States, cities & tribes
zoning
Local rules dividing land into districts and setting what may be built where: use, height, density, setbacks, and parking.
In full
Upheld in Village of Euclid v. Ambler Realty (1926), zoning is the main tool through which local governments shape housing supply and cost. Changes require public hearings and council approval, and variances allow exceptions in individual cases. Zoning decisions are among the most consequential and least attended items on any local agenda.
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A plain-language explanation for civic education, not legal advice. When in doubt, the official source named above controls.