What is Zoning?
Zoning is the way that governments control the development of land and the kinds of uses allowed on individual property.
Zoning laws typically specify the areas in which residential, industrial, recreational or commercial activities may take place.
Besides restricting the uses that can be made of land and buildings, zoning laws also may regulate the dimensional requirements for lots and for buildings on property located within the town, the density of development, and whether you can have pigeons, dogs, sheep or llamas. Some zoning ordinances also regulate the extraction of natural resources from land within the zoned area, others provide space for hospitals, parks, schools, and open space and still others protect places of historical significance within the community.