Legal Definitions - comprehensive zoning plan

A comprehensive zoning plan is a general plan that controls and directs the use and development of a large piece of property. It is a legislative division of a region, especially a municipality, into separate districts with different regulations within the districts for land use, building size, and the like.

• Cluster zoning: This zoning favors planned-unit development by allowing a modification in lot size and frontage requirements under the condition that other land in the development be set aside for parks, schools, or other public needs.
• Conditional zoning: This zoning grants a zoning change subject to conditions that are usually not imposed on similarly zoned property. The conditions imposed are designed to protect adjacent land from the loss of use value which might occur if the newly authorized use was permitted without restraint of any kind.
• Contextual zoning: This approach to zoning considers appropriate use of a lot based on the scale and types of nearby buildings. It has been used to prevent the destruction of older, smaller residences to make room for larger houses in established neighborhoods.

These examples illustrate how zoning can be used to control and direct the use and development of a large piece of property. Cluster zoning allows for planned-unit development, while conditional zoning seeks to minimize the potentially deleterious effect of a zone change on neighboring properties. Contextual zoning considers the appropriate use of a lot based on the scale and types of nearby buildings, which can help preserve the character of established neighborhoods.