zoning is the main planning tool of local government to manage the future development of a community, protect neighborhoods, concentrate retail business and industry, channel traffic. It is also a method of controlling urban and suburban construction and removing congestion and other defects of existing plans. Typical zoning regulations address building height, bulk, lot area, setbacks, parking, signage, and density.
