The Commissioner — Winter 2006
Resource Finder
Writing Ordinances Well
Create a clear regulatory guide for your community's future.
APA Publications
Making Zoning Codes More Readable
Charles A. Lerable
Zoning News, Part One: June 1994; Part Two: July 1994
Discover basic techniques for improving readability, organization, appearance, format, topic crossreferencing, and graphics. Consider content issues, including standards and definitions and their placement; the location of permit procedures and sign, parking, and nonconforming regulations within the ordinance; and the use of maps.
Common Problems with Zoning Ordinances
John Bredin
Zoning News, November 2002
Zoning ordinance provisions or entire ordinances are often adapted from existing ordinances. This efficiency uses existing language tested both in the courts and in practice, but it perpetuates errors in procedure and substance. Learn to correct this common problem.
Computerized Zoning: The Future Is Now
Lane Kendig, AICP, and Brian W. Blaesser
Land Use Law & Zoning Digest, April 1996
Today's traditional but longer ordinances require better organization. Computerized zoning ordinances (CZOs) are the answer because of their capacities to search, display, and find information. A CZO can deal with layers of complex information, and ordinance standards can be applied to many hypothetical proposals.
The Purpose of Purpose Statements
Paul Wack
Zoning News, March 2000
Statements of purpose establish the public purpose behind not only the ordinance as a whole, but behind specific sections of the ordinance as well. See examples of good purpose statements and learn how they can lay the groundwork for clearly establishing the city's intent in its zoning provisions.
So You're Gonna Change the Zoning Ordinance!
Leslie Pollock
Zoning News, Part One: May 1999; Part Two: June 1999
Determine who is in charge of revising the ordinance. Assess the state of the present ordinance and decide upon necessary changes. Draft a revised ordinance, looking at outline and organization, administrative provisions, the delineation of districts, development standards, and definitions. Examine the process of review and adoption.
CD-ROM Training Products
Fundamentals of Updating the Zoning Ordinance
Diagnose your zoning ordinance. Learn how to plan for redrafting the ordinance and how to ensure that you've covered all the important steps from organization to public involvement. The panelists offer broad guidelines and ideas for successfully updating your community's zoning code.
Books/Reports
Preparing a Conventional Zoning Ordinance (PAS 460)
Charles A. Lerable
Find out how to improve the quality of conventional zoning codes. Learn techniques for preparing zoning regulations, definitions, and procedures that are easy to understand and enforce.
Smart Growth Zoning Codes: A Resource Guide
Steve Tracy
Zoning codes can successfully promote smart growth principles. Prepare and adopt codes and ordinances that encourage walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods. Contains an overview of smart growth zoning codes and ordinances and highlights the best ones found in a review of 225 codes from across the country.
