Zoning

Zoning is the set of local rules that controls how land and buildings within defined areas can be used. Commercial categories, such as C-1 for neighborhood commercial, C-2 for general commercial, or industrial zones, dictate which businesses and uses are allowed where.

Zoning ranks among the most important factors in development and investment, since it determines whether a property can serve its intended purpose at all. When the existing rules do not fit, a developer can pursue a variance or a rezoning, a path that runs through public hearings and the discretion of the zoning authority.