Legal Definitions - rezone

To rezone means to officially change the established rules governing how a specific piece of land or an entire area can be used. Local governments create zoning regulations to organize communities, separating different types of land use like residential homes, commercial businesses, or industrial factories. When an area is rezoned, these existing regulations are altered, which can permit new types of development or activities that were not previously allowed.

Here are some examples to illustrate:

• Imagine a large tract of undeveloped land on the outskirts of a growing city. This land is currently designated for agricultural use, meaning only farming-related activities are permitted. A real estate developer purchases the land with the intention of building a new community of single-family homes. Before construction can begin, the developer must apply to the local government to rezone the property from agricultural to residential. If approved, this change would legally allow the construction of houses where only farming was previously permitted.

• Consider a quiet street within an older part of a city, currently zoned exclusively for single-family residential homes. The city council, aiming to increase housing density near a new public transit line, proposes to rezone this street to allow for multi-family dwellings, such as duplexes or small apartment buildings. If this change is enacted, property owners on that street would then have the option to build or convert their properties into housing for multiple families, which was previously prohibited.

• A struggling industrial park, once home to several factories, now sits largely vacant. The local economic development agency believes the area could be revitalized by attracting technology companies and creating a vibrant live-work environment. To achieve this, they propose to rezone the industrial park to a "mixed-use" designation. This change would allow for a combination of office spaces, research facilities, retail shops, and even residential apartments within the same area, transforming its purpose from heavy industry to a more diverse and modern economic hub.