Implementation of Urban Planning: Zoning and

Subdivision Regulations

Stuart Meck, FAICP

Senior Research Fellow

American Planning Association

Module 2: Spatial Analysis and Urban Land Planning

Legal Authority for Zoning in the U.S.

The Standard State Zoning Enabling Act

The Standard City Planning Enabling Act

State enabling legislation Other authority—Municipal

charters

Problems with Early Zoning Legislation

Urban and local orientation Static view of municipal

development A process orientation Optional plan-making

The Zoning Ordinance: Zoning

Map

The Zoning Ordinance

District Regulations

•Yards

•Height

•Bulk or Floor Area Ratio

•Maximum lot coverage

•Maximum impervious surface ratio

Floor Area Ratios

Other Regulations

Accessory structures and uses Landscaping Off-street parking and loading Home occupations Conditional uses Signs

Off-street Parking Standards

Nonconforming Uses

Definition Nuisance Lawfully established Vesting Amortization

Enforcement

Zoning and Building Permits Completeness Reviews Enforcement Procedures

• Administrative—Stop work• Criminal• Injunctions

Board of Zoning Appeals

Structure and organization Powers

• Variances• Conditional Uses• Appeals of interpretations,

permit refusals Alternative: Hearing examiner

Zoning Map and Text Amendments

Purposes• Piecemeal amendments• Comprehensive amendments

Map amendment Consistency with comprehensive

plan• Density and intensity,

compatibility• Interpretation of plan text• Proposed public improvements

Subdivision Regulation

Purposes Legal authority Contents

•Submission requirements•Design standards•Engineering Standards•Erosion and sedimentation

control

Subdivision Regulation

Subdivision Review Procedure

Preapplication conference Preliminary plat review Final plat review Public improvement guarantees Time limits Exactions & fees in lieu

• Parks & school sites• Storm drainage

Planned Unit Development

Urban Growth Boundary

Transfer of Development

Rights

Density Bonus

Other Techniques

Adequate public facility ordinances

Impact fees Exclusive farmland districts Traditional neighborhood

development zones Overlay districts

• Critical and sensitive areas• Floodplain zoning

Current Problems in Land-use

Controls Exclusionary zoning Takings Bureaucracy Timeliness of reviews Coordination among

governmental units Gold-plating of development

standards Lack of clear authority for

certain techniques