Zoning Practice
Zoning Practice helps guide you as you write and administer smart development codes.
It's a fact. The zoning problem you're struggling with today has probably already been solved by somebody else. But how can you find out what's working without spending a lot of your valuable time?
Zoning Practice isn't just an interesting read. It's a toolbox chock full of information geared to inform and inspire, and to implement by planners for the purpose of smarter land-use practice.
Current Issues
February 2015
Context-Sensitive Zoning for Transit-Oriented Development
While some commentators treat transit-oriented development (TOD) as a single distinct development model, it's probably more helpful to think of TOD as a spectrum of development patterns and densities. Many older cities and suburbs have well-established TOD areas that, in some cases, predate both widespread automobile usage and zoning. Meanwhile, there are numerous other communities looking to support planned or emerging TOD districts in areas where existing development does not take full advantage of existing or anticipated transit service.
This article highlights key considerations for communities hoping to encourage TOD through special zoning districts or overlays and provides examples of context-sensitive TOD zoning standards from communities across the country.
Author David Morley, AICP, is a senior research associate with the American Planning Association, as well as APA's Planning Advisory Service (PAS) coordinator and coeditor of Zoning Practice.
January 2015
Zoning Codes in Plain English
Many zoning codes are written in a traditional legal style often referred to as legalese. The good news is that legalese is not a requirement. Planners and zoning professionals can draft regulations in plain English, a style of writing that uses the most economical, familiar, and precise language to communicate our ideas. This article discusses a series of key plain English principles for planners and zoning professionals to apply in code writing.
Author Benjamin K. Noble is a city planning consultant based in the San Francisco Bay Area. He specializes in preparing zoning codes and development regulations based on plain English principles.
To purchase individual issues of Zoning Practice
Send a check for $10 per issue to:
Zoning Practice Back Issues
American Planning Association
205 N Michigan Ave
Suite 1200
Chicago, IL 60601
Please include a list of the individual issues desired with your payment.
Share Your Expertise!
The editors of Zoning Practice welcome proposals from outside contributors, including those who may be writing for the publication for the first time. Contributors need not be professional planners, but they should have superior knowledge of a subject of substantial potential interest to Zoning Practice subscribers. We are especially eager to hear from potential authors with expertise on the following topics:
• Using development regulations to manage noise in mixed-use districts
• Visitability and housing for the aging
• Regulating short-term rentals
• Using zoning to promote walkable, mixed-use districts
• Zoning for healthy communities
• Hydraulic fracturing (aka "fracking") and land-use regulation
Digital Archive
Print Zoning Practice right from your PC. Issues in pdf format are available free to subscribers.
Ask the Author
Zoning Practice makes it possible for subscribers to ask questions of current authors about their articles. Authors write answers that will be posted on this website.
Find out more about APA's Professional Institute.