A Guide to Land Use Planning and Residential Land Use

To build a balanced, orderly, and sustainable community, it’s important to engage in land use planning. This type of planning allows cities and towns to bring in new economic development, improve downtown areas, and offer better housing options. A comprehensive planning process uses a combination of community input and data on current conditions to determine how to use land.

In some states, a local government can only enforce zoning if a robust land use plan is available. A completed land use plan includes information about economic development types, mitigation of storm hazards, natural resource protection, and the preservation of productive resources.

There are many types of land use. For example, commercial land use allows for office buildings, warehouses, and restaurants in a specific location. When a city performs urban planning, it must account for residential land use as well to ensure the community has access to enough housing. This guide explores land use residential planning and the importance it has in the development of any community.

What is Land Use Planning?

Land use planning is a method that’s used to create and develop any land-based project. Government agencies often regulate these projects. While zoning laws place restrictions in certain areas to prevent specific development projects, land use residential plans provide the basis for these laws. When performed correctly, these plans engage the community and conserve resources.

Communities use these plans to determine how to allocate resources and create policies that benefit all stakeholders. If a plan weren’t in place, cities and communities wouldn’t be safe or healthy for the people who lived there. For example, towns might not have sidewalks without a plan. Industrial facilities would likely emit too much air and water pollution as well.

Land planning has been performed for centuries. Traces of land planning have been uncovered in the ruins of Ancient Greece and Rome. This form of planning is required to make sure the people within a community have places to live, work, and shop. Land use plans have also been used throughout the United States since the 1900s. While the needs of a community were more rudimentary back then, the core principles are similar. The key objectives of land planning include the following:

• Provide a range of different housing options
• Offer walkable neighborhoods
• Mix land uses to ensure residential homeowners have access to jobs and amenities
• Utilize energy-efficient and environmentally friendly building design
• Preserve farmland, natural beauty, and open space
• Promote distinctive communities
• Deliver numerous transportation options
• Encourage collaboration with stakeholders and community members
• Make cost-effective and fair development decisions

Components of Land Use Plans

Land use plans consist of many different components, all of which are necessary to determine how land should be zoned in a specific city, region, or state. The main components of a land use plan include the following:

• Land surveys
• Development plans
• Permitting
• Environmental assessments
• Feasibility studies

However, the exact components depend on the type of land use plan that’s being made. There are two primary plan types, which include comprehensive plans and zoning ordinances. A comprehensive plan is a crucial aspect of a city’s long-term planning. It consists of a map that shows all future land uses for a planning jurisdiction. The document must display all physical elements of the area for a lengthy period. Most comprehensive plans map out the next 20 years.

Once a city or county creates a comprehensive plan, it will become the basis for zoning codes. However, comprehensive plans and zoning ordinances differ considerably. Comprehensive plans must consider population growth patterns and long-term economic changes.

Zoning ordinances detail the acceptable types of land use for property within zoning districts. For example, a residential zone can’t contain large industrial factories. Public engagement is an important element of land planning. By understanding the public’s ideas and values, it’s possible to make decisions that garner more community buy-in.

Residential Land Use

There are many types of land use that a city or county can accommodate, which include the following:

• Residential
• Commercial
• Public
• Industrial
• Open space
• Mixed use
• Environmental

Residential land accommodates the building of various types of housing, which include single-family homes, townhouses, and multi-family properties. If a piece of land allows for multiple uses to co-exist, a combination of residential and commercial buildings can be constructed to ensure homeowners have easy access to the amenities they need.

The residential land use classification can also include daycare facilities, hospitals, parks, and educational facilities.

The Process of Land Use Planning

The land use planning process involves numerous steps, which include everything from data collection and analysis to stakeholder engagement. You can partner with a firm that specializes in land planning to keep costs down and avoid lengthy delays. The main steps in this process are:

• Define the planning area, including population centers
• Contact existing land users, organizations, and stakeholders to make sure they provide input from the onset of the project
• Obtain information about the area, which includes land resources, infrastructure, social structure, government, and commercial organizations
• Establish goals based on resolving local problems
• Identify economic, legal, or environmental constraints
• Determine how many years the plan will cover
• Agree on the plan’s format and content

Once you collect the necessary information about the land, you’ll need to analyze it to make sure the comprehensive plan or zoning ordinance adheres to local laws and regulations. After all planning documents and maps have been drafted, they will need to be adopted by the local governing board. In most cases, the governing board consults directly with the planning board. The adoption of a comprehensive plan may also require a legislative decision before it can go into effect.

Zoning and Its Impact on Residential Land Use

Zoning involves local or municipal laws that govern the use of real property. It’s possible for zoning laws to limit how industrial or commercial land is used. The types of zoning categories and classifications that can be attributed to land include the following:

• Residential zoning
• Commercial zoning
• Rural zoning
• Agricultural zoning
• Industrial zoning
• Historic zoning
• Aesthetic zoning

Residential zones can include any type of building that can serve as housing for people. Along with single-family residences and suburban homesteads, residential zones can also consist of apartments, trailer parks, condos, co-ops, and duplexes. This type of zoning can place restrictions on the number of buildings that can be constructed on a property. They can also limit noise levels and control affordable housing.

Zoning laws often place limitations on the types of animals that can be present at a residence. There are no restrictions on dogs, cats, and birds. However, residential zoning laws might prohibit farm animals like cows, sheep, chickens, and pigs. If you intend to run a home-based business, check for zoning regulations regarding:

• Your hours of operation
• Noise problems
• Signage
• Parking issues
• The nature of your company
• If you have employees

The zoning ordinance in your area might prohibit all types of in-home businesses if you live in a residential location. You may be tasked with parking at a separate facility. Keep in mind that the regulations for home-based businesses are often stricter at condos.

Challenges in Residential Land Use Planning

While land use residential planning has been refined over the years, there are still some common challenges that must be overcome. For example, cities and counties must balance urban growth with environmental sustainability. If the city allows too many industrial and commercial buildings to be made, the surrounding environment could be damaged. Environmental factors can vary from one location to the next, which means that there’s no specific blueprint that can be followed.

The planning department must also address housing affordability and diversity. While an increasing number of cities have begun to amend their zoning laws to promote affordable housing, a common reaction from the surrounding communities is to resist these changes. The city needs to find a way to consider the preferences of local citizens and homeowners without completely avoiding housing affordability.

Conclusion

Land use planning and residential land use are essential facets of urban development. Inadequate planning can lead to larger cities suffering from high crime rates and the quick spreading of diseases. When land use plans are carefully thought out and drafted, the space within the city or county can be used accordingly to foster development projects that benefit residents and businesses alike.